“I’ll look better if ye stop questioning my orders,” I said sternly. “Go!”
He went, and I tried to keep my exhale from looking like a sigh as I sheathed my sword and scrubbed a hand down my face, wincing as the movement pulled at my still-healing wound.
‘Twould heal better if ye allowed yerself to sleep on a real bed.
And risk touching Rowena when she didn’t want it? Or worse, risk losing control?
Deep in my chest, myKteerthrummed. The damn thing hadn’t been quiet for days, keeping me on edge. I hadn’t slept well, hadn’t eaten well, all because myKteerwas urging me to…what? I couldn’t tell, but I felt irritable, itchy, uneasy.
Something had to give.
I needed—Rowena! My gaze jerked up, unerringly finding her as she crossed the training field. ‘Twas as if I’dfelther approach. Or mayhap myKteerdid.
Slowly, I forced myself to stand, my heart pounding harder as I realized she was approaching me. My brother strode ather side but veered off to coach a sparring pair without acknowledging her. My gaze tracked her across the field, and when she stopped in front of me, I let out the breath I’d been holding.
“Sit down,” she commanded harshly.
My brows rose as I obeyed. Even sitting, I didn’t have to tip my head back to study her as she stepped up to my right side. When I inhaled, I caught the scent of her uncertainty. Fear? She was trying to mask it with her fierce frown.
“What is this?” she barked, lifting a wet rag from the bucket at her side to wipe at my wound. “You have let dirt get into it. ‘Tis infected.”
I hid my wince as she poked at the injury.
“‘Tis naught.”
“‘Tisnotnaught,” she shot right back, not meeting my eyes. “Everyone is worried about you.”
Were they? I’d hoped I’d been able to hide this draining weakness. But I wondered…
“Areye, Rowena?”
Her blue eyes darted up to meet mine for a second before dropping back to my shoulder. Her, “Aye,” was more of a whisper, and I watched her swallow.
“I mean, if you die, who will take me home next month?”
Home.
My chest had squeezed at the reminder that she didn’t think of Battleborn Village ashome, not the way I did.
“I am sorry, you know,” she suddenly blurted, her attention intent on cleaning the sweat and training grime from the inflamed wound. “I should not have stabbed?—”
“Ye were protecting yer people,” I said gently. “All of ye. ‘Twas battle.”
“Aye, well,” she grumbled, “I suppose you deserved it.”
Therewas my wee wildcat. My lips twitched, despite her prodding.
“The wound isnae too bad.”
“‘Tis infected.” She uncapped a flask I recognized as Maardok’suisge beathastash. “It needs to be cleaned and treated.”
I was already leaning away from her.
“Nay, I dinnae think ye need to?—”
Before I had a chance to finish, she’d poured straight fire across the wound, and my muscles clenched at the pain.
Turning just my head, I glared at her.
