Page 7 of Suffer No Fools
"Not on my table," Tim said. "Or in my galley."
"No," Yvette agreed, "but we'll need a pot of boiling water and a fine-tipped dagger, not that monstrosity Nola carries."
"I have one," Tovey said. It was still in his trunk, but he would do anything he could to get the foreign metal out of Hugo's body. Only a healer could have placed it there. Vadim said he'd cured Hugo of the same disease that had affected Klaus, but he'd missed the metal.
For once, Tovey didn't blame Vadim. Tovey was lucky he'd brushed his hand over the foreign objects so quickly after Hugo had fallen unconscious, and he had enough earth to know what it was.
Once Tim had hold of Hugo's shoulders, Tovey ran to his trunk to grab his dagger. Hugo was awake when he returned. He held the amulet to his chest, leaving the iron-flecked chain on the table.
"We'll perform the surgery in the true hold," Yvette said. "Stan will help you down the ladder."
"Thanks." Hugo glanced up. His face was far too pale, and his eyes were bloodshot. Tovey hated seeing him like this. Tovey hovered around Yvette and Stan as they moved him, his every muscle tensed, ready to fetch anything Yvette needed.
Finally, they were ready. Instead of moving Hugo to his room, they stayed in the storage room nearest the ladder. Stan had built a table from empty fruit crates they'd salvaged fromVadim's ship. Stan smoothed a black sail over them, and Tovey winced. The navy used black sails to inter their dead.
They'd just gotten Hugo away from Coryn. They couldn't lose him now.
Hugo lay on his stomach on the makeshift table.
"Where's Vadim?" Yvette patted Hugo's arm. "He brought you back once. Let's hope he doesn't have to do it again." She rolled her eyes. "He's blocking me. I'll go get him."
Hugo stared after her as she climbed the ladder.
Tovey kneeled, so it was easier for Hugo to meet his gaze. "May I braid your hair, so it's out of the way?"
"Yes, please."
Gods, he hadn't been this formal with anyone since he'd last moonlighted as a bard in Hearthstone a year ago. Still, Hugo seemed appreciative of his manners and polite conversation. Tovey smoothed Hugo's long hair with his fingers before separating it into thirds at his nape and pulling it tight so it would stay out of Yvette's way.
He talked as he braided, telling Hugo how soft his hair was, unlike the wild ponies' manes on Equis Island. Tovey had spent a lot of time there as a child. His grandmother had sent his family away from Aquarion when Martiz had moved back to the island. Now, Tovey was grateful he didn't have stories as bad as Vadim's. He'd never encountered Martiz's dagger, thankfully. He had fallen for a naval officer on his first boat, though, and that had scarred him far worse than any dagger he'd taken since.
Hugo was still a virgin, according to the story he'd told Olivia about the night his mother had died. He'd begged his guards to take him to a pleasure house, and then he'd been locked in his room for five years with little human contact beyond Coryn. Tovey would have to be careful not to get too attached, but if anyone needed a little joy in his life, it was the young emperor.
Vadim climbed down the ladder, followed by Yvette. Instead of gazing at Vadim with sad eyes, the way he had when he'd first arrived, Hugo glanced at Tovey instead. Tovey gave him a reassuring grin and continued talking about horses, hair oil, and brushing regimens.
When he was halfway finished with the braid, Yvette caught his gaze with a hand signal.
"This is going to hurt," he said to Hugo. He'd taken enough cuts to know. He'd also been to enough healers to know their routine. "Breathe with me. Are you ready?"
Hugo nodded, and Tovey inhaled deeply, gesturing with his free hand for Hugo to do the same. If the blade hurt, Hugo gave no sign. He continued breathing with Tovey until Yvette heaved a contented sigh.
"Done. How do you feel, Your Majesty?"
Hugo blinked at Tovey, and then he grinned. "Hungry."
Tim laughed. "Well, that's a problem solved, then. I'll bring you another bowl."
Vadim kneeled beside them, and it took every ounce of Tovey's willpower not to jerk back from the death weaver's nearness.
"Can you feel any other iron beneath his skin?" Vadim asked.
Tovey wanted to argue. Stan was better suited to check for foreign objects with an earth weave. Tovey had done it before, though he hadn't thought to scan beyond the obvious disks in Hugo's neck.
"May I?" He offered his free hand to Hugo. He still had the three plaits separated between the fingers of his other hand.
"Yes." Instead of shaking his hand, Hugo cradled it and laced their fingers together. He was cool to the touch, but he grinned at Tovey's surprised expression.
Tovey's cheeks burned. He closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to meet Hugo's gaze while he trickled the earth weave into him. Hugo must know what he was doing to Tovey. He made Tovey want things he could never have, not with the leader of their empire. Family. Stability. Comfort. Love. None of that was possible with Embertide's ruler. Even Vadim had known that when he'd refused Hesse's call.
