Chapter Fifteen (Pt.2)

Floating in peaceful silence... Sound intruding... someone crying, needing her help. She has to find him, get to him. She has to get to Evalan. But he’s too far, she can’t reach him... can’t reach... “Evalan.” Leah sat up, eyes wide, breathing hard.

“Oh. Highness, you’re awake.” Hands clasped together, the young female attendant stared back at Leah. “I’ll get Physician Brice.”

“Wait...” Blinking rapidly, the side of her head throbbing painfully, Leah had to place her hand behind her on the bed to steady herself. “What happened? Why am I–?”

“I’ll get the physician, Highness.” Unable to look Leah in the eye, the attendant edged closer to the door. With a hurried curtsy, she darted out.

Leah’s hand fingered the bandage that covered her forehead as she struggled to remember. Slowly, her memory fed her fleeting images. I used magic... “Oh goddess, how many saw me do that?” Even as a vision of her mother falling off her horse presented itself, the door opened and Brice strode in. “Where’s my mother?”

“Highness...” Standing by her side, he took her hand in his and tried to get her to lie back down.

Gripping his hand tightly, Leah refused. “I remember she fell... fell off her horse...”

He hesitated, studying her closely. “Her Majesty is still unconscious, Highness.”

She leaned over his hand, resting her head on it. “I don’t understand,” she whispered. “They came out of nowhere, there was no warning–” She lifted her head to stare at him. “Evalan. Where’s Evalan? I was so close...”

His mouth moved, but Brice could say nothing.

“Where is he? Tell me he’s here. Unconscious, hurt, I don’t care. Just tell me he’s here.” Leah was barely aware that she was shouting.

“Highness, please. You must calm yourself. Your wound–”

“I don’t care. I want you to tell me where my brother…”

The door swung open, cutting her short. Edmon stood in the threshold, haggard and worn. “Thank the gods. You’re alright.”

“Father...” For the first time in a long time, Leah wanted to lose herself in his comforting embrace; she held her arms out to him.

He hurried to her side and crushed her against him.

“Where’s Evalan?”

“They have him.” His voice was flat, devoid of strength.

“What?” She pulled away.

“The brigands... they have him. Their terms, they left their terms impaled on a warrior’s body. If I want to see him again, I must pull all patrols away from the Grimwood. And to keep them away… I have to pay a–a monthly tribute for a year. At the end of the year, if they’re satisfied I’ve fulfilled my side of the agreement... they’ll let him go.”

Leah kept shaking her head. “They... they’re going to keep him? For one whole year?”

He nodded, before covering his eyes with his one good hand. Shoulders shaking, he leaned against the bed.

Putting his arms around him, Brice guided him to the chair by the bed. No words could be said; the white-haired man stood silently, gripping his king’s shoulder.

“We have to get him back.”

Edmon shook his head. “If I send warriors, if they catch sight of even one warrior, they’ll send my boy back to me. One piece... at a time...” His voice caught; he could say no more.

Leah could sense her father’s anguish... could sense that he wanted to rescue his son but was terrified to. “I have to get him back.” Pulling back the covers, she swung her legs down. Gasping, she shut her eyes as the room swam dizzyingly around her.

“Highness.” Brice was by her side, steadying her. “You’re in no fit state to be going anywhere. You must rest.” He made her lie down again, arranging the covers over her.

“I want to see Mother,” she whispered, blinking back tears.

He nodded. “Recover your strength. I’ll come by later and take you myself.” 

*          *          *          *

Brice helped Leah back onto the bed before checking her again. “You seem much stronger already.”

She drew a shaky breath.

“Highness,” he said softly, “have faith.”

Leah raised her gaze to meet his kindly one. Tried to smile, failed. “I’m trying to. But... I’ve never seen her like that before. She looked so... so...” She shook her head, unable to find the words.

He patted her shoulder. “I know, Highness, I know.” He turned to leave. “I’ll look in on you later. And when they bring your meal, see that you finish it.”

She nodded.

“Ah. A visitor for you, Highness.” He stepped aside to allow Jessalyn to enter.

Leah managed a smile. “Jess...” She barely heard Brice shut the door behind him as she returned Jess’ embrace.

Perched on the edge of the bed, the light-haired woman took hold of Leah’s hand. “How are you?”

“I’m alright...”

“And your mother? The attendant said you were with her when I came earlier.”

Sighing heavily, Leah tried to dispel the image of Maeve that was seared on her mind. “Brice said she’d been unconscious since before they found her. Oh, Jess. It’s awful, seeing her like that. I knew she’d look different. I mean, we’ve seen enough, haven’t we, of warriors who’ve been hurt, but to see Mother...” Leaning her head back, her chin trembled as she ran her hand over her eyes.

Nothing could have prepared her for the shock of seeing Maeve lying so still, so lifeless, her face slack... expressionless. All colour seemed to have seeped away, leaving her skin ash-grey, except for the blue-black shadows, like bruises, around her eyes.

“Oh, Leah.” Jess rubbed her arm as tears squeezed out of Leah’s tightly shut eyes.

