Sighing, Shadow crossed his arms over his chest. “What was he thinking?”
“I don’t know.”
Suddenly, a deep, ragged breath drew Ariel’s attention back to the room and the bed.
“Oh my God!” She left them and went rushing back inside, past the kneeling friar.
Valteri shifted slightly on the mattress, and slowly opened his eyes.
Relief poured through her as she fell to her knees next to the bed. The friar got up and moved away.
Her heart hammered as she reached a shaking hand to touch Valteri’s fevered cheek.
“There you are, my precious.” Nothing had ever been more beautiful than the sight of his open, dual-colored eyes, with their lucid intelligence staring back at her.
She heard the door close.
Looking over, she realized Brother Edred and Mildred had both made a discreet exit.
Shadow and Thorn must have remained in the hall, as well.
Valteri tried to push himself up, but Ariel stopped him. “Please, don’t. You’ll hurt yourself.”
He dropped himself back to the mattress and released a weary sigh.
“How do you feel?”
He answered her with a pain-filled grimace. “Like my horse not only trampled me, but that he brought friends along this time to help.”
Smiling, she brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes.
“So, what happened to the bastards?”
Anger mixed with pain. She didn’t need Valteri to explain which bastards he asked about. “They were all beaten and banished, per your brother’s laws. And Brother Edred…”
Ariel paused, unsure how to tell him.
“You released him.” As a member of the clergy, he wasn’t supposed to be harmed.
Ariel wrinkled her nose. She hadn’t exactly followed King William’s dictates. “I surrendered his punishment to Thorn and Shadow. I’m told he’s had some rather unpleasant dreams and visitations from those he fears.”
He snorted at that, then reached out a hand and took hers. His weak grip brought a wave of guilt to her that she hadn’t done more.
“’Tis fine what you did, milady. My kingly brother would have been sorely vexed had you broken his law and harmed the friar—even for me. Never mind what my brother the bishop would have done.”
“Then you’re not angry?”
A light came to his eyes, and if Ariel didn’t know better, she’d swear he smiled. “I’m not angry. At least not at you.”
As Valteri returned to health, Ariel began to suspect that the curse was broken, as nothing else happened to him.
Nothing.
No more close calls. Not even a pimple.
Even Thorn and Shadow thought it odd that peace stayed with them.
If only they knew for certain.
