Bird of a Nest (bow 3)

Chapter 33

"I " Nel'os faltered, a strange look passed over his eyes. He hadn't noticed. Ryraso wanted to throw up. Nel'os hadn't the state his former lover had been in. "He stabbed you.." he tried to justify.

"In a room where the link would not work. What else could Cai'ress have done to get help?" Ryraso questioned. "They had us trapped with no way out. Even if you truly thought he was trying to kill me, you should have brought him too," he shot back, pushing his shirt back down."You shouldn't have left him there with those monsters!"

"Excuse me if my greater concern was the person I loved bleeding out in front of me!"

"I thought you loved Cai'ress too?"

"I was not going to let that betrayer kill you. You almost died. He was the one who stabbed you—end of story. You are far more important than he will ever be, and I will not risk your life," Nel'os declared with an angry passion. "I saved you."

"Thank you," Ryraso stated more than thanked. "For saving my life. Excuse me while I go clean up your mess." Ryraso strode out of the room, pulling out of Nel'os' hands as he tried to grab him. Nel'os almost looked confused as Ryraso didn't meet his eyes. A low sound was coming from Nel'os. It sounded almost hurt.

"I saved you... This should have been..."

Ryraso ignored him, not about to deal with Nel'os' mental breakdown while Cai'ress was still in the hands of people who would destroy him. He wanted to punch something. He needed to find Captain Par'nast and let him know what he remembered. Tai'ray was already searching for Cai'ress in the link, he could feel it. He muttered a prayer to the Goddess to keep the man alive. As he stumbled, his torso not healed enough to deal with this, Pol'ar was at his elbow helping him walk.

The healer's greying wings guided him through the palace, a hand remaining on his back. "He did what he thought was right, Ry" Pol'ar pointed out, a paternal edge to his voice, able to feel Ryraso's rage rolling off him. He didn't try to stop Ryraso in his angry stride but was reluctant to leave Ryraso's side. "You must understand what it would have looked like? Seeing you lying on the ground surrounded by blood?"

"I do," Ryraso snorted, thinking back to the dream. It had not been a pretty image. "Even if I accept the initial moment was traumatic, just how long has it been? None of them went to find the people who did this to me? They didn't think that something else was going on?"

"A jealous former lover tried to kill a current who had upset his position? It would not the first time not the last."

Ryraso paused and looked at Pol'ar in the eyes. "Except, unless I am missing some information, Cai'ress is not that type of person. He's a noble, yes. And that does tend to suggest ulterior motives. Yet, Cai'ress went out of his way to avoid causing trouble. Aw'endo sought him out for guidance. I saved him from being cornered by the nobles. He begged for safety when Tai'ray exiled him, not for Tai'ray to love him. He just wanted protection, and we failed him."

"Ryraso, you didn't fail him,"

"I should have done more for his defence,"