Healing Lance (A Warrior's Redemption 1)
Page 26
“I don’t want you to kill,” Lance whispered. “You’re a healer. You save lives.”
Gust rubbed Lance’s back with his other hand, and a moment later found himself in a tight embrace, Lance’s muscled arms caging him in warmth and strength.
“Thank you for your concern,” Gust said gently. “It means a lot to me that you understand what such actions do to me. But my soul is clean. I kill to protect you, and I have never killed an innocent. The gods know what is in my heart, and Anknet hasn’t seen fit to take away my healing abilities or disregard my pleas when I speak divine words. I can only assume she is content with my actions.”
“Do you think the gods see what is in my heart?”
Gust pulled back and his heart jumped when Lance kept his hands on Gust’s waist. He gripped Lance’s upper arms and attempted to make his smile reassuring.
“They see into all our hearts. Why do you think they sent Brutus to you? Why do you think we have been able to find Ulfr’s warriors so quickly and successfully? I think they’ve blessed our mission.”
Well, it also helped that they were both skilled trackers and between them the warriors’ trails were plain and clear.
Lance’s eyes brightened and a rare smile touched his lips. Even after all this time he still didn’t smile as often as Gust would like. Lance glanced at his horse and his smile deepened. Brutus trotted up to them and nosed in, apparently wanting affection as well.
Gust laughed and rubbed his nose. Divine animals were said to be descended from Batsa, the goddess of animals both wild and domestic. Brutus was large and resilient, his coat an unblemished gray while his mane, tail, and hooves were black as onyx. His eyes were dark and showed intelligence far beyond any average horse.
“Do you think after I kill all his warriors that I will be redeemed?” Lance asked as he stroked Brutus’s neck.
“I can’t say. But will that satisfy you?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“There are other warriors and other killers and raiders all across the empire. It wasn’t only Ulfr and his soldiers that harmed innocent people.”
Lance appeared puzzled.
“People need protection,” Gust said. “You’ve mentioned before your desire to kill those who harm others. Remember how you wanted to be Thebys’s dog against Ulfr? Well, once all his warriors are gone, what then? I don’t see you hanging up your sword.”
Lance cocked his head. “Don’t you want to return home?”
“I—” Did he? “One day, perhaps. I’m not in a hurry. I’ve always wanted to see other parts of the empire. Why do you ask?”
“Well,” he said slowly. “You came with me to avenge your people. Ulfr and his warriors attacked Thebys, and you’re helping me run them down. Then you plan on returning home, right? I don’t think I can do this without you. I don’t think I want to.”
Heart heavy, Gust took Lance’s hand and squeezed. “You won’t have to. I said I was going to help you redeem yourself and I will.”
“And when will I know that I am redeemed?”
Gust blinked. He didn’t have an answer for that. He said nothing, and Lance’s shoulders slumped as he stared at the ground.
“I’m doomed, aren’t I?”
“Hey now.” Gust touched his chin and lifted it so their gazes met. “Don’t think like that. We’ve only just started. We have a mission to complete so let’s continue with it. We’ll reserve conversations about the future for later, all right? I’m not giving up on you so don’t give up on yourself.”
Lance looked at him with such wonder and affection that Gust’s heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t often that Lance showed such vulnerability. It told Gust that the question of Lance’s redemption had been troubling him for a while, and Gust hoped they’d nipped it in the bud.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Gust patted his cheek. On impulse, he kissed the other one, and Lance’s stubble scrapped his lips. He didn’t mind. Lance looked good with his chin dusted with dark gold. Actually, he looked good regardless. He was a supremely handsome man with a sturdy face, bold and frosty blue eyes, a lush mouth, and a proud nose. He was a bit taller than Gust and broader at the shoulder. The way he held himself, and his constant alertness proved he was a warrior through and through, and no one would mistake him for anything else.
Lance gave him a lopsided smile as color rose to his cheeks. Gust chuckled before stepping away and securing his healer’s bag to Brutus’s saddle.
“We’re about an hour away from the next town,” Lance said after a moment of fidgeting silence on his part. “Can we ride straight there and not stop? Please?”
Gust laughed this time at Lance’s attempt at politeness even as eagerness and pleading colored his tone.
“Aye, fine. How’s the side?”
Lance fingered the wound. “Good enough. A twinge. Sometimes.”
Gust gave him a hard stare. Lance wilted.
“Are you lying to me?”
“No! I would never.”
Gust crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow.
Lance hunched his shoulders. “Truly, I am well. Nothing like after the gauntlet. Or the bear. Not even close. It was a scrape, nothing more.”
“It was certainly more than a scrape. Since I can’t trust you to tell me the truth, I’ll check for myself. Lift your tunic.”
Lance sulked again as he obeyed. It was hard for Gust not to take his time to admire the sleek muscles and flat stomach bare before his eyes. Or the way his breeches showed off his calves and clung to his waist and thighs, emphasizing the bulge of his groin. Gust mentally chided himself and unwrapped the bandages around Lance’s waist before gingerly peeling back the clean square of cloth to expose the wound. The paste and stitches had done their jobs, and the skin was knitting together nicely. There was hardly any redness and the scar would be minor one.
Gust was sure that to Lance it probably was a scrape. He’d endured far worse and could fight through immense pain and still come out the victor. Lance wasn’t one to be coddled.
Gust cleared his throat and rewrapped the bandages. “Looks well enough. Just remember that you are mortal. And wear the damn mail shirt that Ally made for you for the gods’ sake. Don’t let pride make you stupid.”
Lance lowered his tunic, and Gust was saddened to see such masculine beauty covered up. He stepped back, and Lance clasped his belt, fiddling with his sword a moment.
“I enjoy the freedom of not wearing armor.”
“Pardon?”
Lance refused to meet his gaze. “As Scourge I wore black armor from head to toe. Even my eyes were barely visible. It was hard to fight at times. I like moving freely.”
Gust took a deep breath even as his guts shuddered. The mention of black armor and of Lance’s past brought a sharp jab to his heart. “The mail won’t constrict you, and you know that. You wore it against Ulfr.”
Lance nodded.
“It would protect your current wound, at least. Do it for me, please?”
Lance finally looked up and nodded again. “For you, then.”
“Thank you.”
They climbed onto Brutus who was more than able to carry two grown men and never feel their weight. He was off like a shot, galloping down the dirt road, eager to finally be on their way.
###
About M.D. Grimm
M.D. Grimm has wanted to write stories since second grade (kind of young to make life decisions, but whatever) and nothing has changed since then (well, plenty of things actually, but not that!). Thankfully, she has indulgent parents who let her dream, but also made sure she understood she’d need a steady job to pay the bills (they never let her forget it!). After graduating from the University of Oregon and majoring in English, (let’s be honest: useless degree, what else was she going to do with it?) she started on her writing career and couldn’t be happier. Working by day and writing by night (or any spare time she can carve out), she enjoys embarking on romantic quest
s and daring adventures (living vicariously, you could say) and creating characters that always triumph against the villain, (or else what’s the point?) finding their soul mate in the process.
Other Titles by M.D. Grimm
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Anthology
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Renewal (Fourth Annual)
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A Warrior’s Redemption Trilogy
Healing Lance (1)
Forgiving Lance (2)
Avenging Lance (3)
Connect with M.D. Grimm
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