I couldn’t stay and see, however, because the moment Isay’s rabbit turned to ashes on Ronya’s bed sheets she rushed out of the room, shaking all over.
I found her in front of the house, barely staying on her feet as violent quavers pulled her toward the ground. I didn’t think then, I just acted out of instinct, and pulled her to my chest, wrapping my arms around her.
She collapsed against me, letting me secure her in my embrace, letting me run my fingers through her hair, letting me whisper, “It’ll be okay,” over and over again in her ear.
While she was coming completely undone in my arms, I was burning up by her nearness. Her scent encompassed me fully, fresh and enticing despite our trek through the forest. Her hands that gripped at the fabric of my shirt scorched my back. The breath she let out in frantic puffs set fire to my shoulder her head rested against. I was completely ablaze.
The scalding heat of my hunger for her bit through my stomach, but I couldn’t do more than just hold her. I shouldn’t be doing even that much, but she deserved to know how much I appreciated her trying to help; how much it meant to me that she’d given up something she’d tried to save for someone I cared about.
She needed me to show her. Or perhaps I needed her to know. I needed it with the same intensity that I needed her, with the same burning.
Her heartbreaking cries quieted to soft whimpers as I held her.
She sniffed her nose and took a step away. I did not want to release her. Even through the burning, I wanted to keep her from escaping.
When I let her step away but kept my hands on her waist, she looked up at me with her tearstained eyes. “Karmuth, the ring burns. It hurts.”
As if struck by lightning, I let go of her and for good measure took my own step backward. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—I’m sorry.” That’s all that I managed.
What a brick! If anyone had seen us—It would’ve completely nullified the advantage wearing that ring gave her. Anyone but Drek and Ronya, that is, who were looking through their front window.
I’d deal with that later. She was on her feet, which was a good sign. It could help me win their silence.
“Are you okay?” I asked Isay.
She was studying her finger absently, the ring but a thin grey band around it. “It stopped right away.”
Not what I asked exactly, but I’ll take it. Women had their way of avoiding this question. Good to know it was the same in Elverstone as in Vindica. If she didn’t want to talk about it, so be it. We could avoid it. I gestured with my head toward the house instead. “It seems to have worked.”
I wanted to praise her quick thinking. I wanted to thank her, but I wasn’t sure how she’d react, so I kept quiet and let her gaze sweep over the window to see what I’d seen: Ronya on her feet.
Conflicting emotions played across her face, finally stopping at fear as she asked, “Will they talk?”
I shook my head. “I promise you.” I hoped she’d believe me.
Before she could further express her concerns, a guard came running from the tower. Had he come a minute earlier, he’d run in on us cuddling.
Drek stepped out of the house, ushering Ronya to stay inside. If anyone who knew about her sickness would find out she was miraculously healed, there would be some explaining to do. It was better to introduce her healing gradually.
“What’s the matter?” Drek asked as the other guard took a shaky breath when he stopped before us.
“Smoke rising from the west,” he gasped. “Appears to be a pack gathering.”
Shit. I’d been so focussed on getting Isay out of the forest that I’d not disposed of the corpse. Drek’s glance my way indicated that he knew it too and considered me reckless if not outright stupid. It was my mess, and I would deal with it.
“A pack?” Isay whispered.
“Princess, it is time for you to return to your quarters,” I insisted. “I trust you will find your way.”
“Karmuth, if there’s a pack gathering—”
“Princess,” I repeated myself, not letting the new guard hear what she’d have to suggest. Likely something about needing to help out with that situation. Not going to happen; she’d feel ten times worse after repeating her previous party trick, and I couldn’t live with myself if she got hurt on my watch. “You will be safe inside.”
She looked like she wanted to protest but luckily took off toward the palace instead. Only looking back once to catch me trailing her departure with my eyes.
I hoped she’d stay in her room until the threat was over and one of us went to retrieve her.
“Delthers haven’t gathered in packs in ages,” the guard puffed—I didn’t know his name and frankly didn’t give a damn. “They must’ve been provoked. Pir said that someone went outside.”
Great, just what I needed, for this knowledge to spread until it came out me and Isay were behind this and the burnt patch of the forest.
I would make sure this would not go any further than it already had. Pir had to keep his mouth shut, or he’d find out what a death touch felt like. I would do it, too. I was extremely cranky all right.
The absence of Isay’s warmth against me left me grieving for it, and I wasn’t one hundred percent sane with the sense of loss and the delther’s venom slowly breaking apart in my bloodstream.
“Assemble the guard,” I ordered, since I was higher ranking than Drek to decide the course of action. “Everyone to the west towers, preferably with bows. We do not know how many of them are out there.”
“Yes, sir.” The guard saluted me, ready to follow the orders.
“One more thing,” I called out. “Whoever was out there is not worth mentioning, as they’re likely dead already.”
There was a warning in my voice that hinted on sanction should I hear any more mentions of it. He had to heed the warning, because from me there was only one possible punishment.
When the guard set off to gather our forces, me and Drek went straight to the tower.
“Be careful, Kar,” he warned. The electrified wall loomed straight ahead, and I could see the dark clouds rising above the forest already from where we stood. “She’ll make your life a living hell if you let her. You could’ve given her the blame and have less worries on your hands. If the king finds out you’re hiding something—”
“I’ll deal with it then,” I replied curtly.
