Aalis nearly toppled over, relieved to be beyond the sight of the nomad clan. She put one hand on the central pillar that held the tent up and the other on her chest, her heart fluttering madly.

  “I do not wish to sound ungrateful,” she leaned over, trying to catch her breath, “but I wish Nieves had found something plainer and less…”

  “Bridal?” Yolana teased gently. “Come, sit before you fall down.”

  Aalis was led to a stool where she sank. “I should be better at this. I should not go to pieces just because a few pairs of eyes are on me.”

  “More than a few.” Emeri corrected.

  “And plenty of them with hunger in their gaze.” Yolana added then stepped back. “It is a beautiful gown. See the layers, Emeri?”

  “I see them.” Emeri smiled sadly. “It is the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen…even compared to Lady Fereak’s wardrobe.”

  No one could miss the yearning wistfulness in Emeri’s voice.

  “Do you want it?” Aalis asked sincerely.

  “I couldn’t. It was a gift.”

  “I feel so awkward.”

  “I cannot understand why.” Yolana said brusquely. “You look stunning in it, Aalis. That kohl around your eyes has lent your face some dramatic flare, the gown is almost seductive without being risqué and the shawl can be draped around your face, hiding your dreadlocks. Not only do you look like a nomad bride, you are also heavily disguised in it.”

  “It’s true,” Emeri nodded, “no one would see you as anything other than a nomad.”

  “Well,” Aalis licked her lips, “I suppose it would be a way of disguising myself if we went anywhere populated and civilised…but I still felt a fool in it.”

  Yolana folded her arms, her dark brown gaze assessing Aalis’ words. “You are a beautiful young woman wearing a beautiful dress and are admired, even desired…yet you feel unworthy?”

  “Not so much unworthy…” Aalis admitted. “More…that I feel as though I am pretending in it. I am not the ravishing bride the outfit makes me out to be. Nor do I wish to be.”

  “Why not?” Emeri gushed. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be so desired and not just by monsters?”

  “Emeri?” Aalis asked gently.

  Yolana’s daughter looked aside. “I’m just saying it would be nice to be loved…you’ve got half the village falling over themselves for you, let alone the almost knight Judd LaMogre…at least you have the chance to be loved.”

  “Emeri!” Yolana exclaimed.

  Emeri started and looked between them, horror ghosting her features. “I…I…” She darted for the tent flap and escaped outside.

  Yolana turned to Aalis, mortified. “I am so sorry about Emeri…I don’t know what has gotten into her.”

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  “Maybe the reality of her situation is starting to sink in?” Aalis undid the mantle, the heavy, warm fur sliding off her shoulders, showing just how much bare skin was visible without it. She would never dare to remove it in male company. Her shoulders and upper arms were uncovered and to her mortification, the nomad women did not wear undergarments like Aalis did. The dress was not explicit but it was very kind to curves and valleys.

  “The reality?”

  “A Maul girl, separated from her own people and shunned by Terras,” Aalis folded the mantle carefully, “her chances at being in love have slimmed dramatically.”

  “And she no longer has her library to comfort her.” Yolana sighed. “I see what you are saying.”

  Before they had a chance to talk it through, Emeri burst into the tent. “You might want to start preparing some salves for bruises.”

  “Who challenged Suvau this time?” Yolana’s hands went straight onto her hips.

  “It’s not father…it’s Judd.”

  By the time the challenge was over, Aalis had changed into her normal clothing which was a relief as she would not have dared to wear the beautiful nomad gown near a man whose nose was bleeding, whose lip was split and who would probably have a black eye before long. She sat cross legged next to him, muttering incomprehensibly in a frustrated tone as she pounded herbs into a paste that she could apply to the scrapes and bruises he’d received.

  Suvau and Giordi had hauled Judd into the tent and, seeing Aalis’ furious expression, made a quick withdrawal along with Yolana and Emeri. Judd winced as Aalis cleaned the blood from his face and dabbed the salve around his eye, gently smearing it against the tender skin.

  “In my defence, I didn’t start it.”

  “Hush.” Aalis said none too kindly, her lavender eyes quite flinty, like the colour of the storm clouds outside, brewing a downpour of steppeland proportions. Judd would have liked to have looked elsewhere but Aalis was in his face, applying the cooling salve to his split lip.

  “Aalis…”

  “Stop talking.” He sighed and closed his eyes. “What about your chest or arms?”

  “He got in a couple of blows,” Judd cringed, “just a couple, thank Astaril, or I’d be giving you away…”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Nothing.”

  Aalis glowered at him. “Show me the bruises on your chest. Now.” She barked as he went to argue. Judd needed help getting the tunic off, telling himself that the embarrassment was all in his own mind. When Aalis was a healer, she didn’t see a naked or half dressed body as something to be mortified about. Judd didn’t have the same discipline. It was hard not to smell her hair or turn her tender healing applications into something more romantic and sensual in his mind. He cursed his inability to just let her go and wished he could work out why he felt torn when he was around her. Somehow he was both repellent to her yet attractive and his heart ached for some kind of resolution on the matter.

  “I cannot believe you of all people got into a sparring match.”

  “Me of all people?” Judd tried not to shiver in delight as she smeared the paste across his ribs. “Why am I held to a higher standard than others? Suvau didn’t get ticked off like this…”

  “Suvau did not return half dazed, bruised and bleeding.” Aalis retorted. “You are supposed to be a knight!”

  “Not yet…I’m working on it.” Judd shied away from her touch, unable to stand it anymore. “I’ll be fine.” He stood up, reaching for his tunic. “Aalis…just let it go.”

  “You asked me to accompany you on this quest so I could keep you from dying.” Her hands went onto her waist and she eyed him fiercely. “Do not stop me from doing my job.”

  “I’m not going to die from a couple of bruises.” He pulled his tunic on and tied the belt around his waist. “Really, I’ll be fine. You’re a better healer than this clan’s physician,” Judd paused, “I bet he was wishing you were attending him and not me.”

  “Sorry?”

  “Oh…uh…I just…he’s an elderly man…and you’re lovely.”

  Aalis blinked. “Judd, are you concussed? What are you talking about?”

  Judd realised she’d missed his statement. “Nothing. I’m just addled in the head.” He excused. He didn’t remember much after the match, dizzy and his head had been ringing but he remembered just how firmly he’d told the others that he didn’t want Aalis to know why the young man had challenged him. Aalis didn’t need the guilt and Judd felt bad that he had inadvertently come between Aalis and Verne.

  Whatever his feelings were, he was not about to muscle his way between them. He picked up his cloak and tied it around his neck.

  “Did you at least win?” Aalis asked.

  “I did.” Judd nodded.

  “Well…that’s something.”

  Judd left the tent, wondering if Aalis would ever know just how close she came to being a nomad bride.