Touch of Flame

Malachi stiffened. He didn’t think she would boldly put her hands on his bare torso. Her touch was cool and soothing in the fever that was burning his body. He was still fighting the infection and even a cold bath didn’t help.

Having her very cold hands on his body did something else to him. He wanted her to cool him all over. Touch more of him but he knew that would inflame him in other ways that he did not wish to deal with.

It was enough that she was dressed in this way that made his anger vanish so fast that it was embarrassing. He went from being utterly disgusted to being in awe. God. Animals could do better than him.

“You are very warm,” she said and he could feel her breath against the nape of his neck. His whole body went rigid. “You might be sick.”

“Well, I am of flesh and blood. What did you think would happen after torturing me?” He said steering his horse in the direction he wanted to go.

“That is exactly what I thought would happen.” She said.

There was something about the way she spoke. She kept the same tone most of the time. It annoyed him. He would rather have her angry and show emotions than talk as if she was dead.

Malachi gave his horse a gentle tap to walk. He did feel weak and tired. “So did you change your mind now? You sound concerned.”

“I need you.” She said and his heart skipped. “I can’t let you die.”

He knew what she meant yet the words pleased him. He was an utter fool to fall for this nonsense that she wasn’t even trying to present as something else. At least he could appreciate her honesty.

“Maybe I should take a look at your wound.”

“I don’t need your help.” He snarled speeding up the pace to get rid of her. The change of speed caused her hold on him to tighten and he could feel her chest pressed against his back.

“Slow down.” She called. He could feel her panic. It couldn’t be his own.

He slowed down. He had felt this before which made him wonder what she had been doing alone out here.

“What is wrong? You are not used to riding?”

“I am sick.” She said. “I… I don’t eat as much as I did today.” She admitted.

“I can see that. You do need some more flesh on your bony body.”

“Stop please.” She told him, now grasping his arm instead. Even if it was just a brief moment, he imagined her grasping him for other reasons. His mind might have wondered had she not sounded so fearful.

As soon as he stopped the horse, she climbed down and hurried to the side of the woods. She went to stand near a tree, her back hunched and shoulders drawn up as she faced away.

Malachi dismounted his horse. “Are you alright?”

Did she need to vomit?

She was quiet for a moment and then turned around, allowing her shoulders to fall. She put on her cold face again, “I am fine.”

Ignoring her ever-so-coldness which actually disturbed him because a part of him warned him not to ignore it, he went and tied his horse to a tree.

“What are you doing?”

He sat down and leaned against the tree. “You said you were sick and you ate a lot. I don’t want you vomiting on my back.”

She sighed and sat down leaning against another tree next to his.

“So what were you doing alone out here?”

She shrugged. “I met a priest. Very peaceful unlike some of your company.”

“You don’t think my mother is peaceful?”

He watched her think carefully. “I think your mother has your best interest at heart, which is why she wants to make peace with me. I wonder if she would treat me the same if I didn’t affect you?”

Just like the analytical person she was.

“Regardless, I can’t draw the conclusion that someone is a bad person because they are bad to me. The truth is just that our races have so much history that not only shows that we cannot coexist in peace but also makes it an impossible achievement.”

He agreed. “So you will eliminate us. Don’t we have similar goals?”

“That was the plan although it is technically impossible since we don’t have the most optimal weapons yet and you can’t kill the whole human race because we are too many and now we are fighting back as well.”

“So you changed your plans?” He raised a brow.

She turned to him. “Yes. Have you not done the same? I doubt you are stupid to think you can actually erase the whole human race.”

“I could try.”

Using their eyes, they challenged each other. Then she looked away from him.

“So what is your new plan?” He asked.

She was quiet for a moment. “You are planning to make the humans defenseless by destroying my father’s inventions so they have nothing to protect themselves with so… I will make you their protector.”

Malachi laughed. Protector of humans? Right. There was such conviction in her voice that he could almost believe her.

His head throbbed and he touched his damp forehead. He was only getting worse. Despite the cold wind, he was burning. His limbs ached, telling him to stay seated despite wanting to get up.

He forced himself up. “Let’s go.” He said.

He mounted his horse and she swiftly sat behind him. Then he rode away at a slow pace feeling dizzy. When they were almost home, he lost control of the horse for a while and she quickly reached for the reins to help him. He let her do it, feeling like he was in a haze.

Malachi didn’t realize that they had stopped until she got off the horse.

“Malachi?” She called his name taking his hand and giving him a tug. He shook his head to force himself awake. She was telling him to get off the horse.

Before he could try he felt like he was swaying and losing control of his body and soon fell off the horse.

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