“Better.” He was tempted to close his eyes and go back to sleep, but he couldn’t give in to the impulse. Not with her hollow eyes looking at him. “Have you slept?”
“Not yet. I’ve been busy tending the wounded in the Great Hall and looking after you and…” Renna’s braid fell over her shoulder as she shook her head.
Something was going on, but his head still felt too fuzzy to figure it out. “Martyn?”
“He’s locked in the Tower until Keevan can decide what to do with him and the other Blades. Ranson is with him.” Renna frowned and rubbed her thumb along the back of his hand.
He stared at her thumb moving back and forth, sending tingles up his arm. He’d been about to say something else, but he couldn’t seem to remember it at the moment. Something about Martyn. He roped his thoughts. “Martyn saved our lives. That should be taken into account.”
“It will be.” Renna squeezed his hand. “Leith, there’s something I have to—”
Somewhere beyond the screen, the door creaked open. Jamie’s voice called, “How are they?”
“Leith’s awake. Can you fetch him some water?”
Moments later, Jamie slipped around the screen. He held out a glass. Renna took it and held it to Leith’s mouth.
The water helped. By the time Leith drained the glass, some of the haze in his head cleared. He noted the lines around Renna’s mouth and the wrinkles puckering Jamie’s forehead. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Renna’s shoulders heaved with a deep breath. She stared at the screen, and her grip tightened on Leith’s hand. “It’s about Brandi.”
Brandi. She was safe at Eagle Heights. Wasn’t she?
Jamie toyed with the edge of the blanket. “I tried to stop her. Honestly, I did. But I didn’t know until we were on the trail what she’d done. And by then it was too late to send her back.”
“Send her back?” Leith blinked at both of them. His head must still be fuzzy. Jamie wasn’t making sense.
“She sneaked along with the army. She cut her hair and dressed as a boy. I didn’t find out what she’d done until she showed up by my fire and told me.” Jamie scrubbed a hand along his face.
“And you didn’t tell Shad?” The room tilted. Brandi, his Brandi, had joined the army. Leith blinked and tried to focus.
“I thought about it, but it wouldn’t have done any good.” Jamie hunched on the chair, hands digging into his hair. “She threatened to run away from Eagle Heights and make the journey on her own. And she’d do it, too. Her sneaking skills are almost as good as mine.”
Leith was crumbling from the outside in. If Brandi was all right, then she would’ve been bouncing by his side when he woke up. Instead, Jamie and Renna wore identical, grave expressions.
“Please tell me she’s still alive.” His heart was breaking already, and he didn’t even know if she was dead.
A tear traced the length of Renna’s nose. “She’s alive, but she was hurt taking the castle. A sword glanced along her skull. I sewed up the wound, but she’s still unconscious.” She waved at the room on the other side of the screen. “I had her moved to the bed in this room where I could tend her better, and I had a cot brought in so I could watch you both. Neither of you could be tended properly with the rest of the wounded in the Great Hall. Too many people would notice your secrets.”
Their secrets. The secret that Brandi was a girl, and he was a Blade. He glanced at the rows of scars marching down his right arm. Until someone scrounged a shirt for him, he couldn’t leave the room.
He stared at the screen that gave him and Brandi a little privacy and tried to push himself onto his elbows. “I’d like to see her.”
Renna laid a hand on his shoulder and pushed him down. “Rest. Your wounds need to heal before you can start moving about.”
He scowled. She’d had no trouble pinning him down.
Jamie fidgeted in his seat. “There’s more.”
Surely not more bad news. Wasn’t victory supposed to be an occasion to celebrate, not mourn? “Respen escaped?” He couldn’t think of anything else that would cause the grim expression on Jamie’s face.
“No. He’s safely locked in the dungeon.” Jamie stared at the floor. “When she joined the army, Brandi rode Blizzard. He was hurt one of the times we fought Respen’s army, and we had to leave him behind. I don’t know if he survived or not.”
