Eventide (Meratis Trilogy Book 2) (28 page)

She closed the door behind her, and Jeff looked down at his shirt. He hadn’t noticed how much blood was on the rest of him when he fell into bed. At the sight of it, his stomach heaved and he took a few more sips of wine to stop himself from bringing up everything he’d imbibed the night before.

The morning dampness convinced him to get out of bed and change into the same outfit he’d grown used to last time—black wool trousers, cream-coloured tunic, leather jerkin. He stopped at the table long enough to scarf down the bowl of porridge and fruit and then headed off to see if anything new had come up over the course of the morning.

On his way to find Jayden, Jeff passed the library, which was still closed and locked. It occurred to him that if Brady hadn’t left his study last night, he might not know about Jasmine.

He knocked. There was no reply. He knocked again harder. Still nothing. He pounded his fist against the door like Jayden had, and didn’t stop until Brady’s face peered out. Jeff stepped back, shocked by the change that had come over the scholar in less than a day. His grey eyes nearly popped out of his skull, wide against the dark circles. His pale-white skin looked shiny in the light of the corridor, as though with fever. Inside, the room was dark, only the faintest candlelight to make visible the book on the table.

“What?” Brady demanded.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m busy. Really shouldn’t be interrupted.”

Jeff scratched at his cheek. “I didn’t know if you heard. About Jasmine.”

“What about her?” The question came out in a huff. No concern, just inconvenience. He hadn’t even opened the door more than a crack.

Jeff’s patience ran out. “That she almost died. Harold stabbed her.”

He hadn’t thought Brady could go paler, but the man blanched, bracing himself against the doorjamb.

“But she’s all right now?” he asked.

“She survived. As of last night, anyway. I was about to go and check on her. If you wanted to come with me.”

Brady clenched his teeth, the muscles in his jaw shifting. “I can’t. Too much to do.”

He shut the door without another word, and Jeff heard the lock slam home.

Flabbergasted, he banged on the door again. “This is going too far, Brady. Whatever you’re working on in there, it’s not good for you. Take a break and talk to us.”

Although he didn’t expect an answer, it still worried him when none came.

But he had enough on his mind without adding concern over the voluntary research addiction of his friend. He would talk to Maggie, see if she could learn anything more about the dragon-talking ritual. After that, he would get everyone together and host an intervention.

From the library he found his way—with help from the servants—to what served as the Healing Ward. From what Jeff had written in early books, the place usually wasn’t very busy, the physicians within the Keep usually only serving those of the House, while country doctors helped the people outside of the walls. Today, following the eagle attack, the Ward bustled with activity and physician’s aides moved between screaming patients, offering sleep aids for any beyond help. In spite of the commotion, Jasmine was easy enough to find, having her own private room at the end of the hall. She was a tiny person in a large bed, her dark hair fanned out under her head and her hands crossed over her stomach. If not for the rise and fall of her chest, Jeff would have worried she hadn’t made it.

Jayden sat next to her, hunched over, watching.

“How is she?” Jeff asked, glad to interrupt his vigil. The man looked almost as out of it as Brady.

“Physician says she’ll be all right. She’s almost healed. Maggie’s quick work saved the day again. He’s keeping her asleep for another day for the pain.”

“That’s some good news then.” Jeff sank down into the chair on the opposite side of the bed. “What about the queen’s men? Did the doc have any news?” He couldn’t bring himself to ask how many of them had survived.

Jayden’s lips pressed together. “They lost three of the twelve. Seems wrong to say those are good odds, but there you have it.”

“What about the one who spoke?”

Jeff didn’t need the words to understand Jayden’s expression. He wasn’t one of the lucky ones. Jeff cleared his throat and asked, “Have you spoken with any of them? Are they awake?”

Jayden ran his hand over his face and rubbed his eyes. “Not yet. I’ve been here. But I guess we should.”

He looked at Jasmine, and Jeff read his reluctance to leave her.

“I could go myself if you wanted.”

“No, I should go with you. We’ll just be a minute,” he added to Jasmine and stood up to follow Jeff out of the room.

The rest of the Ward was set up with a row of beds along each wall and an aisle between, the beds separated with heavy white curtains. Moans carried on the air throughout the room, whimpers of pain, sobs of nightmares. Whatever these men saw had scarred their minds just as deeply as their bodies.

Jayden approached one of the aides. “Is there one of the queen’s men who might be willing or ready to speak with us? We have questions.”

The woman considered, staring down at her chart. After a moment, she pointed to a name. “He’s awake. He had the least physical injuries, just the blood poisoning from whatever bit him. The physician thinks he managed to drain it all out, but he still has relapses. Like night terrors. You could see if he’s lucid today.”

She pointed them in the right direction, and they approached the third bed on their left. The patient was sitting up, trying to spoon some soup into his mouth, which was made difficult by the trembling in his hands. When he saw Jeff and Jayden, he gave up his attempt and sat it down on the table next to his bed.

“My lord,” he greeted.

“What is your name?” Jayden asked.

“Fredrick, my lord.”

“Are you willing to talk with us, Fredrick? Tell us what happened?”

The man raised his hands to pull at his hair, shrinking into himself. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. You can’t imagine.”

No, I can’t
, Jeff thought.
Unfortunately, I don’t have to.

Aloud he said, “Let’s start with where you were. Which road were you on?”

“Heading southeast. But we only got as far as Kiltie Village. That’s when they came.”

“The eagles?” Jeff asked, remembering those metal-beaked nightmares.

The soldier shuddered. “No. Those came later. These were ... they might have been wolves. Once. By the gods, these creatures ...” he faltered.

Sweat beaded on his brows as his tremors increased. Jeff hoped the shock wouldn’t kill the poor bastard.

