Read Broken Aro (The Broken Ones) for Free Online Page A

in the fighting. His
wounds must not have been too severe, or the slavers wouldn't have taken him.
    Often enough she'd have to patch her brothers up. In
the winter, they were always getting into tavern brawls or injured during
weapons practice. She could set simple breaks and stitch and wrap wounds. Her
father and brothers had taught her a little, but she'd learned more from some
of the army wives. She'd made an effort to learn all she could. Her plan had
been to the join the army, which meant fighting. Knowing how to tend wounds
could save her life.
    Unfortunately she didn't have any of her supplies.
Hopefully the prince's injuries were something she could help with. Her brothers
always said she did a great job of tending to them. Pain curled in her chest
again. Closing her eyes tightly she tried to push thoughts of her family from
her mind.
    She crawled over to the prince, trying not to blush
when he turned his head to stare at her. She took his silence as a good sign.
She'd never met a prince. She avoided nobility whenever possible. Nobles and
soldiers didn't get along, or so her brothers had told her often enough.
    She stopped and knelt beside him and sat very still,
just looking at him for a moment while he did the same with her. Fair's fair
right?
    Sitting in the corner, he rested his back against the
hull with his long legs stretched out. Aro could tell he was tall. She stared
at his pants. They looked soft and expensive. She forced her eyes up. It
surprised her he wasn't wearing silk, but a white cotton shirt, until she saw
the marks and nodded faintly to herself. So he had fought, he'd had mail on at
any rate. Regret spread through her that the slavers had taken it and she'd never
get to see it.
    She noted he had his left arm stiff across his
abdomen. From the way he held it she guessed a broken arm. Her eyes went to his
face last, shyly. She didn't really care what he looked like, but she wanted to
make sure he wasn't glaring at her.
    A little gasp escaped her lips before she clamped them
shut. He was beautiful. She shouldn't have been surprised. He was a prince
after all. Weren't they all handsome? She took in his long black hair, fine and
straight. Hers had never looked so nice. His skin was fair, except for a
purpled bruise high on his left cheek and curling over his temple. His features
were angular, but somehow slightly soft, too. Gentle. His nose was impossibly
straight and his eyes... his eyes were glaring at her.
    She looked away quickly.
    "Are you quite done?"
    Even sharp with anger his voice sounded beautiful and
refined, with a slight accent she of course didn't know. A visiting prince,
Kendric had said. Where was he from then?
    She looked at him again because she hadn't finished.
She'd only noticed his too long dark lashes and fine sweeping dark brows before
his glare had scared her. She wanted to finish the picture and see what color
his eyes would be.
    They were blue, of course. Perfect, brilliant blue.
    They were also glaring again.
    "What do you want?" His pretty voice wasn't
friendly at all.
    Her eyes dropped back to his arm. "It is broken?"
    After what seemed like forever, he answered. Relief
flooded her that he didn't sound furious anymore, just irritated. "Yes. It
is."
    She glanced back at him. "Will you let me look at
it?"
    "Can you do anything if it is?"
    His attitude began to irritate her. "Actually
yes," she snarled, making him start. ….. His
blue eyes opened wide. He wasn't used to people talking to him in such a way. "Well,
depending on how mangled it is. I know how to set broken bones. My brothers
came home with enough of them."
    "Fine," he said. He looked away and held his
arm out toward her as if bestowing some great gift. No wonder no one got
along with nobility, bunch of arrogant asses .
    She stared at it a moment before shifting closer, and
had to move even closer to reach his arm. She gently took his wrist and slid
his shirt sleeve up to his elbow.
    She grimaced. His fair arm was