Sean was simply staring straight up at the ceiling. But at the sound of Kevin’s voice, he moved them slowly until he was looking at his brother. When their eyes met, Kevin forced a smile.
“We’ve brought you to Rossington House,” he said. “You have the best care. We will see you through this, I swear it.”
Sean blinked. “Kevin?”
“Aye, it is me.”
“Where… where did you come from?”
“The barons broke through at the Tower,” Kevin said. “The Marshal and thousands of men, including most of The Marshal’s agents. We were looking for you and finally found you, but you were wounded. I am sorry we did not come in time, Sean. Please forgive us.”
Sean was becoming a little more lucid. “There is nothing to forgive,” he said. “We always knew this could happen.”
Kevin’s expression was taut with pain. “We did,” he said softly. “But still… we tried to find you. I did not want you to think we had left you alone to die. ThatIhad left you alone to die.”
“I would never think that of you, Kevin,” Sean murmured. “You are my brother. You would never leave me to die.”
Tears stung Kevin’s eyes. “Never,” he whispered.
Sean grunted when Gilby did something that caused him pain, closing his eyes tightly for a brief moment. “And John?” he asked. “Where is he?”
Kevin shook his head. “I do not know,” he said. “Cai and I took you out of the Tower as our friends held off John’s guard. You are safe now.”
“And my wife? Where is she?”
Kevin’s brow flickered with confusion. “Wife?” he said. “You do not have a wife, Sean.”
“He does,” Gilby said, bent over the hole he’d cut in Sean’s side to equalize his breathing. “He married her tonight. Sheridan St. James, heiress to the Earldom of Bath and Glastonbury. Sean has inherited an earldom through marriage.”
Shocked, Kevin looked at Caius, who appeared equally surprised. But that surprise quickly turned to great concern for Sean’s wife.
“I do not know where she is, Sean, but we shall find her,” he said. “I…”
“There is no need,” Gilby said, cutting him off. “She is with trusted men who have taken her out of the city for safekeeping– away from John and away from those who would hunt down your brother and kill him. Leave her. It is best that she return home to Lansdown Castle and stay away from de Lara for now. It is safer that way, for as long as John lives, your brother will be hunted.”
Kevin looked at the old physic who seemed to know a great deal about his brother’s life. For the past year, Sean had been so deeply entrenched with John that no one save The Marshal had seen him. Sean used to move about with relative freedom, a visitor to Farringdon House and other Marshal properties, but the past year had seen that change dramatically.
In fact, The Marshal had taken to meeting Sean in secret because there had been some rumors in the spy networks that John was becoming suspicious of his Shadow Lord. Sean had power, and he had strength and intelligence, and it was increasingly apparent that the king had been threatened by it.
And that was the reason Sean was strewn over the bed, so badly wounded.
For the moment, Kevin pushed aside the surprise at the fact that his brother had taken a secret wife. He would worry about that at another time. At the moment, he was only concerned with his brother and ensuring the man survived to see another day. He took Sean’s hand.
“You have the best care,” he repeated. “Your wife is safe, according to Gilby, so the only thing you must think of is getting well.”
Sean looked at his brother. He only had one. They had been close and loving until Sean had accepted the assignment that saw him become the king’s premier henchman. Kevin could never understand why such a noble, exceptional knight would agree to such a horrific mission and it had caused friction between them for years. Years of heartache, of longing, of sadness. Kevin didn’t understand and Sean couldn’t explain it to him any better than he, and others including Caius, already had.
But no more.
The bond was as strong as ever.
Sean weakly squeezed Kevin’s hand.
“Thank you,” he said. It was all he could manage. “Where is Cai?”
“Here.” Caius came up next to Kevin, bending over so he could hear Sean’s breathy words. “I am here, Sean. What would you have of me?”
Sean’s gaze was still on Kevin. “I am cold,” he said softly. “Have them bring me heavy blankets and stoke the hearth until it belches fire. Will you see to this?”
