I whirled around. “You have some way of showing it. Treating me like . . .” I stopped myself, for I was a prisoner. That’s all I was to any of them. I had no rights, nothing except for what they allowed me to have.
“Edmond is overprotective and wary. He does not know you as well as we do. I am bound to follow his orders within reason until Erik is back on his feet. Though Edmond may not yet fully appreciate what you did today, I do.” The sympathy in his voice was disarming.
Some of the anger left me, though most of it remained. A tornado of fire burned inside my body, searching for an escape.With a sigh, I took a seat in one of the chairs. Bringing my hands to my temples, I made several circular motions before dropping them in my lap.
“Do you mind telling me a little more about what happened?” Kole asked.
“It all happened so quickly. The other fire conjuror and his pack of Lysians appeared. They attacked. Erik took care of them, but clearly, he was wounded. Thankfully, he could keep it together until the other fire conjuror vanished.” A shiver ran through me at the thought of what might have happened if that other Lysian had noticed the severity of Erik’s injuries. If he had not used that opportunity to burn me where I stood, I would have stolen the air from his lungs, but after that, I would have had no choice but to run, for they would know what I was. Would I have left if it meant Erik’s death? An uncomfortable feeling skittered down my spine.
“They just left you alone?” Kole took a seat in the other open chair.
“No. One tried to attack me. I managed to get him to not use his sword. Somehow, I dodged a few of his attacks, and when he finally grabbed me, I hit him in the throat. He choked, and a moment later, Erik was there, killing him.”
“You were brave,” he stated.
“I had no choice.”
As if I summoned her with my thoughts, Edda knocked on the door and without waiting for a response, she entered. Onyx eyes pinned me before sweeping over my body, taking in the dirt and blood covering me.
“By the Spirit,” she whispered, moving through the room till she stood directly in front of me.
“There was a Lysian attack. I’m fine,” I said to her, voice clipped.
“Lysian?” She turned to Kole with a storm brewing behind her stare.
“Not our Lysians,” he clarified.
“Who?” Her eyes darkened.
“I am afraid I cannot answer that,” he stated flatly.
Another knock at the door drew my attention, and I jumped out of my chair, foolishly hoping it was Erik, though he never would have knocked to enter his own living quarters.
Iver and the healer entered, and suddenly the comfortably sized but cozy sitting room felt incredibly cramped. I fell back into my seat, energy leaving me.
“Well, this is a snug gathering,” Iver commented.
“How is he?” I asked.
The healer answered, “The King will be fine. We are keeping him in the healer’s quarters for the night but come tomorrow afternoon, he will likely be up and going about his business once more.”
“Thank you,” I said to her and truly meant it. Of course, she was bound by duty to do all she could for her King. Yet relief washed over me all the same with hearing that they were able to help him, that he would be fine.
With dread, I also realized that I would never have left him, even if my conjuring was discovered. I would not have let him die. The revelation only upset me further. Was Edda right? Was I nothing more than a stupid girl, caring more about a Lysian’s life above her own? Meanwhile, they still wouldn’t even let me remain with Erik when he was wounded. As if seeing him in that manner somehow weakened his position. Ignoring the fact that I had done everything in my power outside of using conjuring to help him.
Iver spoke, “I am afraid in the chaos I never properly introduced you two. This is Roan, one of our very talented healers.” Then, he turned to me, “And this is Ariana, Leader Superior of the Bavadrins.”
Roan smiled politely, taking a small step towards me. “How did you know how to make that tea?”
That was a ridiculous question, or perhaps I was in a ridiculous mood.
“How does anyone know anything? Someone taught it to me,” I answered flatly. My attitude rapidly managed to turn incredibly foul. All energy was zapped from me and an unspoken grudge tainted what little of it was left. I was angry at Edda for how she had been behaving towards me, mad at the Lysians for keeping me against my will and then treating me as little more than an irritating gnat. I was also angry at the Spirit for not telling me more when I ascended. I was angry at the entire world.
Edda’s head snapped to me. “What tea?”
“It worked nearly instantly, lessening pain and dampening conjuring abilities,” the healer stated with awe, clearly not offended by my lack of pleasantries.
Edda did not say a thing, though her eyes threw daggers my way.
