I think I know why else. She’s lying unconscious on the floor at my feet.
Elva.
Hal … andElva.
Suddenly the pieces start falling into place. Last week. Spinner saw Hal slipping into my chambers when I wasn’t there. I wasn’t there, butshewas. She is here all the time, moving silently from room to room, a kind, quiet presenceI have come to regard as being something close to a friend. And Hal. His seeming distracted. The roses delivered by hand. It was never about me, it was about her. It was always abouther. All this time.
Truth is a ragged shard of glass to the jugular. It cuts me open and watches me bleed. It offers no consolation. Only cold, sharp clarity.
‘Blaze,’ Hal croaks. ‘Please, please get help. I can’t – I can’t leave her.’
I assure you, Blaze, visiting your chambers is my most favourite part of the day.
I am frozen in place. I am a golden statue in a garden.
It kills me, Blaze. Knowing I can’t have the one that I want. It kills me more and more every day.
Humiliation paints itself on to my skin. I want to curl up and die.
‘Blaze.Please.’
I shake my head, swallowing hard. ‘All right. All right, stay here.’
I stumble backwards through the darkness, my arm feeling disconnected from my body as I swing open the door.
‘What’s wrong?’ One of Fox’s hands is already outstretched, curled into a fist as though just about to knock. In his other he holds my Eye. ‘What is it? What’s happened?’
My voice quivers. ‘I need a physician.’
His eyes search my face. ‘I ask again, what has happened?’
‘It’s my – my serf, she –’
But Fox is already moving past me into my rooms. For a moment he takes in the scene. Then he reaches out and yanks me inside before shutting the door behind us.
Hal is still bent over Elva, shaking her gently, one hand stroking her face. He looks up, his expression twisting from fear to anger. ‘What ishedoing here?’
‘And a pleasant evening to you too, dear brother.’ Fox crouches down beside him, glancing first at Elva, then back at me. ‘So, it seems your pretty little secret has been uncovered by your pretty little lie. How inconvenient for you.’
I clench my fists tightly, feeling the cut on my palm bubble up and bleed anew. ‘Can’t you see she needs help?’
A corner of Fox’s mouth quirks upward. ‘How very perceptive of you, Storm Weaver. Now be an angel and fetch a blanket, would you? We have to keep her warm.’
I just stare at him. ‘You’redeciding to help?’
‘Looks like it,’ he says, pressing two fingers to a spot on Elva’s neck.
‘And what if I don’t want your help?’ Hal snaps. He’s shaking.
Fox presses the same two fingers to the inside of Elva’s wrist. ‘You are perfectly within your rights to refuse, of course. But I feel I should inform you that the court physicians, most of whom are currently attending your betrothal party, would not consider the well-being of a serf to be particularly high on their priority lists. And if you did find one who was willing to help, your personal concern for the aforementioned serf would undoubtedly lead to a host of questions that I believe you would prefer to avoid.’
I watch as the cracks begin to form in Hal’s resolve.
Fox’s voice is quieter now. Not kind, exactly, but steady and sure. ‘In any case, brother, you know as well as I dothat I am worth ten of those physicians, and I offer my help without asking for anything in return.’
My eyes are wide with surprise and confusion. Hal looks from Fox, to me, to Elva in his arms, and then back to Fox again.
The Earth Cleaver shrugs. ‘Your decision. But I would remind you that time is of the essence. The sooner I can take a look at her, the sooner I can prescribe a remedy.’
