Free Healer's Touch by Deb E Howell Page B

the creek bed dipped sharply, allowing her to wade waist-deep. She crouched down and rubbed herself all over, feeling the grime of a long day lift away, then stood straight, the water streaming from her as she returned to shore.
    “Llew!”
    Llew shrieked and smacked her hands over her mouth, hardly believing she’d let such a noise escape her lips.
    Alvaro stood at the edge of a copse of trees, his eyes wide and staring.
    Llew dashed the last few paces, scooped up her clothes and pressed them in front of her. She didn’t know what to say: so she said nothing.
    “Llew,” Alvaro said in a loud whisper. “You’re a . . . You’re a girl .”
    “ You’re a girl.” Such had been her standard come-back over the years and now she didn’t even think before she said it.
    “Are you alright?”
    “I’m fine. Just–” She tried to wave him away.
    “You’re bleeding.”
    Llew clamped her thighs together, and felt her cheeks flush.
    The snap of a twig sounded over the flowing water, and Jonas emerged, looking from her to Alvaro. Her cheeks grew hotter. Just what she needed.
    Jonas looked back at her, taking in her awkward pose.
    “Al, go watch someplace else.”
    “But– Um . . . Okay.”Alvaro sounded disappointed and relieved all at once, but he turned and disappeared among the trees.
    “You–” Jonas took a step toward Llew and then stopped. “Wait,” he said, holding up a hand and turning back into the trees.
    Left alone, Llew breathed a sigh of relief. She doubted things could get any worse, but at least someone was on her side, as unlikely an ally as Jonas might seem. He was back in almost no time with a handful of soft bandages. Without a word, he left her to it and returned to camp.
    Cleansed, dressed and altogether feeling pretty good given the circumstances, Llew headed for her bed. She stopped short when Alvaro called out to her in a hushed voice. He stepped out from behind a tree.
    “You’re beautiful, Llew.” His doe-eyes shone, and his lips were curled in an awestruck smile. And then he floundered. “I mean, apart from–” He waved his hands down low. Well, no, blood trickling down a girl’s thigh wasn’t the most attractive look.
    “Al, don’t.”
    Alvaro froze. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. “You’re real pretty.” This time the smile was apologetic.
    Llew gave him a tight-lipped smile in return and moved past him to her bed, wondering just how many naked women he’d seen in his life.
    * * *
    Breakfast was rolled oats boiled in water, spiced with cinnamon and allspice, all prepared by Anya and Emylia while the others tidied away their camp and prepared the horses for the day’s journey.
    Every time Llew looked up from her breakfast or travel preparations, she caught Alvaro watching her. He never looked away when she saw him, just smiled. She stopped smiling in return, and shook her head at him to try to discourage him. If Aris knew she was a girl, he might not let her continue on with them. They were meant to be a protective escort for Anya, taking her to meet her future husband, Lord Tovias, the Earl of Rakun and its surrounding areas. Another girl in the group likely didn’t feature in Aris’ plans. He needed good, strong men who could fight and, Llew suspected, one letter opener to the side of a man’s head did not provide the kind of conclusive evidence Aris would expect.
    Llew sat in the cart, mostly ignoring the rocking and swaying as it trundled along the road. She was looking forward to riding the horse they’d acquired from the highwaymen. She wondered if she should have moved to the front of the carriage to sit on the cushioned seat behind Aris, Emylia and Anya each time they tackled a slope and the wheels of the carriage found all the corrugations left by historic rain showers. But she was enjoying her perch at the back: leaning against the canvas wall, back-flap hooked up out of the way, and with her leg slung over the tailgate,