The words punched Leith, but they didn’t hit the vital spots that Brandi’s injury had. He’d rather lose Blizzard than lose Brandi. But the thought of losing both…he forced himself to nod. “Thanks for telling me. When Brandi wakes up, she’ll feel bad about it.” He didn’t let himself consider that she’d never wake. She’d wake up. She had to.
Renna and Jamie must’ve understood how he felt, because neither of them tried to correct him.
Good. He wasn’t going to lose hope. And he wasn’t going to let them give up either.
The door groaned open again. “Renna, the room next door is ready if you’d like to rest.”
“Leith’s awake.”
Shad stepped around the screen and leaned against the wall near the foot of the cot. His face wore the same, tired shadows as Jamie and Renna, and his clothes still bore the spatters of battle. He crossed his arms. “Took you long enough.”
“First decent rest I’ve had in a week.” Leith started to put his hands behind his head but stopped when the movement tweaked his ribs.
“And you ought to go back to sleep.” Renna patted his shoulder and stood. “I’d better get back to the Great Hall. I only stopped by to check on Leith and Brandi for a minute.”
“I’ll stay with them.” Shad raised his eyebrows. “You should get some sleep yourself.”
“I will once the wounded are all resting comfortably.” Renna’s skirt swirled as she bustled around the screen and disappeared.
When Leith heard the door shut behind her, he pushed onto his elbows. He gritted his teeth. Was there any part of his body that didn’t throb with weakness?
Shad straightened. “What do you think you’re doing? You’re supposed to stay in bed.”
“I have to see Brandi.” Leith managed to sit most of the way up. Jamie jumped to his feet, glancing at the door like he considered fetching Renna. Leith held a hand to him. “Help me up.”
“Stubborn Blade.” Shad grasped Leith’s other arm, and he and Jamie hauled Leith to his feet.
Leith sucked in a breath as his vision narrowed. He couldn’t pass out. That’d have him back in bed and tied down so fast he’d never be allowed back up. Pain wracked through his bones, but he could push through it. This was the worst the pain would get. No more torture. No additional wounds. It’d only get better from here.
Thankfully, he still wore his trousers. Or, at least, what was left of them. The left leg had been cut open partway down his thigh to expose his bandaged wound. The ragged end flopped around his knee.
He managed a few hobbling steps, leaning most of his weight on Shad and Jamie. As they turned the corner of the screen, Leith focused on the four poster bed. A small form lay still and white in the blankets.
When they reached the bedside, Jamie let go long enough to drag one of the large, plush chairs from beside the fire to a spot next to the bed. Leith sank into it, groaning. Jamie handed him a pillow, which he propped against his side to ease his aching ribs.
Brandi lay so still, her face as white as the bandages layered across her head. The short ends of her hair spiked in all directions.
Leith propped his elbows on the edge of the bed. Shad rested a hand on Leith’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. I should’ve recognized her. I never would’ve sent her into battle if I’d known.”
The raw edge in Shad’s voice matched the lump in Leith’s throat. “I know.”
Why? After everything he’d done to protect her and Renna, why had this happened?
He rested his head in his hands. Something hot and wet trickled against his palm. He’d been whipped. Burned. Beaten. And he’d faced i
t all with the knowledge that no matter what Respen did to him, the king couldn’t break him.
But this could.
51
Her head pounded like a horse was kicking it from the inside. Her eyes felt like they were rolling about in her skull.
Somewhere above her, someone was talking. No, not just talking. Telling a story. Something about David. And the giant. For the first time, she sympathized with the giant. Being hit in the head was horrible. The stories didn’t mention how much it hurt or the headache afterwards. She groaned.
The story stopped. The voice called to her. “It’s all right, Brandi. Wake up.”
She tried to obey. Her eyelids stuck together as if Renna had sewn them shut. If only she could explain, but her mouth refused to move. She curled her fingers into fists. At least that worked. Gathering all her strength, she peeled her eyes open.
A hazy shape leaned over her. She gave two slow blinks. The figure focused into Leith, his dark hair falling into his green eyes, both cheeks dark with yellow and purple bruises. The room behind him remained a blur.
