“Still a newborn foal,” he says, grinning in such a cocky way that I wish we were in a self-defense session. Just so I’d have a valid excuse to hit him.
When I’m finally steady again, we set off for the infirmary. “Why areyoufetching the tincture. That doesn’t seem quite in your list of duties.”
“Ellynne went to make sure that the heaviest sleeper in the palace woke up?—”
I glare at him.
“—and Lowri was sent to get the tincture, but she’s wary of the infirmary, so I volunteered to go in her stead.” Even as we walk briskly, he angles his face to mine, ensuring that I can easily read his lips. The action is not lost on me—the small, kind gesture leaves me oddly reassured, almost like I’m in the comfort of my own home. I stare at his lips, drawn to the soft curve that diminishes the harsh angles of his jawline.
I nod, trying to force rational thought back into my head. Ireallyneed to get out of this place. “Why is Lowri wary of the infirmary?”
He shrugs. “That’s none of my business or yours.”
I huff out a breath, and my head continues to throb. As I rub at the spot, I remember Kilkenny’s words and let my hand drop, focusing on keeping up with him instead.
We arrive at the infirmary, and a host of aromas infiltrate my senses as we step into the pristine room. There are a couple of other healers focused on their own tasks, but a familiar face approaches, a bright smile dominating her dark features. It’s the healer who’d tended to me when I was held prisoner. Instinctively, I press my hand againstthe branding beneath my sleeve. A month later, it no longer hurts, but I always avoid looking at it, evading the fear that the mere sight of it brings back to the surface.
“Hello again,” she says with a smile. She extends her hand, clasping my forearm in greeting. “Alys,” she says, reminding me of her name.
“Durvla,” I say, giving her forearm a squeeze before letting go and stepping back. “Thank you again.”
“No thanks needed at all, sweetling.” Her gaze briefly roams my face before she turns back to Kilkenny. “Let me guess, you’re here for a tincture for Carys.”
He nods. “Also, Garrick is too stubborn or foolish to admit it, but she’s been enduring headaches. Will the same tincture work for her?”
I bristle, narrowing my eyes at him. Too stubborn or foolish? I turn to Alys just as she shakes her head disapprovingly at Kilkenny, but he doesn’t falter.
Alys turns a concerned face to me again. “Do you have a headache right now?”
“Yes, but it’s manageable.” Headaches are a part of my existence more often than not. I’m so used to it, I’m more likely to notice when it’s absent.
Alys lays a hand gently on my shoulder for a few seconds before heading to her workstation. There are assorted containers of colorful liquids and powders in racks against the walls and lining the counters. Dried herbs and flowers hang from iron brackets anchored to the walls, and rows of clean linen are neatly arranged on wooden shelving.
I barely have the chance to blink before Alys returns with two tiny amber glass vials. She hands one to Kilkenny and one to me. “One gulp,” she says, her steady gaze on mine. “It won’t taste pleasant, but it’ll do the trick.”
The vial in the palm of my hand feels strangely illicit. I’ve never had anything to help with the pain before—most medicinal herbs aredispatched to Mainland, and there are others in my village, particularly the elderly, who need what’s left of our stock far more than I do. I force my lips into a smile as I face Alys again. “Thank you.”
As we head back toward the sleeping quarters, Kilkenny glances at me every now and then, lost in thought about something.
“Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping in preparation for tonight?” I ask to redirect his mind.
He waves his hand dismissively.
“Do youeversleep?”
His expression is sharp enough to cut metal. “Of course I sleep.”
It seems whenever he’s not on duty guarding Carys, he’s still on duty.
“You care about her a lot, don’t you?”
More cold glares from Kilkenny. “The princess requires a lot of care.”
“That’s not what I’m asking,” I mumble.
He slows down. “I know what you’re asking, but the answer remains the same.”
You’re impossible. I stop in the middle of the corridor, second guessing my directions. I should get breakfast and get ready for whatever is thrown at me before the Feast. I voice my thoughts aloud to Kilkenny and he nods in agreement.
