Anastasia (The Bolton Series Book 1) (9 page)

“Is everything alright?” Emilie asked when she saw him. Weldon stared at Yelson as if he were some wild animal.

Yelson quickly nodded his head. “Yes, of course. Annie pack a bag. Cabel has agreed to allow you to come with us.”

With that said, he made his way to his room. His heavy footsteps could be heard until the door to his room closed.

“That was weird,” Emilie said as she picked up a cookie, drowning it in milk before popping it into her mouth.

“Yea,” I said absently. What could they have been talking about to get him to act like that. I stood up from my chair and began walking to the hall. “I think imma go check on him.”

“He is not going to talk to you,” Weldon said after me but I was already on my way. The hall to the room seemed darker than usual as the unusually clouded day prevented the morning light to enter through the windows.

I knocked three times on Yelson’s bedroom door. A grunt followed and the springs moving from the bed. In a matter of seconds he had the door open. My breath caught in my throat at the sight.

Yelson stood in his doorway wearing nothing but an old pair of shorts. His perfectly tanned skin shone bright in the dimmed light. I knew he worked out every day and that he was muscular but what stood in front of me was more than I expected. I wanted to brush my hands over him, to feel all the different muscles moving as one.

I could feel the rush of blood to my cheeks. I should not have been thinking of things like that. Yelson was my guard,  

nothing more. No matter how much I wanted that to change in this one moment.

“I don’t feel like talking.” Yelson’s smooth accent flowed over my body, caressing every part of me.

I forced myself to look up from his torso into his mesmerizing eyes. “I-I was just wondering if you were alright.”

A slight smile played at his lips. He could see right through me. “Yes I am. Just a little nervous about tomorrow.”

“It will be alright, right?” All these different scenarios about tomorrow started entering my head. Daruka’s men attacking and killing us all, my home not being there anymore, and of my family being there.  The thought of my family at home cause my chest to tighten.

“Of course it will be,” he said as his hands rubbed my arms in a soothing gesture when he saw me tense up. “Cabel has gotten three other guards to come along for your protection and like I said, Daruka’s men are long gone. And most of all I would never let anything happen to you.”

I smiled at Yelson’s words. I knew he meant them. His gray eyes held nothing but truth. “Thanks Yel.”

“Hey, only Arabella can call me that,” he laughed. He crossed his arms across his bare chest.

“Are you really okay?” I asked him. His gaze dropped a bit as he thought it over. A sadden look overcame his face as he fought to say something.

“I’m just dealing with something I thought I buried a long time ago,” he finally said looking me in the eyes. I could feel that he wanted to say more but he could not.

“Okay. Want to go with me to see Mary? I haven’t seen her since the attack,” I said deciding not to pry.

“Sure,” he smiled. He turned around and picked up the shirt he threw on the floor. I have to admit I was a bit sad to see him put it on.

Emilie and Weldon were still sitting down on the table. Emilie smiled at us as we walked by. Weldon just stared, an odd look on his face. It almost reminded me of jealousy but he had nothing to be jealous about.

I spent the next four hours with Yelson and Mary in the barn. Yelson explained to me how the next two days would run.

We were to leave first thing in the morning. Camp for the night and arrive at the cabin the next morning. Everyone would then get to search the grounds for any hints to where my family could be. I was to listen to everything Yelson told me. If I did not, there would be consequences. He did not specify on what they were but just the thought of what they could be got me to listen.

~*~

When I awoke the next day Yelson had Mary already saddled just waiting for me. I was the last one to wake so everyone was on his or her horses, ready to go. Emilie made Yelson and Weldon promise not to let me out of their sights before we left. They quickly agree, knowing she would not let us go without a yes.

“Be safe, careful, and cautious. You know, all that good stuff that would help save your life,” she laughed as she wrapped me in a hug. “And most importantly come back in once piece. I just know everyone would have a fit if they could not see your pretty face anymore.”

“Thanks Em,” I laughed as I let her go to get on Mary.

She waves to us until we were out of her eyesight.

No one spoke for most of the way there. It had to do with the nerves of what we were going to see, of whether we were going to be the only ones there or if someone else was waiting for us.

