Damask & Deception (Spellbound #2)

Chapter 37: I'll Stick Around

When Baudwin came to, the first thing he noticed was the absence of pain. Worried that he'd lost the use of his legs completely, he sat up abruptly and pulled the covers off. His legs looked absolutely fine, and he could move them. Even the one the mage had shattered. His old injury made the other leg ache a little as he moved it, but no more than usual. He frowned and looked around the room, trying to orientate himself.

He was on the bed in his bedchamber. Alone. No one else in the room. Glancing at the window, he noted that it was daylight, so at least one night had passed. How had he been out this long? Getting out of bed, he pulled on his clothes before leaving the room in search of other living beings. He found Braithe and Aurelian as he entered the sitting room. They stood up when they saw him and the next moment his sister had her arms around his neck.

"I was so worried," she mumbled against his shirt. "You were asleep for so long."

Aurelian grinned at him. Both of them looked tired as if they'd not slept much during the night.

"In fairness," Aurelian said. "Rhiannon did say she made him sleep."

"She did?" Baudwin frowned. Speaking of... Where was his wife? He let his eyes sweep over the room, but she was nowhere in sight.

Braithe took a few steps back from him. "Yes. After you passed out, she gave you a sleeping draught. Said she didn't want you to suffer through the pain of being moved in your state. It would have been excruciating."

"Did she..." He hesitated, reaching down to touch his left leg, which was no longer broken. "Did she heal me?"

"She did. It took her some time, and definitely took a lot out of her, but she did." Braithe gave him another hug. "She's rather amazing, your wife."

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "She is," he admitted. "Where is she?"

Aurelian nodded towards the closed door to her bedchamber. "Asleep. Saving you and then healing you used up a lot of energy. She was obviously shattered but refused to go to bed for several hours. Braithe only managed to send her off a couple of hours ago."

Baudwin put his hand on Aurelian's shoulder, noting the darkening eye on the other man's face and a cut on his lip. "I'm glad you made it away," he said solemnly. "A lot of good men didn't. Did anyone else escape?"

Shaking his head, his mouth set in a grim line, Aurelian placed his hand on top of Baudwin's. "They only spared me to send a message. Everyone else perished. Including every single one of the western lords." He let out a humourless laugh. "I suppose at least they won't trouble us anymore. We will have to find out if they all have heirs or if we need to step in."

"Have it done." Baudwin sighed. "And make sure their bodies are sent back to their families. Take care of our men too."

"Aye."

They stood in silence for a moment before Braithe nudged him. "Go," she said. "Go see your wife. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about."

Staring at the door, he found himself hesitating. He loved his wife. Had never stopped loving her. But she had lied about so much. He was coming to realise that some of it was to protect him, or the lives of innocent people, but he wished she had trusted him enough to tell him. He wouldn't have turned her away.

"Don't be a coward."

He gave Braithe an irritated look, but she only grinned back at him, her silver-grey eyes twinkling. Sighing, he walked across the floor and entered his wife's chambers. The room was dusky, the shutters closed, but a fire burning in the grate allowed him to make out the shape of Rhiannon sleeping in the bed. Despite the fire, she had the covers pulled up to her neck as if she was freezing. Lighting the oil lamp on her bedside table, he reached out and stroked the hair away from her face. In sleep, her face was relaxed and she looked younger and more innocent than she ever did while awake. Ever since he'd first met her, there had been a guarded look about her. A wall she had erected that no one was allowed to scale.