I ignored her.
“Listen, Ariana.” The healer took another small step towards me. “Would you be willing to show me how to make what you did tonight? If you would share what you know, then it could help a lot of the innocent moving forward.”
“Is there such a thing? Innocent Lysians.” Edda commented with a fury of her own. She was likely upset that my life had been in danger and that I then shared something so dangerous with the Lysians.
“Is there such a thing as an innocent Bavadrin?” I snapped, silencing her. Forcing a deep breath, I turned to the healer. “The answer is yes, just as there are innocents amongst the Lysians and likely the Sidhes as well. We would all be wise to remember this. And to answer your question, yes, I will teach you.”
She smiled, dipping her head in gratitude. And could there possibly have been a tinge of respect as well? Seemed as though one of them no longer viewed me like a gnat, at least not while shewanted to gain something from me. “Thank you. If you could come by tomorrow at noon?”
“We will be there,” Kole agreed, for there was no way I could go anywhere without my trusted guard.
“Thank you.” She dipped her head again and smiled fully before leaving the small room.
Iver leaned against the far wall next to the door. “You were clever today.”
Both Kole and Edda looked between the prince and me.
“How do you mean?” I asked.
“The whistle, knowing a Lysian could pick up the sound without you needing to exert the energy of yelling. The way you tied off Erik’s leg to keep him from losing more blood. Helping when the healer was working on him,” he rattled off a shortlist.
I shrugged a shoulder. “I did what I could.”
Iver pushed off the wall, brushing past Edda as he approached with such ease only a Lysian could master. Smoothly, he knelt before me, balancing on his toes. Gray eyes settled on mine. “Because of your actions today, my brother will live another day. I am in your debt and will be forever grateful for this.”
I found myself stunned.
Edda scoffed. “How about you thank her by setting her free?”
Iver’s lip curved up in an amused smile, though his gaze remained holding mine. “You don’t need to be a Seer to know she will one day be free of us.”
It took everything in me not to react to that comment. Did he know what Edda was? What we planned?
He rose to his feet, turning to Edda. “Ariana looks as though she desperately needs a bath and some rest. Time to leave her be.”
Edda held his gaze, eyes narrowing.
She then turned to me, possibly surprising the entire room, for she said, “The Lysian is right. You are a Leader Superior now and need to take better care of yourself.”
I expected her to demand to remain with me, but she did not. She withdrew from me. Whatever worry she felt was sealed away. When she spoke, a degree of separation remained between us. She was not my Edda, not even my friend. Just simply an adviser. That was the role she had made very clear that she wished to play. If only it did not hurt my heart every time.
Iver and Edda left together, leaving Kole and me in the sitting room.
He sighed after some time. “They are both right. You look terrible. You should go get cleaned up and get some rest.”
I stood then, taking my leave, for it seemed that just looking at me was too much for anyone.
The night was restless, and the next day was no better.
I met with the healer and showed her what I knew. She scribbled down notes, thanking me wholeheartedly for sharing my knowledge with her. However, it was not till sometime in the evening that I finally saw Erik.
I spotted him from a distance as he walked with his brother Edmond down a hall. Erik stood on his feet, moving with the same predatory grace I knew him to always have. It was as if the last twenty-four hours never happened. As if Erik’s life never hung in the balance. Seeing him whole shook me. Then he rounded a corner with his brother and was gone.
35
ARIANA
Eislyn and I sat with our backs to a building on a small hill watching the sunset. My muscles were sore from the training we just finished. It started hand-to-hand and ended with using wooden staffs.
