Dark Angel (Casteel 2)

places, and a long tear had ripped one sleeve from

shoulder seam to elbow. "Why do you keep sitting

there? Are you hurt?"

"Go away!" I yelled, flipping my head so he

couldn't see my mud-smeared face. "No, I am not

hurt! I don't need to be rescued! I don't need you! I

don't need anybody!"

Without replying he stepped into the wet ditch

and tried to feel my legs for broken bones. I tried to

slap him away, and yet he managed to pick me up

after three attempts. "Now, be serious, Heaven. Tell

me if you hurt anywhere."

"No! Just put me down!"

"You're lucky you are still alive. If it had been

hard ground instead of water and a soft muddy stream

bottom, you might very well be seriously injured." "I can walk. Please put me on my feet." "All right, if that's what you want," and obeying

my command, he tentatively stood me up. I cried out

from the hot pain that shot through my left ankle.

Instantly he seized me up in his arms again. "We've

got to hurry. No time to play games. I had to dismount

to follow the trail you made. No doubt trom the looks

of that swelling ankle, you have sprained it." "That doesn't make me crippled! I can still

walk. Many a time I've walked seven miles to

Winnerrow with something hurting more than that

ankle!"

Another amused grin quirked his lips. "Sure

you have, a hurting stomach, not a sprained ankle." "What do you know about it?"

"Only what you've told me. Now stop

struggling and behave yourself. If I don't find my

horse in short order, both of us are going to be caught