Clem didn’t watch Rohas disappear into the woods. As soon as Lei-san’s body hit the ground he raced over to her, skidding onto his knees and gently lifting her onto his lap. “Lei-san! Lei-san . . . please answer me . . . ” he whispered, stroking her forehead. Her eyes were nearly swollen shut, her nose red-rimmed and crusted with blood. “C . . . Clem?” she said, whimpering as she forced the words over the cracked plane of a split lower lip.
“Yeah, darlin’, it’s me. You’re safe now,” he murmured, stroking her bruised cheek with his thumb. There was a rustle beside him as Nezi appeared, pulling off his long brown robe and draping it over her. “We’d better get her home,” he said, eying the quickly departing sunlight.
“Thank you so much,” Clem whispered. “Nezi . . . I owe you again.”
Nezi shook his head as he carefully tucked the robe around Lei-san. “Nonsense. Besides, I don’t accept payment of any kind, anyway.” He smiled reassuringly. “You think you can carry her?”
“I . . . I’ll manage.”
Sliding his hands under her, Nezi carefully pulled her into a sitting position. “All right, nice and easy.” He nodded for Clem to slide his hands under her knees and back. Doing so, Clem gritted his teeth against the pain that shot through his left hand. He focused on her, giving her bruised cheek a soft kiss as Nezi helped Clem to stand. “There we go . . . love . . . ” Clem said, trying to keep the strain from his voice.
Her swollen eyes closed, her lips creasing into a gentle smile. “Love when you . . . call me that.”
Clem smiled, turning and heading for his cabin. Nezi grabbed Clem’s fallen gun and hurried to join them, keeping pace with Clem, who was walking as quickly as he dared. The pain in his hand had spread, radiating until his entire forearm was a white-hot bar of pain; even so, he still didn’t want to ask Nezi to carry her. He lengthened his stride, breathing a sigh of relief as his cabin finally came into view; carrying her inside, he laid her on the bed, gently pulling the robe away and easing her head onto the pillow. “There . . . there we go, darlin’,” he said, sweat streaming down his cheeks and back, his face pale.
Nezi disappeared into the kitchen, the sound of running water following him. Clem dragged a chair over to the bed, sitting and unbuttoning her torn, dirty shirt. Her hands moved up, trying to help him. “Lemme, please,” Clem said. She sighed and let her hands drop. “I love you,” he whispered, blinking back tears.
She reached up, placing her hand on his cheek. “Love you too . . . ” Clem kissed it, closing his eyes against the bitter tears.
Nezi appeared at his side, placing a chair beside him and setting a pot of hot water upon it. “Clem, water.” He handed Clem a clean towel and a washcloth. Clem blinked a few times, not moving. “Unless you think that blood running down her chin is attractive,” Nezi said dryly.
Clem shook his head, dunking the cloth in the water and wiping her face. Nezi moved to the other side of the bed, deftly running his hands down her arms, sides, and legs. He carefully rolled her onto her side, checking her back. “No broken bones, no large wounds . . . ” He looked at Clem. “I think bruises and scrapes are the extent of it.”
“Good,” Clem said, shivering.
Lei-san’s hand closed over his, her words soft as she spoke. “He snuck up on me. While I was walking. We fought . . . ”
“You’re safe,” Clem murmured, stroking her hand. “He won’t hurt you again.”
Nezi smiled, brushing back a lock of her hair. “No, he won’t. He can’t.” Clem looked at him, puzzled. “You’re her beloved one, Clem. According to her people’s laws no one can take her from you, or you from her. That’s why when I told him that he left.”
“What . . . did you call her?”
“Nmi sorani,” Lei-san murmured. “‘Darling one.’”
Clem smiled at Nezi. “Thank you . . . so much.”
“Rohas was always a . . . erh, Dante would call him a . . . prick, I think,” Lei-san said. Clem finished cleaning the dirt and blood from her, and with Nezi’s help wrapped a sheet around her, tucking her into the bed.