“It’s all right,” said Jayden. “The gates are closed. They can’t get in.”

The man began to laugh. “Of course they can! They’ll creep through the cracks in the walls, they’ll jump over the gates! You didn’t see them. At first they looked normal, so we left our archers to drop them. But the arrows deflected. Bounced right off like they were hitting a solid wall. How is that possible? Gods, those villagers. Not one of them left alive. Blood all drained.”

The shaking grew worse, until he couldn’t hold the blanket around his shoulders. The aides hurried forwards, but Jayden held up a hand to stop them while Jeff pulled the blanket tighter around the soldier. The aide in charge opened her mouth to argue with Jayden, but before she could speak, he said, “Find your courage and tell us the rest. Did they follow you? Should we prepare our men?”

“How can you? What can you do against them? They tore fifty of us apart. Only six of them! And then the eagles came.”

Tears rolled down the man’s cheeks, and the aide pushed her way in. “All right, that’s enough. I’m sorry, Lord Jayden, but I need to look after my patient.”

“Of course.”

As they made to leave, Jayden rested his hand on the man’s shoulder. He said nothing, but Jeff heard the words his friend wished he could say. That it would be all right, that he would get better. Could any of them guarantee that?

On their way back to Jasmine’s room, her physician stepped in front of them and blocked their way.

“I’ve just been to see Lady Jasmine. She’s stable and comfortable, warm and well taken care of. How about you go and get yourself in the same state before I commit you to a bed, as well?”

Jayden shook his head. “I’m fine. Someone needs to be here when she wakes up.”

Jeff arched an eyebrow. “We do need at least one of you in fighting condition. Jax may have given herself a break, but Raul’s not going to pause to catch his breath.”

Jayden rubbed a hand over the bristles on his cheeks. “I know.”

Jeff clapped him on the back. “Don’t make me cart you over my shoulder.”

Jayden laughed. “I wouldn’t risk my life on the stairs. Think I’ll take my chances on my own two feet, thanks.”

They left the ward together, heading back towards the foyer. Away from Jasmine’s side, Jayden’s worries fell back on his shoulders. Jeff watched the change come over him as if he could see straight into his ex-character’s mind.

Like he felt Jeff crawling between his brain cells, Jayden stopped and slumped backwards against a wall, running his thumb over the scar from brow to chin.

“I don’t know how we’re going to get through this, Jeff,” he said, and the hopelessness in his tone turned the atmosphere in the corridor heavy and bleak. “The queen gave us two weeks, and we’re almost there. But I don’t even think that matters because my gut tells me Raul’s close to what he wants. And we don’t even know what it is.”

Jeff didn’t know what to say. Jayden was the leader, the one to give the encouraging speeches before the battle. He had seen the man stand with sword in hand a month after losing his arm and his eye, ready to fight Raul’s entire army to give Jeff and Cassie time to get home.

Jeff leaned back against the wall next to him, crossing his feet. “I’m sorry Jasmine was hurt, but that doesn’t mean the other side is winning. She survived, because that’s what she does. It’s what we all do. In spite of our best efforts sometimes.”

Jayden grunted at that.

“Maggie seemed to be on to something last night. I’ll see if she’s ready to share what it is, and then we can come at this from a new angle.”

“This problem already has so many angles, I’m surprised we’re able to balance at all.” Jayden sighed and pushed away from the wall. “But you’re right, black moods won’t help solve anything.”

“Sleep will.”

“Maybe you’re right.” He stretched with a loud yawn. “I can’t count how long it’s been since I had a really good night’s sleep.”

My guess would be about ten years
, Jeff thought, suddenly thinking about Ariana, and how different Jayden’s life would be if his sister wasn’t his only family.

“Come get me if Maggie has anything important to say.”

“Of course.”

Jayden headed up, and Jeff started down towards the Haunt. Which was empty. Disappointed, he dropped onto the bench and allowed the silence to fill his head. Nothing but the bubbling ooze in the cauldron to counter the zillion thoughts zipping around in his brain. And none of them happy ones he realised as he started sorting through them.
Can’t write. Losing Cassie. Jasmine hurt. Brady losing his mind. Maggie not well. Raul plotting. Harold loose.
The negativity threatened to make his mind implode.

Then one word popped into his head that helped to calm the storm. A bright point on a grey horizon.

Swish
.

His legs moving before the rest of him noticed where he was going, he left the Keep and headed down the stairs towards the stables.

Paul was nowhere to be seen, but that didn’t matter. Jeff had no desire to go anywhere. He grabbed a couple of brushes from the tack room and sauntered down to Swish’s stall. The dozing bay woke up when he approached and whickered in greeting.

“Why is it that you can always make me feel better, eh, bud?” Jeff asked as he moved the curry brush in circles over the horsehair, dredging up all the dirt from a day apparently spent rolling in mud. “It’s not like you ever say anything encouraging. And most of the time you’re more interested in chewing my shirt than listening to me babble.”

To prove him right, Swish stretched out his neck and made a grab for Jeff’s hair. Jeff dodged out of the way in time and moved to the horse’s side.

“Things are in a bad place right now, Swish. Like no one’s got anything good going for them. And from my point of view, I can only see it getting worse.”

Swish snorted, tossing his head.

“Disagree with me if you want, but it’s not like you’re prepared to jump out of this stall and protect us all are you?”

The horse pawed at the ground.

“I didn’t think so.”

“Do you always talk to your horse like it can understand you?”

Having thought he was alone, Jeff jumped, the brush digging into the palm of his hand as he tensed. But he forced himself not to turn around to look at Venn, letting her come to him if she chose.

“Sometimes he has the best insight into things. Can see the situation with a calmer mind. Have you been here all morning?”