The Reckless Oath We Made(57)

“’Tis not preening to declare I am unafraid to meet her enemies.”

“I’m not saying you’re afraid,” Lady Zhorzha said. “But maybe you should be.”





CHAPTER 28





Zee



Rhys said they sometimes fought with real weapons, and on Sunday morning, they did. It was crazier than MMA, because it was seriously three guys in armor with swords and shields waling each other. Or anyway, Gentry waling on Rhys and Edrard, while they tried to defend themselves. After two hours, they took a break, and Rhys looked pissed when he pulled his helmet off.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he said. When Gentry didn’t answer, he knocked on Gentry’s helmet and said, “Are you in there?”

“I am here, Sir Rhys.” Gentry took off his helmet and picked up his bottle of water. He was dripping with sweat and red in the face, but completely calm. Rhys was the one who seemed out of control.

“Did I do something to piss you off that you’re trying to kill me?”

“Nay,” Gentry said. He didn’t look mad to me, but I didn’t know him that well. His left hand was relaxed, and his right hand was closed around the metal water bottle. Rhys looked over at me, like it was my fault.

“Whatever it is, maybe we could discuss it without weapons?” Edrard said.

“I am not angry with ye, my brothers. I am sorry if I was too fierce.”

“Shit.” Rhys laughed.

“What’s going on with you? You’re acting a little crazy.” Edrard laid his gloved hand on Gentry’s armored shoulder. So that was allowed.

“’Tis not madness, but the Witch claimeth my blood be not hot enough.”

I hated the idea of Gentry feeling he had to prove to the Witch or to me that he was brave enough. Had I started it by talking about going to see Uncle Alva? By saying Gentry ought to be afraid?

“I don’t know where the Witch is getting her information, but your blood is plenty hot enough,” I said.

“I hear the voice of experience.” Rhys was back to leering.

“Well, I’m glad you’re not having a feud. I don’t want my husband hurt,” Rosalinda said. “Why don’t we go ahead and have breakfast?”

“Nay, I promised my lady mother I would return ere noon.” Gentry was already unbuckling his armor, but he stopped when he got to where my headband was tied. This time he’d asked me for it.

“Without breakfast?” Rosalinda said

“We already had breakfast,” I said, since Gentry didn’t answer.

“But we always break fast together on Sunday.” Apparently me being there was screwing up traditions.

“Sorry. Gentry cooked.”

He raised his head when I said his name, and came toward me, holding out my headband. I wasn’t sure how to feel about how he was acting, so I didn’t move, and he eventually closed the gap between us. I took the headband and put it back on. When I was done wrestling with my hair, he was still standing there.

“’Tis common that a knight might receive a kiss from the lady for whom he hath stood champion,” he said. That’s what he’d been thinking about. How to say that. Whether to say that.

“You can kiss me.” I was pretty sure he’d meant for me to kiss him, but I didn’t want to overstep.

“Where, my lady?” He brought his head up a little and smiled.

Oh, jokes. We were making jokes.

“Right here.” I put my finger up to show him where, mostly to tease him, and got a clean-shaven but sweaty kiss on the cheek.

“Aww,” Rhys said. “Our little boy is growing up.”





CHAPTER 29





Zee



After Gentry got home from work on Tuesday morning, he took me to pick up my car from the police impound. From there, I drove straight to Mom’s house, which was worse than I remembered. The hutches were still standing in the yard with their doors hanging open. Smaller pieces of furniture were lined up beside the porch, and the stack of dead microwaves had toppled over and blocked the front steps. Everywhere else—every square inch of dead grass and weeds—was covered in cardboard boxes and trash. Like a tornado had hit the house.

Sitting in my car, staring at the mess, I didn’t even know where to start. Movers? Gasoline and matches?

When I walked into the front room, the shock of seeing it almost empty was nearly as fresh as it had been on Friday. There were maybe a dozen cardboard boxes that she’d managed to drag in herself. Or maybe a neighbor had.

“I told you not to come back here,” she said, after she lit a fresh cigarette off her butt.

“Are you still having a temper tantrum?”

That fast, I failed at the resolution I’d made not to snap at her.

“Go away. Just leave me alone to die. It’s what you want to do.”

“When’s the last time you ate?” I said.

“What do you care?”

She picked up the remote control and turned the sound back on her TV show. The cordless phone charger was there on the side table, but the cradle was empty, which explained why she hadn’t answered all weekend. I went to see if there was any food in the house. Someone had brought the mini fridge and the one working microwave and set them up in front of the sink. Mom yelled something I couldn’t hear, so I went back out to her.