Kerra seemed to note it. Chiana gulped the last of her wine and stood up. "I must find Blade and have Verdan tend him. Wait for me here."
"No, I will come with you."
The Regent forced a stiff smile, admiring the young queen's pluck. Blade was right; she had inherited some of Minna-Satu's courage. She summoned a maid and sent her to fetch Verdan, who arrived a little out of breath and quite flustered by her urgent message. The tragic turn of events clearly horrified the old healer when she explained it in a few terse sentences, answering his questions as they went in search of Blade. He knew most of it from the servants' gossip; the news of Endor's arrival had spread through the palace like wildfire, but he had not heard of Blade's injury, or even his return.
With the help of yet another well-informed servant, who all seemed to have taken up spying as a pastime, they found Blade in one of the smaller guest suites. The two soldiers who had carried him there and dumped him on the floor guarded him. The servant, a strapping youth whose job was mopping floors and carrying furniture around, lifted Blade onto the bed, and Verdan examined him under the Cotti guards' watchful eyes. Chiana sent the servant for cloths and water, which she used to wipe the blood from her husband's face, sitting next to him on the bed. Verdan looked grim when he finished his examination, but not despairing.
"His jaw is not broken, my lady," he informed her. "He appears to be bruised, nothing more. The blow to his jaw has rendered him unconscious. I cannot say for how long."
"Can you wake him?"
"I can try with smelling salts. But first I will remove the crossbow bolt."
Chiana considered, studying her husband's peaceful face. As it had on previous occasions, unconsciousness made him look young and vulnerable. As yet, the marks of his beating were only red blotches, later they would darken into bruises. She glanced at Verdan, wondering if she would be allowed to see Blade again. If not, she must wake him now, otherwise he may remain comatose until it was too late, but she longed to let him rest a little. Her eyes flicked to the Cotti guards, who leant against the wall, looking bored, but watching her.
"Give me the salts," she whispered to Verdan, who looked surprised. He rummaged in his bag and produced a vial. She hid it in her hand, then whispered, "See if you can distract the guards for a little while. I want to speak to him if he wakes."
Verdan nodded, and Kerra, who had been listening, moved to stand between Blade and the Cotti, blocking their view. Verdan went over to the men, and Chiana turned to Blade, preparing to uncork the vial. She jerked in fright when his eyes opened, flicked briefly to Kerra, then met hers.
"You wave that foul stuff under my nose, and you will be sorry. It has been abused enough for one day."
Chiana gasped. "You are awake!"
"Obviously. But I do not want them to know, or they will tie me up, now go away."
"Are you all right?"
"No! Stop asking stupid questions."
"Can... can you still help us?" Tears burnt her eyes.
He frowned. "I have no wish to be executed. I will take Kerra, but say nothing."
"Why?"
"Endor will see through her."
"She is afraid..."
"Good, perhaps she will be more co-operative."
Chiana glanced at Verdan, who appeared to have found a boil on one of the guards, and examined it, pressing another into service holding his bag while the other two watched. None of them seemed interested in their prisoner. She turned back to Blade, swallowing the lump in her throat.
"Thank you."
He closed his eyes. "I have no choice."
A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. "Be careful, please. If... if anything happens to me... remember... that I love you."
"Make sure the Queen is alone tonight."
"I will have the Knights guard her."
"Good."
Chiana glanced up as a Cotti guard walked closer, scowling at the former assassin and ignoring Verdan's requests for his continued attendance. She patted Blade's cheek
"No, I will come with you."
The Regent forced a stiff smile, admiring the young queen's pluck. Blade was right; she had inherited some of Minna-Satu's courage. She summoned a maid and sent her to fetch Verdan, who arrived a little out of breath and quite flustered by her urgent message. The tragic turn of events clearly horrified the old healer when she explained it in a few terse sentences, answering his questions as they went in search of Blade. He knew most of it from the servants' gossip; the news of Endor's arrival had spread through the palace like wildfire, but he had not heard of Blade's injury, or even his return.
With the help of yet another well-informed servant, who all seemed to have taken up spying as a pastime, they found Blade in one of the smaller guest suites. The two soldiers who had carried him there and dumped him on the floor guarded him. The servant, a strapping youth whose job was mopping floors and carrying furniture around, lifted Blade onto the bed, and Verdan examined him under the Cotti guards' watchful eyes. Chiana sent the servant for cloths and water, which she used to wipe the blood from her husband's face, sitting next to him on the bed. Verdan looked grim when he finished his examination, but not despairing.
"His jaw is not broken, my lady," he informed her. "He appears to be bruised, nothing more. The blow to his jaw has rendered him unconscious. I cannot say for how long."
"Can you wake him?"
"I can try with smelling salts. But first I will remove the crossbow bolt."
Chiana considered, studying her husband's peaceful face. As it had on previous occasions, unconsciousness made him look young and vulnerable. As yet, the marks of his beating were only red blotches, later they would darken into bruises. She glanced at Verdan, wondering if she would be allowed to see Blade again. If not, she must wake him now, otherwise he may remain comatose until it was too late, but she longed to let him rest a little. Her eyes flicked to the Cotti guards, who leant against the wall, looking bored, but watching her.
"Give me the salts," she whispered to Verdan, who looked surprised. He rummaged in his bag and produced a vial. She hid it in her hand, then whispered, "See if you can distract the guards for a little while. I want to speak to him if he wakes."
Verdan nodded, and Kerra, who had been listening, moved to stand between Blade and the Cotti, blocking their view. Verdan went over to the men, and Chiana turned to Blade, preparing to uncork the vial. She jerked in fright when his eyes opened, flicked briefly to Kerra, then met hers.
"You wave that foul stuff under my nose, and you will be sorry. It has been abused enough for one day."
Chiana gasped. "You are awake!"
"Obviously. But I do not want them to know, or they will tie me up, now go away."
"Are you all right?"
"No! Stop asking stupid questions."
"Can... can you still help us?" Tears burnt her eyes.
He frowned. "I have no wish to be executed. I will take Kerra, but say nothing."
"Why?"
"Endor will see through her."
"She is afraid..."
"Good, perhaps she will be more co-operative."
Chiana glanced at Verdan, who appeared to have found a boil on one of the guards, and examined it, pressing another into service holding his bag while the other two watched. None of them seemed interested in their prisoner. She turned back to Blade, swallowing the lump in her throat.
"Thank you."
He closed his eyes. "I have no choice."
A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. "Be careful, please. If... if anything happens to me... remember... that I love you."
"Make sure the Queen is alone tonight."
"I will have the Knights guard her."
"Good."
Chiana glanced up as a Cotti guard walked closer, scowling at the former assassin and ignoring Verdan's requests for his continued attendance. She patted Blade's cheek
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