Page 83 of Spirit Rites
“And the man in the trees?” Jorren asks.
“Yes, including probably the two that are out here somewhere—Hector and Jamik. But seriously. I need you all to trust me. Please.” It takes a minute, but Taren is the first to sheath his weapon. Jorren does next. I hear grumbling behind me, but a quick glance back shows me Reika put her weapon away. I wait a moment, and Evren finally does as well. I take a step around Evren, so I can see everybody. “You guys too.” I watch with satisfaction as Lox and Rysden put their weapons away as well. Not wanting to leave anything to chance, I call out, “You too, Jamik and Hector. Put those weapons away and let us see you.” It’s silent a minute or two, but then Jamik makes an appearance and a minute later, Hector does. “All right. Now that we’re all here. Let's get started.”
“Kinsley,” Farrah asks from where she’s standing next to Rysden. “What I asked you...is it still true?”
It takes a moment to think about what she asked. Then I remember. She asked if any of them were a threat or unsafe. My mind settles on Evren for just a moment, and I hesitate. Farrah, who doesn’t miss anything, turns to Rysden. I don’t know what she says, but he turns back and crosses his arms over his chest. “Just the first two that came through with Kinsley can stay.”
“What the—” Reika starts, but a look from Jorren silences her. “Fine.” She turns and stalks off, back towards the barrier. Evren glances at each of us once before he follows without a word. As soon as they’re gone, Rysden faces us.
“Where is Kaldar?” I ask as soon as they’re gone. I’m tired of waiting around; I want to know what’s going on.
Rysden turns so that his body is facing me. “I will take you to him, but I need to warn you, all of you. He's in rough shape.” I feel the tension rise, and my stomach churns. “My soldiers were doing a regular sweep and came across his body.” My bodystiffens with every new word that comes out of Rysden’s mouth. “Kinsley, how come you didn’t reach out and say anything?”
Rysden’s words cut sharp, and I feel my own defenses rising. “Actually,” Jorren’s voice cuts in sharply. “She’s the Queen now, not Kinsley. And you should address her as such.”
I catch the surprise in Rysden’s eyes for just a moment before his face settles back into a blank expression. “The Queen.”
“Kaldar turned over his complete authority to her,” Jorren says. I swear I can feel the pain in his voice when he says that.
“I think we’d better go inside and talk,” Rysden says after a long moment of silence.
“I think you’d better show us where he is,” Taren says instead.
“He’s inside,” Farrah says quickly. She glances at me. “In your old room.”
I turn to Jorren. “Do you think we should send Evren and Reika back instead of making them wait for us?”
“They’ll be fine,” Jorren says roughly.
“They can stay overnight in the bunk houses that are provided for the guards on duty,” Taren says a little more gently. “Let’s get the horses, and we’ll get going.”
A few minutes later, we’re riding, following Rysden’s lead. When the Wolf Kingdom comes into view, Rysden takes the lead. He talks to the guards at the gate, and then we’re allowed entrance. When we finally get to the house, Taren helps me down. Jamik takes care of the horses for us, and we head inside. I expected a sense of longing to hit me when I walk inside Rysden’s house, but oddly, it doesn’t. I kind of find myself missing the water. Jorren wastes no time. “Where is he?”
“This way.” Farrah walks over to the stairs and starts up. I’m quick to follow, with Taren and Jorren right behind me. When we get to the room Harper and I used to stay in, I feel my breathing pick up. I'm not sure what to expect. But when sheopens the door, and I take in the still body of Kaldar, this was not it. I freeze just inside the door, staring at him. Jorren pushes past me and goes over to the side of the bed. I hear him mutter an oath, and I know it has to be bad. Taren stands behind Jorren, and neither of them say a word. Farrah stands next to the door and stays silent. I finally find the courage to walk over to the bed. I take in his pale face first. His skin is so white, and there are dark circles under his eyes. When I take in his chest, my breath catches. There are open wounds all over his chest and shoulders. Anger burns through me.
“Why didn’t Hector treat these wounds?” My voice comes out harsher than I intended.
“He has. Repeatedly,” Farrah replies softly. “But there’s poison in each of those wounds. We’re trying to get it all out. In the meantime, we can’t wrap the wounds and risk sending the poison into his bloodstream.”
I blow out a breath and then glance over at my friend. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
Her eyes fill with so much sympathy. “I know.”
“He’s stable right now, and that’s what counts.” Rysden’s voice carries through the open doorway. “What happened to him?” he asks.
Jorren finally turns away from Kaldar. “We will tell you everything, but you’re going to need to sit down. This is not an easy conversation to have.”
Jorren and Taren leave the room. “I can’t leave him yet,” I tell Farrah.
“That’s okay. You don’t have to,” she’s quick to say.
“Take all the time you need,” Jorren says gruffly. “We’ll wait for you downstairs.”
Chapter 40
When they leave, I walk over to the bed and stare down at Kaldar. I think of what he said to me right before the fight—how we never get to spend more than a few minutes together. I feel that now. “Where is Harper?” Farrah asks.
I blow out a breath. “I didn’t tell her I was leaving. I didn’tknowI was leaving. It all happened so fast.” Regret fills me. I should have brought her with; she should be here right now with all of us.