Every nerve in my body stood on high alert. My eyes constantly roamed the trees around us, searching for some unknown threat. Every noise got my heart racing. I imagined Daruka’s men following us in the cover of the trees. Waiting for the perfect moment to attack and kill me. Even with six other people around me, guarding me, I knew I was not safe.

Daruka would do anything to make sure I was dead. He needed me dead in order to save his own self. Nothing would be able to stop him from gaining that protection.

“Nervous?” Weldon asked me after a few hours of riding. His eyes also roamed the forest around us.  

“Is it that obvious?” I whispered. I did not want the others in front of us to hear.

Weldon’s low throaty laugh gave way to his answer. “Yes. But don’t worry, everyone is.”

I looked around at the others. From what I could see, only one of the guards Cabel assigned us seemed skeptical about our trip.  Mari and Yelson both seemed to be determined along with the other two guards.

“Really how can you tell? They look pretty motivated to me.”

“Everyone is scared of something Annie. It is just that many people know how to mask it. I lived with these guys for a while now and I know when they are trying to look tough.”

I absently nodded. He was right. We all were a little on edge. However, no one wanted to show that weakness. They needed to be strong, if not for themselves for the rest of the group. To give everyone else the courage to keep going.

I, of course, was the weak link. The horror of going back to my little home was plastered all over my face, in every action I did.

“Just remember to breath,” Weldon whispered. “It always helps.”

Smiling at Weldon I took three deep breaths. One, to calm the tension in my body. Two, to calm my mind. Three, to allow Weldon’s positive energy to surround me.

I did not know what I would do if Weldon wasn’t here for me. Since my first week at the palace he was the only person who could understand what I was going through even if I didn’t understand what he went through. He helped me get through tough times with items that helped him, like the book of paintings. If it wasn’t for Weldon I would probably be trapped inside my own mind with no contact with the outside world.

A few hours later we set up our camp for the night. With only two tents Weldon, Mari, Yelson and I shared one and the guards had the other.

After everything was set up we all sat around the fire and ate our dinner. I pushed the contents of the can around with my spoon. My stomach was too twisted to handle anything. I looked around and saw all the others forking down their food as if it would be gone in just seconds.

Mari was the first to finish. Her dark eyes scanned the group, lingering on mine. I felt her stare even after I looked away. It felt as if she was trying to intimidate me, to scare me out of something. But what could it possibly have been? I didn’t have anything she wanted. At least I didn’t think so.

Without a word, Mari’s lean body stood up from the ground. She walked over to the tent and entered it, closing up the door behind her.

“I will take first watch. The rest of you get some sleep.” Yelson’s voice boomed over the small group. Two of the guards followed his order and left to their tent. The last guard lingered over the fire. The orange flames illuminated his animalistic face. He had to be part cat.

“Are you sure, sir? I don’t think you should be out here alone.”

“Thank you, Gomel but I am more than capable of taking watch.”

“That is not what I meant sir. It is just-“ Gomel stopped at the look Yelson was giving him. His gray eyes bored holes into Gomel’s cat like face. “I am sorry I said anything.”

The guard quickly entered the tent so he wouldn’t have to face Yelson anymore. Weldon curiously stared at Yelson. He seemed amused by the interaction between the two men.

“I guess I will be going to sleep.” Weldon stood up from the ground and threw his empty can into a bag of trash. He held out his hand for me. I grasped it and allowed his strength to lift me up.

“Are you sure you are okay out here by yourself?” I asked Yelson. He didn’t look mad or annoyed at my question unlike he did with the guard. A small smile tugged at his lips.

“I’ll be fine,” he said as Weldon pulled me towards the tent. I smiled a goodnight at him before entering it.

~*~

The morning air chilled my arms. The men already had everything packed before I woke. Yelson, Mari and the guards circled around a map of the area. They were deciding the best place to enter the cabin grounds.

“I thought we had this all planned out already?”

“Same here. These people obviously don’t know how to plan a vacation,” Weldon laughed as he brushed his horse. Mary grazed the grass just feet away from Yelson’s back. Her dark hair glinted in the morning light. Her ears stood straight listening to the animals that roamed the forest. She was still the same care free animal as the day we got her.

