Chapter 56 Nate
The air is filled with tension under the scorching heat. Rae glances around. The servants and the guards don’t dare to look directly at us. But I’m pretty sure each one of them will find a way to watch us and listen in. Rae’s cheeks are reddening like a ripe peach, delicate and tempting. My hand, with the palm facing upwards, is waiting for her hand to join me.
She seems embarrassed, with undeniable concern in her eyes. She steps backwards towards the flock of camels and intends to hide herself. Her poignant eyes stare at me with a mute appeal, as if to say let me go. That is one thing that I can’t do, and would never do.
“Rae,” I smile at her, “I can wait for you all day, in the heat.” I playfully raise one of my eyebrows. “But the troop cannot. We are marching.”
Her eyes glisten, and she takes a quick look at the head of the caravan, way up front. Then, she seems to marinate in her own tremulous thoughts. I start to think I’m going to be rejected, but it’s only a fleeting thought that’s easily wiped away by my passionate and wild feelings towards her. Her shoulders are getting tense as she fetches her bag, a ragged cloth sack with several patches sewn on, from the back of the camel truck. She ignores my outreached hand and curtseys to me, indicating that she will follow me.
I’m enraptured. Fireworks bloom inside my heart. She must feel too shy to take my hand under the watch of all these people. I try to take the bag from her, as it seems so heavy. But she’s determined to bear the weight herself. I hope I can get her to understand. What I have to offer her can’t be affected by any irrelevant stares from this troop. I’m the master here, and she is with me. Any of the other dancers would be eager to upgrade their seats to one beside an aristocrat, especially a Burton. The stares from the servants are nothing but jealousy. But I decide to give her a little space for now. Her eyes tell me that she is innocent and kind, to the core of her heart. The world she’s involved in should be a simple world that’s filled with music and dancing, without even a hint of manipulation or evil business.
I walk in front of her and she follows my step. Strangely, the hot wind rolling with unbearable heat has diminished into a comfortable breeze. The bright and dizzying sun is hiding behind the white cotton clouds. People in the caravan are getting in the cars and trucks. Water tanks are filled. Food is restocked in a freezer van, placed beside barrels of wine. The guards’ guns are polished and reloaded, and they ready themselves for any intruders or thieves.
Standing beside my car, I lift the door and open it wide for her to get in. Rae lowers her eyes and escapes my direct gaze. Once again, I’m captivated by her sweet aroma of honey and cinnamon. She sits opposite me, and we are face to face. After the maid puts down chilled juices, trays of fruit, and a charcuterie board on the middle small table, she withdraws herself from the car, then Rae and I are finally alone.
I pour a glass of chilled pineapple juice for her. “Thank you, but I’m allergic to pineapple.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
“Please don’t be. How could you know?” Her smiley eyes are waning like a crescent moon.
“But I thought you’re a local?”
“Yes. But my genes are fighting against this fruit,” she says jokingly, “may I have some orange juice instead?”
I pour her another one. In the meantime, she’s taking the veil off her face, untying the thin thread behind her ears. The white tulle falls down like a feather, dancing among her slender fingers. Her expression instantly bewitches me like a love spell. Her thin and petite nose is dotted with freckles, and her heart-shaped face is a perfect jewel inlaid with exquisite features. It feels good to take my overflowing mind off the gem for a moment. My spine is unconsciously leaning backwards, and I grab some grapes and chew on the juicy flesh. She sips a small mouthful of orange juice, and lifts her eyes to me meaningfully, shy but also courageous.
The troop is moving forward along the original route. Flying brown sand is filling the air between us and the outside heat. I’m glad that Rae is staying cool in the car. My heart aches when I think about her traveling under the poisonous sunlight, at the tail of the troop.
“I hope his lordship won’t mind,” she says, meaning Uncle Bentley, “he won’t be mad at you, right? For bringing a dancer in, without his consent?” The uneasiness in her voice makes me shudder as well.
“Don’t worry about him. Don’t worry about anything from now on.”
She lowers her head and wants to say something. But she swallows the words, right as they are on the tip of her tongue. A thousand ants are tickling my neck. My curiosity wants to be satisfied. I’m desperate to know more about her.
“You know you can trust me, and tell me everything, right?” What I really mean is that I want to know you better, so I can protect you.
She keeps silent and turns to the window, looking outside. I know she is not ready to open up to me this quickly. I won’t push her anymore. Pouring a glass of wine for myself, I just lay there and look at this graceful beauty.
The screen beside me lights up and starts ringing. I press the button and see that it’s the leader of the guards, who we dispatched to search for evidence relevant to the dead storyteller.
“Master,” It looks like that he’s inside a tavern and his face is red due to drinking malt beers, “I’m at the most famous and crowded tavern in town. This is the place to gather information.” He looks around and goes to a quieter place. “The townspeople have been talking about that dead man all day long. I think we’ve got what we wanted. But the most important thing is this.” He holds a parchment scroll in front of his chest. “Long story short, we purchased this from an old lady, who claimed that she was a reputable explorer decades ago. And she drew this herself.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a map! The map to our destination!” he lowers his voice to a whisper, “She said she saw the mi-ra-ge one time herself!” He whispers the word mirage so that I can barely hear it. “Just like the dead man!”