Grief piled upon grief. Before being taken to see her mother, Leah had been told that the warrior-escort was dead, as were the two guards, Leos and Eurik. She’d known Leos since she was a baby for he’d been Maeve’s guard since before Leah’s birth. And Eurik... it was hard to comprehend that she would no longer have her faithful guard shadowing her.

“So much loss,” said Jess.

Leah glanced at her before her gaze flicked away. “I did an awful thing.”

Jess frowned. “What?”

“It was only Rina and me, trying to hold the brigands off. She called to me for help. I was going to, Jess, but then I left her... abandoned her...” She shook her head, bit her lip.

“Because your family was in danger. You didn’t leave Rina on a whim; you had no choice. Oh, come here.” She gathered Leah into her embrace, shushing her tears. “You did all you could, and Rina knew the risks. All warriors know the risks they have to face every time they ride out.” 

*          *          *          *

Left on her own, with Jess promising to visit again, Leah forced herself to think of other things. Her mind promptly turned to the one thing that continued to puzzle her: why had she not sensed the danger at all? “Think, Leah, think. We were riding together, talking about Kurabar then...” She frowned. I felt something... I know I felt something...

A soft knocking on the door interrupted her. Muttering, she glared at the door before bidding the person enter. She stared as, first Karel, then Conor stepped in.

Awkward silence shrouded them. Finally, Conor raised his gaze to meet hers. “How are you?”

“Better.”

More silence, which was finally broken by Karel.

“Leah, about what I said the other day–”

She shook her head. “You had good reason. And you weren’t wrong.”

Now it was his turn to stare. Clearing his throat, he said, “Have you been briefed?”

She nodded. “Father told me... the demands.”

The men relaxed their stance, Conor running his hand through his hair, Karel jamming his hands in his pockets.

“Everybody’s in shock... the whole city,” said Conor.

“The mood in the barracks, we’re all on edge. The sheer frustration of not being able to do anything...” Karel shook his head.

Having already made up her mind that she was going after Evalan, Leah found she couldn’t respond to either of them. She sat quietly, trying to keep her expression neutral, and glanced up to see Conor watching her closely, his eyes narrowing; she quickly averted her gaze.

“You’re going after him, aren’t you?” he said.

Still, she refused to look at him.

“What?” asked Karel.

Conor moved to stand by her. “I know you think I’m nothing but a failure–”

“I don’t–”

He shook his head to stop her. “I don’t know how to make you see you can depend on me. But I will stand by you, Leah, whatever you decide to do. I’ll watch your back.”

She felt a tingling in her chest and bit her lip. “Why? After the way I’ve treated you–”

“After the way I treated you, you still helped me when I needed it. Three years ago, I failed to stand by you, and I’m not going to repeat that mistake. It’s as if I’ve been given another chance to put things right again between us, to act now the way I’d really wanted to back then, instead of letting myself be influenced by others.”

“What are you talking about?” said Karel, looking from one to the other. “What do you mean, you’re going after Evalan?”

“I can’t leave him out there with them.”

“But your father has forbidden anyone, warrior or otherwise, to even try anything.”

Leah fixed him with an unblinking stare. “I’m not just anyone, Karel. I’m the one with the best chance of getting my brother back.”

“Leah, you’re a good warrior, there’s no denying that, but not even you can expect to succeed on... your own...” His voice faded as a frown gradually creased his brow. Slowly, his gaze stole to Conor. “Three years ago, you said... and you don’t want to make the same mistake again...”

Conor glanced at Leah but held his silence.

“What’s going on?” Karel’s voice was no more than a whisper.

“Nothing to trouble yourself with, Karel,” she said softly. “But I need you to promise that you won’t say a word about me going after Evalan.”

He regarded her closely, his frown growing deeper. “Three years ago... the mistake most of us made three years ago was not standing by you when you had... You say you’re the one with the best chance of getting... is this to do with... magic?”

Leah found she couldn’t reply; she dropped her gaze to stare at her hands lying unmoving on the covers.

“Leah?”

Holding her breath, she hesitated a moment more before nodding.

He staggered back with a gasp. “But... you said... you didn’t have–”

“Karel...” Conor took a step towards him.

“I was tricked,” said Leah. “Tricked into believing I no longer had it. But for reasons known only to... him, he didn’t remove it like he’d promised.”

Karel’s wide-eyed gaze lit on Conor. “You know?”

“I found out by accident a while ago.”

“And now you’re going to use it to rescue Evalan?”

“I have to. I almost had him.” She raised a clenched fist. “I was so close to getting him... if it hadn’t been for that damned knife.” She slammed her fist onto the bed. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply before speaking. “You mustn’t tell anyone, Karel. Please promise me that. Conor has kept my secret...” She smiled at him. “I’ve yet to thank you. I appreciate it, I hope you know that.”

He returned her smile. “It’s a heavy enough burden. I didn’t see the point in adding to it. And I meant what I said: I’ll stand by you. And ride by your side as well.”

“No. It’s best I go myself.”

“But–”

“No, Conor. Don’t argue, please. I’ll need to focus all my attention on getting Evalan out alive.”

Squeezing his eyebrows together, it seemed as if he was about to disagree but nodded. He turned to Karel. “Well? Are you going to promise to keep her secret?”

Mouth hanging open, all Karel could do was nod.