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I cocked my head at Kade, looking between him and Finn, “Your side?”
Finn glared at Kade, “I am onourside, but our side is alsoherside. If she wants him, she should have him. Since when are you opposed to sharing?”
“I don’t trust him.”
“Well, I do.”
The glass shattered in my hand at the immense cold I poured into it through my palm. I groaned, shaking the broken bits of glass from my gown as I stood, “Would you two quit talking about me as though I’m not here. It’s maddening.”
“And for the record,” I continued, “I would never do anything either of you were uncomfortable with. But yes, I am attracted to him, and I doubt that will change.”
“Oh.” Kade said, absently rubbing the back of his neck.
The frustrated anger subsided for the moment. I strolled over to Kade and stood on tip-toe to plant a kiss on his inflamed cheek, “Jealousy doesn’t suit you.”
Chapter Three
The normally empty gardens were teeming with nobles. Their hushed gossip mingled with the rushing of water as it tumbled down from the fountain, and the soft sounds of the afternoon breeze. It was as close to the infirmary as they could get without blocking the corridors.
“Your Majesty,” said a voice from behind me. I turned to find Aisling rushing toward us, “I was just coming to find you. I’m going to see if there’s anything I can do to help healer Loris with Valin, and thought—well, if you weren’t busy, you’d like to join me?”
Aisling was the Fae who had helped me heal Kade all those night ago. I had Tiernan find her a few days after it happened to thank her in person for the role she played in saving my Draconian warrior. She had hinted at the time that she would like to train with me, but I was too consumed by grief and anger to give her anything more than a nod and my thanks.
Kade perked up at the mention of Valin and nudged me with his shoulder, “Couldn’t hurt,” he said, shrugging as though he didn’t care either way, but we both knew that wasn’t the case.
“Sure,” I said to Aisling, “Maybe together we can wake him.”
In truth, it wasn’t Kade and Finn’s excitement about our new arrival at court, or Aisling’s invitation, I had already planned to go to the infirmary. I wanted to see the so-called war hero for myself.
Aisling beamed, “Great,” she said and led the way to Valin not far from where we stood near the gardens.
Two sentries guarded the doorway. One stepped forward as Aisling approached, “There will be no entry to the infirmary until—”
The sentry stopped mid-sentence when I stepped up behind her, my two winged males at my sides, “Is there a problem?” I asked sweetly, raising a brow at the blond-haired male, who paled at the sight of me.
“N-no, majesty. Of course not,” he supplied, shoving the other male out of the way, “Move, you idiot,” he growled. “Let your queen pass.”
He did, looking dumb-struck and more like a boy than a man. He bowed hastily, falling to one knee as the four of us passed through the stone archway.
It reeked of sharp alcohol and cloying florals in the windowless space. Around a small bend, we entered a wide chamber. At its center was a waist-height table, and atop it lay a male, stripped down to nothing but a gossamer-thin pair of under things that left nothing to the imagination. Unconscious and without his armor, he looked much less intimidating than he had that morning. He was thin, but toned, with shoulder-length greasy brown hair and at least a week’s worth of scruff.
“Oh, Your Majesty, I should have expected you to visit,” said Loris, turning from where she was grinding herbs in a mortar across the chamber. She looked utterly drained. Her skin was pale, and her hair was dull—even her usually bright violet eyes looked near gray. “And Aisling, thank you for coming, but his injuries are beyond your skill to heal.”
I watched as Aisling winced from the dismissal of her superior, recoiling into herself.
“I thought I’d assist as well,” I said before Aisling could piece together a response, “The two of us together will have him on his feet in no time.”
Loris’ eyes widened, “Oh, I couldn’t possibly ask you to—”
I shook my head, “You haven’t asked. I offered. You are obviously depleted.”
She set down her mortar and pestle, nodding. “Depleted of Grace, yes. For now…but the tonic I’m making should help speed his recovery while my Grace replenishes itself. As the royal healer, I’ve been gifted knowledge from the Alchemists. No need for—"
“Alchemists?” Kade growled, eyes glowing.
Finn too clenched his teeth and made no secret of his distaste for the mortal race.
I had heard of them but remembered very little from my lessons on the isle. I knew they lived across the Varinian Sea in Emeris but couldn’t remember much else.
