Touch of Flame

This man….

Ravina was trying hard not to look down but it was difficult. Her eyes were not listening, so she just ignored her mind and looked. So what? He walked around half-naked all the time anyway, but still, she couldn’t help the heat that rose to her face. Her body knew she was staring, unlike the other times when she only glanced and moved on.

His body was damp, glistened with drops of sweat she guessed since his muscles were taut as if he had done some heavy work. The veins in his arms were more prominent and the ones low down beneath his belly button and going right into his trousers. Her face burned, realizing where she was looking.

She looked up quickly as he stepped closer. “Why… are you wet?” She asked.

What had he been doing in the middle of the night?

His dark damp hair fell down on side of his face as he looked at her with a gaze she hadn’t seen before. Not intense yet she felt it in a strange way. He walked over and sat across from her with a sigh.

“I was working,” he said with a raspy voice as he reached for the jug of water on the table. He didn’t bother to pour it into a cup. He lifted the jug to his mouth and drank from it directly.

Ravina watched his neck as he tilted his head back, following his adam’s apple as he gulped the water down. Suddenly she felt thirsty as well, her mouth becoming dry. She licked her lips.

Emptying the jug, he put it aside. He hadn’t spilled a drop and acted casually about it as if he just had a cup.

“Are you hungry?” She asked.

He smiled as he looked to the side. What was funny?

“No. I am fine.” He looked back at her. “Did you eat?”

She nodded. She had a little with the maids before sending them to sleep.

“Why are you awake?” He asked.

“I slept early so…” She shrugged.

Speaking of sleeping, she had a strange dream about him. Or was it a dream? It had somehow felt real but at the same time how could it be? She wouldn’t do something like that.

“Did you… come to my room today?”

He leaned back and tilted his head, his wet hair falling along. Her heart flipped. What was that look tonight?

“I did. Why?”

She remembered the soft brush of his hand along her arm. Could it be?

“Did I… do something?”

“Like what?”

She shook her head. “Nevermind.”

“What did you do today?” he asked, still looking at her the same way. His eyes were slightly hooded and almost a bit unfocused as if intoxicated but she knew he was looking at her carefully.

“I spent some time with Georgia and Kayla,” she said.

He nodded slowly then looked down at the carved candle in her hand before raising a brow questioningly.

“Ah… I was just keeping myself busy,” she explained.

He said nothing, his eyes wandering to the side but the way he sat made her wonder if he did drink something.

“Did you drink?”

“A little.”

She doubted it. If he had a jar of water he probably had five of those. It would explain his voice as well. He spoke slower, each word rolling off his tongue like a deliberate caress.

“You should go to sleep. I will stay awake a little more,” she said.

“Yes,” he said his head falling a bit as he reached for the table to use it as support to get up, and then abruptly he stopped. He dropped his hand and pushed his head back again to look at her. “Let me ask you a question.” He said.

She just waited for him to ask, a little curious.

“Why did you like him? Your… future husband.”

Ravina was taken aback by the question. It was sudden. They were not even talking about it so why did he suddenly think of it?

She really didn’t want to reply. The last thing she needed was another jealous outburst, especially when he was intoxicated. She just shrugged.

“Answer me honestly,” he said.

“Why?”

“I want to know and I want to know you,” he told her.

His voice and his eyes were calm so she contemplated telling him. Still, it didn’t feel right knowing about his instinct. She had no intention of hurting him.

“It doesn’t matter. He is gone now.”

He looked at her for a long moment. “That wasn’t what I asked.”

She clenched her jaw, thinking back to moments she didn’t want to. “He saw me and… understood me. He knew what I was in need of and he provided it.”

She recalled the time she tried to kiss him but he stopped her and hugged her instead, allowing her to cry in someone else’s arms for the first time. When he took off her glove in the garden as if taking off her mask to reveal her ugly scars. Then he kissed her wrist as if accepting her the way she was.

She looked at the candle in her hand, avoiding to see the look on Malachi’s face.

“I see…” he spoke softly and she looked up at him. He wasn’t angry. He just stared at her and then he stood up, swaying a bit. She almost reached for him, afraid to have this big man fall to the ground. “I am fine,” he said noticing her panic since she couldn’t even get up because of her leg.

“I am going to bed then,” he sighed. “How will you go to bed?”

“I will just help myself to the parlor. I don’t think I will sleep more.”

“Alright. Good night,” he said and walked away.

Ravina watched him surprised. Did the wine do something more to him? He could use some more.

The rest of the night went by slowly, and Ravina tried to walk on her leg. It was still very painful but she managed if she took it slow. As she walked by Malachi’s room she heard a sound of disturbance. She couldn’t help but walk in and look at what was going on.

She found Malachi in his bed, throwing his head from side to side probably stuck in a nightmare. Grabbing chairs, tables, and walls she went to him and then allowed herself to sit on the bed, her leg now aching from all the effort.

“Malachi,” she called him knowing very well that no one would want to stay in a nightmare.