“Aye,” Darkcord growled with a disgusted huff. “At least she cares for our people the same. Leastwise, I hope so.”
Jeros grinned. “Depends on the people, old friend.”
“Aye, that’s what I am afraid of!”
Jeros laughed and headed for the loch. It was easy to find Lexi. All he had to do was listen for the noise of the assembled creatures. As it turned out, several more surrounded her besides the kelpie and thedobhar-chú.A griffin and its mate waited on the banks of the loch, along with a trio of unicorns.
Lexi stood in waist-deep water, examining the kelpie’s foreleg. Jeros wished she had stayed on the banks to heal the horse-like creature’s limb. The water beasts were known to be malevolent.
“Daren’t ye get on that kelpie’s back,” he warned.
She gave him a look that shouted for him to be quiet. “Our friend here is lame. One does not treat a lame horse by getting on its back.” She turned back to the watery spirit currently in the form of a horse. “It’s important for you to rest and not use that leg. You strained yourself when you were trying to drown Faeniana’s courtier. While I appreciate your efforts, I don’t want you hurt.”
“Which courtier did they attempt to drown?” Jeros couldn’t resist asking.
She made eye contact with the beastie as if listening intently, then turned to Jeros and said, “Heskasys Palebrand, and his mate succeeded in drowning her. That courtier is no more.”
“Good. I never liked her. She could nay be trusted with anything.” He bowed to the kelpie. “Extend the Crown’s gratitude to yer mate.”
The water horse accepted the thanks with a watery nod, then nodded again at Lexi before disappearing beneath the water’s surface.
“We must talk,” Jeros said before she could move on to the next ailing creature.
“I know that tone,” she said as she climbed out of the loch and reached for him to give her a hand up.
He pulled her into his arms and held her. “We need time together. With the war going on, every moment is precious. Doing without ye most nigh killed me. I am greedy for yer company, my own.”
She touched his cheek with a tenderness that almost made him groan. “I know. But I can’t turn them away. Not when their injuries are because they fought for us—because they continue to fight for us.”
That placed her healing in an entirely different light. He nodded at the beasties with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. “What did the griffin pair do?”
“Took out an entire regiment of Faeniana’s army.”
Jeros studied the creatures for a brief moment. “They dinna look injured.”
She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a stoic look. “They have indigestion. Need I tell you what they ate? Even though it was a few weeks ago, apparently, uniforms are difficult for griffins to digest.”
“I see.” Jeros took her hands and forced her to unfold her arms. “Can no one else help these animals?”
“They said no one ever took care of them until I came. They said it’s part of the prophecy. Since they are fighting for us, how can I refuse them?”
A heavy sigh left him. “Ye make a valid point, my own.” Then he pulled her into his arms and held her close. “But I need ye, lass. More than I need the air to breathe.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tighter while snuggling her head to his shoulder. “I need you more.”
The rude sound of a throat being cleared interrupted the moment.
Jeros jerked around with his sword partially drawn. “Who goes there?”
“Please, Yer Majesty, I beg ye. Have mercy, mighty one. I bring ye a gift sure to please ye.” The short, pudgy being swathed in entirely too many layers of bright blue and green silks and satins waddled out from the forest line’s shadows, holding a dark red velvet bag by its gold cord. “Have mercy, Yer Highness. Surely, ye dinna wish to harm old Banrhana Brasspatch.”
“Who is Banrhana Brasspatch?” Lexi asked in a low voice meant for his ears alone.
“One of the courtiers who turned their back on ye when I presented ye at Court.” Jeros finished unsheathing his sword and pointed it at the quivering toady known for his whining. “Ye dare come here? How did ye gain passage through the wards?” He shot a glare at the tiger lounging on the side of the loch. Why had the beast not attacked this one?
Brasspatch lifted the large velvet bag higher. “I showed the gift to Commander Darkcord. He allowed me to continue in my quest. I walked all the way from the palace.” After a nervous nod at Aylryd, he said, “And the mighty tiger allowed me to pass once he examined it as well.”
“Ye walked here?” Jeros stuck the tip of the sword under the courtier’s double chin. “Ye expect me to believe that? Think me a fool?”