He smiled. “I knew you’d wake up.”
She inched a hand to her galloping head. “Ugh! My head hurts.”
“A sword to the head will do that.”
She had a vague memory of the sword swinging down before everything went black. “So we won?”
He nodded, picked up something from the bedside table, and held it out to her. “Yes. You toppled a giant with your pebble.”
She took the shard of rock from him. It was the same chip of crystal she’d taken from the sparkling cave and had given to him before he’d left. But now, one side of it was crushed flat, like it’d been pounded against something. “How did I do that?”
“I jammed that rock into the lock of the meeting room door. If I hadn’t, Jamie and Prince Keevan couldn’t have gotten in to help fight Respen.” Leith shifted in the chair, as if sitting up was uncomfortable. “Respen is locked in the dungeon. His trial starts in a couple of days once the rest of the nobles get here. Prince Keevan’s official coronation will be in a few weeks.”
At least they’d won. It’d be awful if she’d gotten this headache all for nothing. “What about Renna? And Jamie?” A flash of memory speared her, Ian falling to the ground, blood pouring from his chest. “And Ian?”
“Renna’s fine. She’s checking some of the other wounded.” Leith hesitated and glanced at the window.
The pink haze of dawn creased the horizon. At least, Brandi assumed it was dawn. It might be sunset for all she knew, but sunsets were usually more orange.
“Jamie left. He volunteered to carry a message to Walden. If he’d known you were going to wake up so soon, he would’ve stayed. He’ll be back in a few days.” Leith paused again. His shoulders hunched. “Jamie told me Ian died of his wounds.”
She blinked. She didn’t want to cry. She’d known friends would die. She hadn’t been naïve about that when she’d ridden into battle. But it still stabbed at her. Ian hadn’t even known she was a girl. He’d died thinking she was only Randy, a peasant boy from Stetterly. She wouldn’t have a chance to tell him the truth.
And somehow, that seemed rather important. Like he’d only known a part of her or a pretend her or something. Because she wasn’t Randy, a peasant boy. She was Brandi, a girl desperate to rescue her sister.
What about his brothers and sisters? His mother? They’d already lost so much.
Another thought sliced at her. She had to confess about Blizzard. “Leith, I got to tell you, I…Blizzard…”
“Jamie told me about Blizzard.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have ridden your horse into battle. I should’ve left him at Eagle Heights where he would’ve been safe.” This time, her voice did break. She couldn’t help it. It all felt like too much. Ian. Blizzard. The memories of battle.
Leith patted her shoulder. “Listen, Brandi. I’m not angry. I’m glad you rode him. As much as you and I love that horse, in the end he’s still just a horse. A horse can be replaced. You can’t.”
She blinked away a tear. It crawled down her face and under her chin. Leith leaned over and tucked his arms around her as best he could while she was lying down. She had enough strength to lift her arms, wrap them around Leith’s neck, and hug him back. She buried her face against his shoulder. What would she have done without Leith these last few months? “Thank you.”
As Leith pulled away, the door opened. Renna’s eyes darted to her and widened. “Brandi!” She dropped the tray she’d been carrying. It crashed to the ground, spilling water and food onto the floor. Hiking her skirts, Renna leapt over the debris and dashed across the room.
Brandi barely had time to grit her teeth before Renna shoved past Leith and hugged her. Brandi wrapped her arms around Renna and squeezed as tightly as she could manage. Her head pounded, but she didn’t care. They’d survived. For all that Brandi had been determined to rescue Renna, her sister had been rescued without her help. God had protected her even though Brandi had doubted.
As Renna pulled back, Brandi studied her. She seemed…different. She didn’t hunch her head as if trying to become invisible but met Brandi’s gaze with a confident tilt of her chin. That same confidence strengthened her blue eyes.
She wasn’t broken. Somehow, Renna had not only survived being alone at Nalgar Castle, she’d gotten stronger.
Brandi hadn’t believed Renna had strength. Worse, Brandi had scorned Renna’s lack of strength. She’d assumed Renna would break into a sobbing mess by the time Brandi rescued her.
