Page 37 of Blood Feast

Although there was no Slumber during polar night, she had learned that she and Lio could find a sort of rest together. They drifted in their Grace Union, a balm to each other’s troubled thoughts, until the ringing of the city bells reached them within their Sanctuary.

Moon Hours had arrived in the world beyond, which meant nightfall in Tenebra.

“We’ll see if there’s any news of Kalos’s condition,” Lio said before she even voiced her concern.

She reached cautiously into her well of power. Still calm for the time being. “I think I’m fit to be in the company of others.”

“Shame.” Lio squeezed her backside.

Laughing, she pulled his hand away. “You may kidnap me back to our tower as soon as we keep our promise to Zoe to see her carved goats.”

Lio gave a long-suffering sigh. “You have to promise me another round of magical experiments.”

Despite his light tone, she sensed the need lurking within him, deeply possessive and barely reassured.

She kept hold of his hand, drawing one of his long, elegant fingers slowly between her teeth. “I will promise you more than that.”

Both hunger and curiosity lit his jewel blue gaze. She quickly covered the plan in her thoughts with powerful imaginings of their next feast.

Lio groaned and dragged a pillow over his face, hiding his suddenly extended fangs. “Stop torturing me, my Grace, orIwon’t be fit company for others.”

She asked him for a cleaning spell before they dressed, knowing that if they took a proper bath, they might not come out for hours.

When they arrived at the main house, Rudhira and Kalos’s auras drew them to the library. They entered to find the scout slumped on a couch, a bandage visible in the vee of his loose robe. Knight trotted over to him with a whine, and Kalos rubbed her hound’s ears with his good hand.

Cassia had never seen Kalos so haggard. “How are you feeling?”

“Terrible,” Rudhira answered for him, standing over Kalos with his arms crossed.

“I’m fit for duty,” Kalos protested.

“You’re fit for duty when I say you are,” Rudhira replied. “That arrow landed too close to your heart.”

“You need me in the field, My Prince.”

“I need you alive. When I told you you’re temporarily relieved of duty, it wasn’t a friendly offer of a holiday. With a magefire wound like that, you should be convalescing in the Healing Sanctuary.”

Kalos shuddered. “If I’m cooped up in there, the cure will be worse than the kill. No disrespect to your esteemed mother, of course. You know I’m…not very Hesperine, when it comes down to it.”

Rudhira’s scowl deepened. “Don’t ever say that about yourself again. That’s an order. Taking that arrow for the rest of us is one of the most Hesperine things you’ve ever done.”

A flush brought color to the scout’s ashen face, and he ducked his head. “Very well, My Prince.”

“Any progress finding the archer who did this?” Lio asked.

Rudhira scowled. “The only evidence he left behind was the arrow I took out of Kalos. All that tells me is that he favors apple wood for crafting his arrow shafts. But mark my words, I will bring him to justice. In the meantime, I’ll see to it Kalos has the unique resources you need to fully recover. I hope you two can help me with this dilemma.”

“Of course,” Cassia said, already sensing Lio’s agreement. “House Komnena must be the only place in Orthros where Kalos can properly convalesce, thanks to my letting site. He can stay here, and the healers can make house calls.”

“I wouldn’t want to impose,” Kalos said.

“It’s not an imposition,” Lio hastened to assure him.

“No,” said Rudhira, “it’s your new assignment. Our Hesperine Silvicultrix is necessary to the war effort. Your task is to help Lio get her ready for action. Teach her everything you can about Lustra magic. You have until Winter Solstice to heal and train. The night after the festival ends, I—reluctantly, mind you—need all three of you back in the field.”

Knight licked his hand and subjected him to a most pathetic gaze.

Rudhira sighed and ruffled the dog’s ears. “Yes, I mean all four of you, you drooling monster.”

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