other’s arms. Meara was crawling on the floor, tugging on Anna’s skirts. Heath was relieved to see that Lara had changed into a traditional Xyian gown with a high waist. Yet she’d added a touch of the Plains; she’d slung a belt over her shoulder, with her sheathed dagger at her side.
Anna had her broad hand spread out on Lara’s belly. “A boy, that’s certain.”
“Only to you,” Lara laughed. “The theas can’t seem to make up their minds.”
Keir was standing by the fireplace, his eyes hooded, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked oddly vulnerable, almost pensive, as he watched Lara.
“Healthy is all that matters,” Eln said. Heath wasn’t sure, but it seemed he was responding to the look on Keir’s face.
But then Keir’s head turned, and his nostrils flared. “Is that blood?”
Heath sighed and started to explain. A voice from behind cut him off. “He was ambushed,” Atira said as she slipped into the room. “He allowed himself to be surprised.”
Lara and Anna both exclaimed, but Eln was at Heath’s side first. He placed his cool fingers on Heath’s chin and gently turned his head. “A nick, that’s all. More mess than anything else.” Eln took Heath’s arm then, and turned him to the table where his healing supplies were laid out. “I’ll see to it.”
“Who?” Lara demanded.
“Someone I’d angered, maybe.” Heath settled on a stool and flinched as Eln used something cold and wet. “Or who wasn’t pleased with my recent appointment.” He glared at Lara. “You might have warned me.”
Lara gave him an impish smile. “Had I thought of it beforehand, I would have. But standing there, before all of them, it seemed necessary. Just in case.”
Meara had pulled herself up with the aid of Anna’s skirts and was babbling. Anna bent over and lifted her into her arms.
“It was smart,” Othur said. “Heath knows the workings of this castle better than any. And it probably confused those idiots for a while. Long enough to let us put our heads together.”
“Lara’s had but a short nap,” Anna protested. “She needs her sleep, she does, for the ordeal before her.”
Keir flinched.
Heath frowned, but the look was gone from Keir’s face in an instant.
But Lara must have seen it. She reached out and grasped Keir’s hand in her own. “Nonsense, Anna. I am well and healthy, and Eln will be in attendance. Beside, rest assured that Lord Durst is not napping.”
“And there is much we need to know,” Keir said. “Heath, what of the castle?”
Heath took a deep breath. “I’ve reestablished the Castle Guard within the castle as well as on the walls.” Pain flared at his ear, and he jerked his head away from Eln. “That hurt!”
“Don’t be such a baby,” Eln said. “Pressure will stop the bleeding.”
Heath sighed before continuing. “It went fairly smoothly, although I had to drive the point home with a few of Lord Durst’s men that their presence was not necessary—that they were welcome to provide their lord with their services, but that I had charge over the Guard. I’ve men searching for my attackers. Someone took offense, that’s all.”
“I am not so sure,” Atira said.
ATIRA SAW THE SURPRISE ON HEATH’S FACE. HE couldn’t turn to face her, since Eln had a grip on his ear, but he rolled his eyes in her direction. “What?”
“They may have been of the Plains,” Atira explained.
Keir stirred. “Explain, warrior.”
Atira faced him. “Warlord, I have spoken with Elois of the Horse, as you ordered. I would ask for your token.”
Lara stiffened, but Othur just nodded.
Keir raised an eyebrow. “You feel the need?”
Atira spread her hands. “Better to ask than to offend.”
“Stop squirming,” Eln said to Heath. “You don’t need to see to hear.”
Atira took pity on the man and moved to where he could see her without moving more than his eyes.
Keir reached into Lara’s satchel and took out a small jar. He threw it to
Anna had her broad hand spread out on Lara’s belly. “A boy, that’s certain.”
“Only to you,” Lara laughed. “The theas can’t seem to make up their minds.”
Keir was standing by the fireplace, his eyes hooded, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked oddly vulnerable, almost pensive, as he watched Lara.
“Healthy is all that matters,” Eln said. Heath wasn’t sure, but it seemed he was responding to the look on Keir’s face.
But then Keir’s head turned, and his nostrils flared. “Is that blood?”
Heath sighed and started to explain. A voice from behind cut him off. “He was ambushed,” Atira said as she slipped into the room. “He allowed himself to be surprised.”
Lara and Anna both exclaimed, but Eln was at Heath’s side first. He placed his cool fingers on Heath’s chin and gently turned his head. “A nick, that’s all. More mess than anything else.” Eln took Heath’s arm then, and turned him to the table where his healing supplies were laid out. “I’ll see to it.”
“Who?” Lara demanded.
“Someone I’d angered, maybe.” Heath settled on a stool and flinched as Eln used something cold and wet. “Or who wasn’t pleased with my recent appointment.” He glared at Lara. “You might have warned me.”
Lara gave him an impish smile. “Had I thought of it beforehand, I would have. But standing there, before all of them, it seemed necessary. Just in case.”
Meara had pulled herself up with the aid of Anna’s skirts and was babbling. Anna bent over and lifted her into her arms.
“It was smart,” Othur said. “Heath knows the workings of this castle better than any. And it probably confused those idiots for a while. Long enough to let us put our heads together.”
“Lara’s had but a short nap,” Anna protested. “She needs her sleep, she does, for the ordeal before her.”
Keir flinched.
Heath frowned, but the look was gone from Keir’s face in an instant.
But Lara must have seen it. She reached out and grasped Keir’s hand in her own. “Nonsense, Anna. I am well and healthy, and Eln will be in attendance. Beside, rest assured that Lord Durst is not napping.”
“And there is much we need to know,” Keir said. “Heath, what of the castle?”
Heath took a deep breath. “I’ve reestablished the Castle Guard within the castle as well as on the walls.” Pain flared at his ear, and he jerked his head away from Eln. “That hurt!”
“Don’t be such a baby,” Eln said. “Pressure will stop the bleeding.”
Heath sighed before continuing. “It went fairly smoothly, although I had to drive the point home with a few of Lord Durst’s men that their presence was not necessary—that they were welcome to provide their lord with their services, but that I had charge over the Guard. I’ve men searching for my attackers. Someone took offense, that’s all.”
“I am not so sure,” Atira said.
ATIRA SAW THE SURPRISE ON HEATH’S FACE. HE couldn’t turn to face her, since Eln had a grip on his ear, but he rolled his eyes in her direction. “What?”
“They may have been of the Plains,” Atira explained.
Keir stirred. “Explain, warrior.”
Atira faced him. “Warlord, I have spoken with Elois of the Horse, as you ordered. I would ask for your token.”
Lara stiffened, but Othur just nodded.
Keir raised an eyebrow. “You feel the need?”
Atira spread her hands. “Better to ask than to offend.”
“Stop squirming,” Eln said to Heath. “You don’t need to see to hear.”
Atira took pity on the man and moved to where he could see her without moving more than his eyes.
Keir reached into Lara’s satchel and took out a small jar. He threw it to
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