But perhaps Renna was the strong one. There was strength in waiting.
Brandi lifted her own chin, ignoring the spinning in her skull. She’d faced death and survived battle. She’d faced doubt for the first time in her life. While she missed the child-like naiveté of the faith she’d had a year ago, the faith she had now was stronger, mature, and something that couldn’t be quenched by her own doubt or despair. It would survive.
52
Brandi pressed a cold cloth to her head. It dulled the pain a bit. If her head didn’t hurt so much, she’d find something to do to break her boredom. She fingered the silver cross once again hanging around her neck. Toying with her necklace was about the only thing she could do while stuck in bed.
Jamie hadn’t visited her at all since she’d been awake. Leith had told her he had left the castle, but she couldn’t help the churning in her stomach in time with her pounding head. Wasn’t he concerned at all for her? After all they’d been through, weren’t they friends? Didn’t he care even a tiny bit if she survived?
Bustling to the side of the bed, Renna leaned over, her silver cross necklace nearly whacking Brandi’s nose, and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as the Gathering is over.”
“I hope they vote in favor of executing Respen. He deserves it.”
A strange expression wrinkled Renna’s forehead. “I’m sure they will.”
Someone knocked on the door.
“Come in.” Renna turned back to Brandi. “While I’m gone, Leith has a surprise for you.”
Leith tapped inside using a cane to ease the weight on his injured leg. The shoulder seams of the shirt he wore hung partway down his upper arms and the ends of the sleeves were rolled up around his wrists.
Brandi crossed her arms. Traitor. While she’d been stuck in bed thanks to one—one!—dizzy spell, Leith had refused to rest. Yet he’d taken Renna’s side in insisting that Brandi stay in bed.
Renna paused by Leith’s side. He clasped her hands and whispered something to her.
Brandi rolled her eyes. Now that Leith and Renna had finally realized they liked each other, they insisted on lots of hand holding. Lots and lots of hand holding. It was kind of cute, in its own way. If a person was into all that mushy stuff.
Renna swept from the room, the layers of her blue, silk dress swishing in a lady-like fashion.
Leith limped to Brandi’s bed. “I have a surprise for you, but it’s outside
. I have Renna’s permission to let you out of bed, but you’d better not pass out. I’m not sure I’ll be able to catch you.”
Brandi shot upright and swiveled her feet to the ground. Her head spun in a most annoying fashion. “I’m finally getting out of bed. Of course I’m not going to faint.”
She kept pace with Leith out of the room, through the hallway, and down the grand, brick staircase.
Near the bottom, Leith halted. “Close your eyes.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Do you want me to trip and fall to my death?”
“You won’t fall.”
“Fine.” Brandi squeezed her eyes shut. Leith rested a hand on her shoulder. She reached up and gripped his arm to keep herself steady as they strolled down the last few steps.
Leith steered her around a corner. Sunlight fell across Brandi’s face.
“All right, Brandi. Open your eyes.”
Blizzard stood next to the fountain in the center of the Queen’s Court, munching on a patch of grass. Brandi tottered across the courtyard and wrapped her arms around Blizzard’s neck. He smelled of horse and sunshine. “Where’d you get him? We left him at Walden.”
“I fetched him.”
Brandi peeked over Blizzard’s shoulder and noticed Jamie standing on the other side of the horse, shifting his feet. He patted Blizzard’s neck. “I volunteered to carry a message to Lord Alistair. Since I was there, I thought I’d bring him back to you.”
She ran her fingers along Blizzard’s neck, then along the puckered ridge of his healing wound.
Leith joined her and rubbed Blizzard’s nose. “He still limps. He’ll probably never run like he used to, but, then again, neither will I.”
She glanced at Leith, but he didn’t seem concerned about either his limp or Blizzard’s. It probably didn’t matter. Leith’s skills as a Blade wouldn’t be needed any more, and Blizzard could be put out to pasture to enjoy a leisurely life. After what both of them had been through, they’d earned it.
Defy (The Blades of Acktar Book 3) Page 29