Master of Iron (Bladesmith #2)(49)

“This one already paid the other time she came through.”

“You only make ’em pay once?” another asks. “That don’t seem too profitable, boss.”

“Just shut up and do your jobs.”

“I don’t think she looks very scary,” says a third.

“Any man who doesn’t put his back into moving this here tree will be cut loose from the gang, you hear?” Devran snaps.

And slowly but surely, the men crawl atop the bridge and get to work. I sigh in relief. I don’t think my horse could make the jump carrying me and Kellyn.

When they’re done, I wait for the brigands to step away before making my way across. I halt before I reach the end.

“Devran?”

“Yes, miss?”

“Don’t let me catch you on this bridge a third time.”

“No, miss. I mean yes, miss. You won’t.”

“Good.”

“But don’t you mean a fourth time?” he calls at my back while I ride away.

He really needs a new job, but I don’t see how he’ll find anything good if he can’t count properly.





CHAPTER FIFTEEN


The castle couldn’t have come into view any sooner. Kellyn keeps losing balance and listing out of the saddle. I have to constantly wrestle him against me at the same time I hold the reins, yell at people in the street to move, and egg on the horse.

He almost falls to the ground when we pull up to the front entrance, but I catch him, muscles straining. I shout to the men on duty. “He needs the healer Serutha. Now! And I need to see Petrik.”

Only after the words are out of my mouth do I realize I have no authority. They probably don’t even know who I am. I was barely here before.

“At once, Mistress Ziva,” one of the guards says.

Then again, I’ve been wrong before. Maybe these are the men who were here last time and they have really good memories?

Or, more likely, Petrik has told them to keep an eye out for me.

A handful of attendants appear at the door with a pallet. They help Kellyn off the horse, before placing him atop the pallet and carrying him inside. I begin to follow, hating how familiar all of this feels.

“Ziva?” comes a voice from behind me.

“Petrik!” I shriek, throwing myself into him.

He startles backward, before his arms slowly come around me. He gives me two soft pats. “What’s the matter?” he asks. And then he catches sight of Kellyn. “What happened?”

“We were attacked on the journey back. He took an arrow through the arm. I had no way to get it out, and now it’s infected. The wound, I mean. Not the arrow, obviously.”

He takes in my filthy travel state with one sweep of his eyes. “The journey back from where?”

The attendants disappear with Kellyn around the corner, and I grab Petrik’s arm so we can follow as we talk.

“The journey back from where?” I repeat incredulously. “Honestly, Petrik, did you not notice we were gone?”

“Well, you didn’t tell me you were going anywhere, now, did you? Who shot Kellyn?”

“Ravis’s men.”

“Ravis’s men are here?”

“Not yet, but his army is marching. I need to talk to Skiro! But first, what about Temra? I need to know. Tell me!”

My arms come to Petrik’s shoulders, forcing him to give me his full attention.

Petrik’s face falls, and a pained expression crosses his features.

I feel all the air leave me.

My feet lose their traction, and I fall to the ground right there in a heap. “No.”

I bury my face in my hands and weep.

I hear some shuffling about, and I think Petrik might be scuffing his shoes on the floor. I want to be angry with him for not showing more emotion, but I suppose he’s had well over a month to process Temra’s death. I’m just now hearing about it.

My cries only get louder as time goes on. For once, I don’t care who sees me or who hears me. I don’t have any space in my head to worry over what someone else will think about my display. I can’t think past the pain where my heart used to be.

“Ziva?”

I sniffle as I bolt upright, recognizing that voice.

It’s my sister. It’s Temra. Unless I’ve grown so hysterical that I’m now seeing things.

She looks different. Her face is so careful. Almost hesitant, like she doesn’t want to break me.

I throw myself at her, hug her to me as though I could crush her body into mine. Fuse us together so she can never be separated from me again. Temra’s arms come up, enfolding me with just as much force.

“I missed you,” she says.

I don’t have the words to explain how I felt while we were separated, so I stay silent.

Until I remember what happened before I saw her.

“The hells, Petrik!” I yell.

I spin around and plant my fist right in his face.

“Ah!” we say at the same time. His hands go to his nose, while I shake out my throbbing fingers. I haven’t gotten any better at striking people. It still hurts every time.

“What was that for?” he asks around his fingers. A few drops of blood run onto his upper lip.

“You let me think she was dead!”