Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAY
Barloc created the war, but we paid for it.
—Southern saying
27th Day of Spring’s Son Moon,
Age of the Locways, Year 272
La’Angi Keep
My wrist ached from yanking myself free of the ropes yesterday, so we focused on footwork. She held the sword through the transitions, teaching her body the correct posture and movements.
We’d come too close, yesterday.
I stepped back, nursing my aching hand, watching her movements. I wished I could view her with the impartiality of a mentor. The breeze through the open windows made the little hairs at her temple stir. How soft they’d be against my cheek as I nuzzled into her sweetness.
“Are you okay?”
The question came as she turned to me, wiping the little beads of sweat from her forehead with her inner wrist. I caught her golden gaze, letting myself drown in it. There was no real warmth there. She looked at me the same way she’d regard any of the guard whose loyalty she wasn’t confident in.
“Yes,” I lied, because it was easier.
Her attention dipped to my sore hand, where I’d wrapped the wounds left by the knife I’d grabbed by the blade, knowing she needed a weapon.
Part of me wanted to call myself a liar. I wanted her to scream at me, as she had before I’d been banished. I wanted her to look at me.
Then…then I could look back.
“Well, if you change your mind, we’ve old Grisham who’s a fair hand with herbs,” she said, turning away from me. “Wouldn’t hurt to explore your options.”
That was it.
I heard the approaching footsteps too slowly to react. Not one, but two sets. The way her spine stiffened as her attention sharpened on the entryway was the only reason I even knew of them.
Kaelson, and, a half-step behind him, Thomas, were there.
I shouldn’t have been relieved. If she’d wanted to share her secret with Kaelson, she would’ve. He wasn’t going to hurt her. Blood oath or not, Kaelson was in her camp.
She probably didn’t realize quite how entrenched he was, or what that meant. But I did.
“Morning, m’lady,” Kaelson said, with a brisk bow. “Pardon me interfering,” he said, with a nod at the sword in her hand. “I had a suspicion, and Thomas did try to dissuade me.”
There was color in her cheeks. In time gone by, she’d have glanced at me for support. I’d’ve given it to her, too.
I still would.
“I should apologize for the subterfuge, Kaelson. I didn’t want to put you in a difficult position,” she said, stiffly.
“And I appreciate that,” he said. “Same way I appreciate your big heart, seeing a need and aiming to meet it. Thought I’d best come and straighten everything out.”
Once again, I was on the outside.
Mayhap I should’ve gone to stand by the door.
“You know he’s never going to accept you as his heir,” Kaelson said, a Captain, stating facts.
Audrey let out a noise of disbelief. “Is that what you think I want? His approval?”
“I don’t know what you might want, but I thought we ought to start from a place of honesty,” Kaelson said, with another nod. “But that answers that. Is there a reason you’ve opted to turn yourself into a soldier instead of a general?”
“Yes.”
He arched his brows and looked from her to Thomas, and then to me. Whatever he saw in our faces made him sigh. “If you must do this, then you’d better learn to soldier properly. I’ll see the small sou’west hall is empty after the night meal. If you’re agreeable.”
Shock, relief, and then gratitude ran over her features. “You’ll help?”
“Can’t have you wearing our crest and toeing inward on your lunges, m’lady.”
Irritation rippled through me. I’d been taught to toe inward on my lunges. It made you more responsive.
“Would mistress Isolde also like to attend?” Kaelson asked.
The answer came from behind me. “Where the lady goes, I go,” Isolde said.
I would’ve jumped if yesterday’s fight hadn’t dulled my reflexes. Belatedly, anxiety washed through me at the sight of her, jug of water held perfectly balanced on the tray.
Mayhap they really did need me on the door.
“Those who fled yesterday,” Kaelson said, to the room at large. “Did any escape you?”
He asked it of Isolde.
She shot him a look beneath her lashes. Audrey turned to her, shock on her face. Isolde didn’t speak, but there was no doubt from the quick look that went between her and Audrey that Kaelson’s guess had been accurate.
She’d hunted them all down.
Audrey hadn’t known.
“Well, it simplifies things,” Kaelson said, with a sigh. “Complicates them somewhat, too. Would’ve been good to know who paid them.”
“We know who paid them,” Isolde scoffed.
“Proof would’ve been useful,” Kaelson said lightly. “For your lady.”
“Information we torture out of people isn’t considered proof,” Isolde said, pouring Audrey a drink. “Otherwise, you’d have it.”
Kaelson grunted in agreement. “There are ways around that. If we need them.”
Isolde arched her brows at him. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
He nodded, then glanced at me. “Mayhap spend more time with a bow in your hand, son. Having one person in the city who can hit the side of the barracks at more’n ten paces will stop people wondering when there’s some Worg-quality shots made.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” Isolde asked, frowning. “Or an insult?”
“It’d be more comfortable for all of us, mistress, if you’d take it as a compliment. It wasn’t really meant as anything except a statement of fact.”
She appeared to consider that for a moment before nodding and passing Audrey the water. “Mayhap we could go for a ride,” she suggested, to the room at large. “You could brush up on your archery, Chay.”
I flexed my aching hand. It was about to get a whole lot worse if they took over training…
They didn’t wait for me to agree to their plan, nor consult what I’d want.
We all knew I’d do anything for her.