The Seven Sins

21. The Snake

Two weeks into staying with Gideon, I managed to ride all of the horses. I only fell off a horse two times, which I was pretty proud of even though I earned a scar from the second fall. Elviva even had to come over to patch my wound.

"What did Wrath do now, mortal girl." The old crone muttered as she cleaned the wound.

"He didn't do anything. Greed is teaching me to ride, and I fell from the -" I hissed as she put something on my shoulder.

"Then he should teach better." She said as she leaned closer to examine the wound. Gideon was leaning against the door frame, a frown in place.

"It wasn't your fault," I said, again. "You couldn't know a snake would slitter out of the bushes."

"A snake?" Elviva looked to the prince in surprise, her hand still pressing on my wound.

"Yes," I frowned as I looked between them. "My horse got spooked and I fell off. My shoulder hit a broken-off branch."

"It went in pretty deep." I grounded my teeth as she started sewing without warning. "If you fell a little more to the right..."

"But I didn't. So why do you look so worried?"

The two of them exchanged a glance but didn't answer my question.

"We have to go to Wrath, so -" Gideon looked to Elviva behind me. "When you're done..."

"Give me a minute." She grunted. Silence fell between us as the old crone did her work. I really didn't understand why they reacted that way, or why we suddenly had to go to Wymond's home. I turned my head a little to see Elviva wrap my whole shoulder. I haven't seen her much over the past months, but although she still muttered, grunted and called me mortal girl, she seemed kinder than before. But that may be because of the target on my back. I tried not to read too much into it.

"Done." She patted my bandaged back and I snarled at her. She gave a toothy grin in return. "Be more careful next time, mortal girl." She stood up and left the room.

"How do you feel?" Gideon asked, stepping closer to me.

I rolled my shoulder and gritted my teeth at the flash of pain that ran through me. "It will heal."

He frowned as he looked from my shoulder to me before he opened a portal and walked through.

"I guess I'll follow," I muttered. Where was the proper gentleman I met two weeks ago? When I stepped through the portal, all the other princes were sitting in Wymond's War room. "What's going on?"

Before someone could reply, Sevrin enveloped me in a careful but tight hug. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just another scar from my time in Ferri." I gave him a reassuring smile.

"You have enough scars." Sevrin muttered with a scowl. And just by the way he said it, it made me think he wasn't just talking about physical scars.

"I guess we need to hold off on your training." Wymond said after kissing my cheek.

"I still have my other arm." I said, punching his chest lightly.

"Can we get started on why Greed called this emergency meeting?" Pride drawled out, but his eyes flickered over my shoulder. "I don't think it's just because Lady Ava is a stumbling mortal."

Gideon took a closer step towards me, almost protectively. He shot Pride a glare I've never seen him give any of his brothers. And knowing how close he was to Pride, it said a lot. He guided me to the chair next to him before sitting down.