Free The Bond (Book 2) by Adolfo Garza Jr. Page B

in her pack. She gathered up the remaining rabbit fluff and cloth scraps, bundled them together, and along with the sewing kit, returned them to the pack as well. Not only would the jackrabbit caught earlier provide her with meat, it would also provide a small bit of leather, along with the fluff she’d plucked from its hide. She couldn’t afford to waste anything out here.
    Lifting her arms up over her head, she stretched the cramped muscles in her back and let out a loud breath. She was bored beyond belief waiting here in this place. Looking out the cave mouth to the evening sky, now starting to darken with the coming of night, she tried to think of something to do, but there wasn’t much to do. Within a few days of arriving, she had explored the desert around the caves extensively as well as the near caverns in the cave system. Doing so again held no interest for her all these weeks later.
    Tossing another branch on the fire, she instead decided to take a bath before it grew too cold. She grabbed her lantern, a towel, a change of clothes—she only had three—and a bar of soap.
    The underground pool was irregular in shape, with a small, lower section on this end from which a rivulet emerged. The little stream continued down deeper into the caves until it eventually flowed into a small crevice and disappeared. The side pool was barely two feet deep and had only enough room for her to sit in, but it served its purpose.
    She took her time. For relaxation, yes, but the purple-black bruise twinged when she scrubbed her torso, so there was that, too. Once done with the bath, she felt refreshed and in a much better mood. She stepped out of the water and toweled off.
    After dressing, she felt a little hungry, so she sat on her heels near the fire and nibbled on some berries as she continued to towel her hair. She thought of having more of the leftover rabbit from earlier. It had been very tasty.
    T–The heat of the day. Is that what makes you want to bathe?
    “Who’s there?” Renata’s heart had nearly stopped, she’d been so surprised by the voice.
    I am named  . . . Nayra. H–He bathed frequently as well, Isandath. He s–sent you?
    It’s not a voice, she thought, setting down the towel. It’s in my head.
    She set that mystery aside for the moment and said, “Yes, I was sent by Isandath. Are you the woman I’m supposed to meet?”
    I  . . . I am the one who you are to meet.
    “Okay. Well, it’s good to  . . . to speak with you, finally. My name is Renata.”
    That is a pretty name.
    “Thank you.” Sitting on her legs as she was, one had started to fall asleep, so she moved it from under her and sat on the ground. Pins and needles ran up and down the leg.
    There was quick movement down one of the passages, of something that sounded large, and then silence.
    After a minute, Renata said, “Nayra?”
    I am sorry. I  . . . we are a nervous, ah, people. And when you moved . . .
    “We? Did you bring others?” Alarmed, she looked around.
    I came alone. We, my people, are nervous. Isandath always had a smile in his mind about my nervousness. But it has been, ah, years since I spoke with him. I thought . . . I feared that he had forgotten.
    “No, he has not. It has taken him this long to find me. He has no children of his own, so has to search for those he feels are, ah, qualified, instead.”
    I see. Good. This is good. It is almost time for my child to, ah, arrive.
    “You’re about to give birth?” Renata was shocked. She had no idea how to be a mid-wife!
    I–I am not. But my child will be here soon.
    “Oh. Okay.” Renata was starting to wonder about the woman. Their whole conversation was odd, but even more curious, the woman still had not shown herself. Why? They were supposed to meet after all, weren’t they?
    Isandath had mentioned that she had an unusual way of speaking, both in manner and in method, and Renata was understanding more and more what he meant. “How are you speaking