“Let’s go,” Mari said as she brushed past us. She quickly got on her horse, her brown hair cascading around her like a curtain.

Within minutes we were back on the road. My lower body ached with every movement. My inner thighs burned from the rash that was surly there. As much as I had loved riding Mary again I did not think I would last the ride back.

It took us four more hours to reach the long path that lead to my home. I hesitated as they began to move onto it. The last memories I had of the cabin were horrible. Everything was destroyed by Daruka’s men, thrown about as if it were some piece of trash. I didn’t want to see what I already knew was there.

Weldon saw me hesitate and walked over to me. “You okay?”

I slightly nodded as I keep my distance from the path. It was no answer but he would understand that it would be hard for me to go forward.

“We don’t have to go inside. I’ll wait with you here if you want.”

“No,” I whispered. “I’m fine.”

He knew it was a lie but he still let me ride past him. I needed to go. It could mean finding my family and that was all that mattered at that moment.  

Yelson had stopped a few yards away from me. He looked concerned but didn’t say anything. His light eyes followed me until I past him. Both men followed behind me until the trees gave way to my small little home.

The overgrown grass swayed in the light breeze. Blue and yellow vines found their way up the walls of the cabin and barn. Other than that it seemed as if nothing had happened in this little clearing. I felt like my family would come out of the front door glad to see me home again.

However, it never happened.

Mari and the guards went straight into the cabin. No one stopped them. They had a job to do, find anything that could tell us where my family was being held.

I got off Mary and walked her to the barn on the other side of the property. Nothing was touched inside. I put her into her stall followed by the other horses. Not all of them fit in the small barn so I unsaddled them and allowed them to graze the grass.

Weldon and Yelson both waited for me at the steps to the cabin. I stopped a few feet away from them. The front door was slightly opened allowing me to see Mari. She moved over a fallen chair and was searching threw a pile of papers.

“I can’t go in,” I said the men. My stomach was turning at just the thought of seeing the destroyed inside again.

“That’s okay Annie. We can wait out here.” Weldon lead me to a fallen log next to the forest line. He put his jacket down for me to sit on.

“Thank you.”

Yelson had followed us and stood silent just feet from where we sat.

“I thought you were going inside.” I told Yelson.

“You need the most protection right now. No offense to Weldon.”

“None taken,” Weldon replied lightly. “I could use the extra help.”

Yelson hesitated as he moved to sit next to me. I patted the empty area of the log on my right. He followed my encouragement and sat down. His warm body heated my right side while Weldon’s cold body cooled down my left. In an odd way, it was comforting.

These two men would risk their lives to keep me safe. Even though they didn’t know me that well. That sense of protectiveness made me feel like nothing would happen so long as they two men were with me. 

We sat in silence for two hours. Both the men had their eyes bouncing from the cabin to the woods. I could tell they didn’t like to sit down for a long time while they could be doing something useful.

“You guys can go inside. I’ll be fine,” I said as Yelson looked to the cabin once again.

“No,” they said in unison.

“I’ll check the perimeter.” Yelson stood up from the fallen log we were perched on, sending me a reassuring smile before he walked into the forest.

“He has never looked at someone like that you know,” Weldon whispered even though Yelson had already disappeared into the trees.

“Like what?”

A small chuckle escaped from him. “Like he was happy to see them.”

“You sound like Emilie,” I laughed.

“It’s from all the time we spend together. We talk about a lot of things you know.” He stood up from the log. Reaching his arm behind his back, he grabbed it with his other hand, stretching the limb out.

“What about?” I asked.

“Everything,” he smiled. “You two come up its fair amount of time.”

“There isn’t much to talk about. He is my bodyguard, nothing more,” I said even though it felt like a lie. But there was nothing going on between Yelson and me. No matter how much I wished there was.

“Mmmhmm.” He had begun to pace pack and forth in front of me. His lean body moved with such grace it seemed like he was gliding over the tall grass.

“So,” I started leaning forward onto my knees. “Do you miss the ocean?” I wanted to change the subject from Yelson and me.