“I couldn’t see. Did you fight him?” she asked. Clem nodded. “Oh, my hero,” she said, smiling. He leaned in, gingerly kissing her lips. She returned it with surprising passion. “Thank you. I was beginning to think no one would find me.”
“I shoulda came sooner,” he whispered.
Her finger pressed over his lips, effectively silencing him. “You came soon enough.”
He kissed it, then rose, walking unsteadily into the bathroom and turning on the water. As soon as it was cold he plunged his swollen hand under the stream, trying to open his medicine bottle with his other hand. Nezi appeared behind him, gently removing the bottle from his grasp. “Here, let me.” Clem nodded, keeping his gaze focused downward.
“It’s still hurting?”
He sighed. “Yeah.”
“I think you might have to go back to the Library. Something’s wrong if it’s still causing you pain.”
Clem shook his head. “It’s all right. I’ll be okay.”
Nezi shrugged, handing him two pills. Clem popped them into his mouth, washing them down with a handful of water. “Is she gonna be okay, really?” he asked, turning the water off. The pain in his hand had subsided into a dull ache.
“Of course she will. She just needs some sleep . . . and someone to take care of her.”
Clem swallowed. “I love her already, Nezi.” He looked at the other clone. Nezi would understand—perhaps better than anyone else. “Is that . . . ? Am I . . . ? I’m a little scared. She makes me so happy, but I can’t help but worry.”
Nezi put a firm hand on Clem’s shoulder. “Can I assure you that she won’t ever be hurt again? No. No one can. But she cares for you just as much as you do for her—ever since we found her she’s been focused only on you.”
“And me her.”
“My advice? Hold onto her with both hands, Clem. She’s as good a person as you’ll ever find.”
Clem smiled, some of the tension easing from his shoulders; though whether that was due to Nezi’s words or the pain pills he didn’t know.
“And I know you’re still thinking . . . about Morgan. But she’s not Morgan, Clem, I can promise you that.”
“Thank you . . . I know she’s not . . . but . . . ”
Nezi’s head cocked to the side. “But what?
“I was just afraid I’d fallen too fast again . . . you know . . . ”
Nezi nodded. “I do.” He gently steered Clem out of the bathroom and turns him so he faced the bed. “But does that look like a woman who’d betray or hurt you?”
“No.”
Nezi’s voice was soft, but seemed to resonate through the cabin. “Then stop worrying. Enjoy the fact that you have air in your lungs and a roof over your head and someone to love other than your horse . . . no offense to Laredo, mind you.”
Clem chuckled. “Thanks . . . ” He turned, giving Nezi a hesitant hug, his eyelids already starting to droop as the pills took effect.
Nezi returned the embrace. “Here, come on.” He gently steered Clem over to the couch. “You need sleep too. I’ll hang around a while and make sure everything’s okay.”
Clem looked longingly at the bed where Lei-san laid. Following his gaze, Nezi gave Clem’s shoulder a squeeze. “Go on. Go to her. Just don’t squeeze her too hard or roll over on her.”
Clem smiled and stumbled over to the bed, lifting the blankets up just enough for him to slide under them. Lei-san’s eyes fluttered and she reached for him, snuggling into his arms and tucking her head against his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair, the sound of her quiet breathing following him into sleep.
~~~~~
Nezi watched the sleeping couple for a few minutes, listening to their breathing and the quiet sounds of the cabin and the woods outside. Contentment flowed through him; Clem had finally found someone to love him, and who needed him as much as he needed her. He would never have to ‘rescue’ Clem from Lei-san, and she would never hurt him or take advantage of him.
He silently crossed the room and tucked the blankets around them, smiling to himself. Lei-san’s eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him uncertainly.
“It’s all right, miss. I’m Nezi—Clem’s friend.”
She nodded, her eyes closing once more, and Nezi retreated to the couch, sitting quietly as he watched over the sleeping couple, managing to stay awake for only a little while before drifting off himself.
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