Chapter 17 Evander
Chapter seventeen
Evander
The woman blurred—a nymph darting underwater—as she blundered around the dark room trying to …
make tea? Evander felt like a dragon was standing on his temple, caving in his skull.
He was aware that he was bleeding; the physician had warned him that this would precede a collapse.
It was odd, waiting as patient as a child for the encroaching darkness to scoop him up and carry him away.
But something nagged at him, urging him to fight. He needed to live. He needed to stay.
Someone hummed above him, and he squinted through the fog to find six large, yellow eyes gazing into his face.
How did Hera get into the tavern? He was glad she was here, because he was growing increasingly anxious that this woman wouldn’t prepare the wyvern bone powder potion before he lost his grip on consciousness and slipped into the black pool swirling behind his eyes, and then Raska …
Hera snorted and nudged him, and he scratched her head aimlessly. Purring like a cat, the hydra drooled onto Evander’s chest.
“That’s disgusting,” said a pretty girl, appearing like a phantom beside him. He started; he’d forgotten he wasn’t alone. He couldn’t seem to hold onto a thought.
“Drink this, quickly,” she ordered.
“Look, you’re very nice,” he slurred, pushing the drink away. “But I’ve got a girl already, so no thank you.”
“Vander!” She sounded exasperated.
“You can’t call me that. That’s what Valenna calls me, so you can’t.”
“VANDER!”
He gazed at the girl, and her face came into focus. “Oh, Val, what are you doing here?”
“Drink this before I pour it down your throat!” she said, lifting his head and forcing the cup to his lips. He choked down the lukewarm tea, and his head began to clear.
And he remembered everything.
Blasted Haldir. He should have gotten rid of him when he had the chance.
“You alright?” he asked, sitting up slowly.
“I’m fine,” she said, but her hands were trembling. “Do you feel better?”
He shrugged and sipped the tea again. “Good as new.”
She glared at him.
“I don’t feel like I’m going to die imminently,” he admitted.
“Good. Exactly what I was hoping for.”
“Bloody headaches,” he murmured.
Valenna handed him a rag to clean his face and neck. “Who is this girl you’ve got?”
“I was talking nonsense,” he replied, deadpan. “I’ve never met a single woman in my life except you. I wouldn’t know one if I tripped over one.”
She sighed, casting him a long-suffering look. “We’ll travel to Silvanlight tomorrow. I don’t think you should ride tonight.”
“I’d rather go now,” he said. “I don’t want Haldir to return before us. We need to control the narrative. I worry about what he’ll tell Thomasina about you.”
Valenna bit her lip and set a bowl of water and a rag beside him.
She dabbed at his shoulder; he realized that he wasn’t wearing a shirt and couldn’t decide how he felt about that.
She’d never seen him in any state of undress before, except once when they went swimming together in Largotia and, probably, when he was in hospital, so this was an interesting development.
“I’m not going through with it,” Valenna said softly, cleaning the oozing gawper tuber bite. “I’m not making him dragon master.”
“Oh, yes, you are,” Evander said with a sharp laugh. “You’re not getting sent home to your maniacal father because of me.”
“And you’re not going to work under a maniacal dragon master because of me.”
He tucked a lock of her dark, wavy hair behind her ear. “I can take care of myself.”
She looked dubious as she stood, patted Hera, and crossed the stall.
Oh, stall. He was in the stable. That’s why Hera was here.
“Where did you get the powder you gave me?” he asked.
“Oh, that.” She rolled her sleeves as she returned with bandages, revealing the long, scabbed scrapes on her arms. “I’ve kept it with me in Largotia, just in case.”
“For a year?”
“Well, what was I supposed to do with it, Evander?” she snapped, kneeling in front of him again. “Throw it away?”
Her tone made him wince. “You could have sold it …”
“If you took it every day like you’re supposed to” —she ripped a strip of bandages from the roll—“then this wouldn’t happen.”
“I know,” he replied quietly.
“Why do you insist on spending the night in here with Hera?” Valenna asked.
Evander spilled his tea. “What?”
“You refused to go into the tavern and up to the room. You said you needed to be with Hera. You were combative.”
“She’s my favorite pet?” He meant it to be a statement, but it came out as a question.
Valenna, tying the bandage over his shoulder, shot him a cutting look. “What’s so special about Hera?”
“Can we talk about it later?” he evaded. “My head is killing me.”
She let it go, but he knew the time was coming when he was going to have to explain himself, and when he did, everything would fall to pieces. She would fall to pieces.
“Alright, alright, enough fussing over me, I’m fine,” he said, catching her hands in his and tipping up her chin with his finger. She had a cut over her lovely, curved eyebrow, crusty with dried blood, and bruising on her jaw. “Be honest with me. Are you alright?”
“Of course, why shouldn’t I be?” she said, but she wouldn’t meet his eyes.
He took the rag from her and dipped a clean corner in the water. “Because Haldir threatened you … and me. It was frightening, and you are allowed to be frightened.”
“He’s not the worst I’ve met.”
“I know. Still …”
She drew in a long breath, then released it slowly. “I’m a little shaken.”
“Would you rather I not touch you?” he asked.
“No. I would like to be held, I think.”
He cleaned the blood from her brow, then cradled her face in his hands. “I’m so sorry. About all of this. I’m sorry I keep pushing you away. I’m sorry I can’t explain.”
He wanted to tell her everything, but how could he? Here she was, so anxious over him, so full of love. When she found out the truth, it would ruin her. Better that she always believed he simply lost his balance and fell from his dragon.
“Just for tonight, can we forget about everything?” she asked.
“Just for tonight.”
She wilted into his arms, and he pulled her close, laying his hand on the side of her head. She curled against his bare chest. Drawing her with him, he leaned against the wall and rubbed circles on her back. Valenna began to shiver.
“It’s alright,” he whispered into her hair. “We’re both alright. We’re both safe.”
“I can’t make that man dragon master,” she said, her voice shaky. “He’ll get you killed.”
“Oh, Haldir’s such a fool, he’ll be lucky if he doesn’t get himself eaten the first day on the job.”
She turned her face into his chest, and he felt her hot breath against his skin. “This is a nightmare.”
“Hush,” he said. “Try to sleep.”
Valenna slid sideways and nestled under his arm, her long eyelashes soft against her cheeks.
Guilt rose, an ugly weed, reminding Evander how cruel it was to hold her like this, knowing what the future held.
He cursed his selfishness. But he couldn’t let her go.
She needed him tonight. So he allowed a little selfish comfort and fell asleep with Valenna wrapped in his arms.