East

"Khulutei is not your guardian. My duty is a sacred honor granted by the great Khan alone and cannot be revoked. Come with me." He stood.

"I've seen what you do to those around you. No one is left standing. Your speech about wolves eating lambs didn't help, either. Why should I trust you?"

"Because you do not want to die, and I do not currently wish to kill you," he replied. "What other choice do you have?"

I glanced downstream once more. I'd never survive that. Yet I didn't think Batu was helping me out of the goodness of his heart, either. I did have the sense he didn't want me dead, or he wouldn't have stood between the palace guards and me the day we met.

"What is your plan?" I asked and folded my arms across my chest.

"To take you to my ger first, so he cannot find you. Then I will confront him."

"And if he insists on bleeding me?"

"It will not come to that."

I wasn't entirely convinced he'd sway or keep his uncle at bay. But, given my circumstances, I didn't seem to have much choice anyway. I needed a much better plan than this one. Hiding in his tent would give me more time to think.

"I'll go with you," I said grudgingly.

"Very wise, goddess." The way he said it made me think he thought the opposite.

There was something really vexing about Batu. I didn't understand his manner of thinking or why he seemed like the happiest, most murderous Mongol I could imagine.

He started away from the river.

With some reluctance, I left the water, gathered my things and trailed. His tent wasn't too far from the horse herd. Not that I was able to tell any of the mushrooms apart, but it was in the second row from the horses.

Smaller than his uncle's, it was nonetheless cozy, warm and rendered comfortable with rugs and pillows on the floor. A collection of weapons lay on one blanket near his bed, as if he'd been cleaning them.

I dropped the mess in my arms on the floor near a pole. Standing, I stepped back, not expecting him to be in my space already. He moved quietly despite his size, and I had a flashback to the castle, when he'd overpowered me with little more than a pinky.

Unaware of my thoughts, he took one wrist and flipped it towards the ceiling. He began to unwrap the bandages. He was close enough for me to smell him once more, and I recalled with butterflies in my belly the way he'd brought me back from the brink in the castle.