A Poison Dark and Drowning (Kingdom on Fire #2)(101)
I poured him a cup of water. He drank while I settled blankets around him.
“Thank you.” When he smiled, he was still the same blushing young man I’d met at Agrippa’s.
God, I didn’t want to cry in front of him. I found a book beside him, Ivanhoe, and began to read aloud. For a few minutes I could forget the pain in my body and in my mind. The book and the words soothed me in a way no medicine could. When I finished, Dee closed his eye.
I thought he’d fallen asleep, and I was prepared to slip away when he murmured, “Want to know something funny?” Dee’s cheeks tinged pink. “My father will be so disappointed.”
“Oh?” That was all I could think to say. Who would be disappointed to see his son mutilated?
“I’ve only met him three times, you know. It’s because my mother was…That is, she wasn’t.” Dee plucked at the blankets. “She was governess to his children. My real last name is Robbins.”
Oh. Dee was illegitimate. In any part of our society, that would have been frowned upon, but the sorcerers had a strict law against natural children becoming members of the Order. It was a blisteringly stupid law, of course, but one they upheld. How had he even been allowed to train?
“Father cast mother out when they found she was expecting, but my grandmother let us live on her estate. No one ever thought I’d receive a stave of my own, until my half brother, Lawrence, died in combat. My father got the Order to grant me legitimacy. Hard to do, since you need the Imperator’s written consent, but he was desperate for an heir.” Dee sniffed. “I didn’t like giving up my name. Robbins sounds far better than Dee, I think.”
He flipped Ivanhoe’s pages.
“Funny part is, after all the trouble he took, he’ll be so disappointed that I’m…as I am.”
“Brave?” I snapped. The idiocy of some people never ceased to amaze.
“Ah well. Who needs him when I’ve my friends about me?” he said mildly. Settling back against the cushions, he fixed me with a pointed stare. “When I first came to London, everyone was horrid to me about my mother. Until Magnus started fighting anyone who dared speak. After a few bloodied noses, they became dead quiet. He’s a good friend.”
Before I could respond to that, Lilly climbed up into the wagon, a tray of food balanced in her hands. Dee whipped his face away from her. I’d the feeling she’d been listening a while—she smiled warmly as she set the tray onto Dee’s lap.
“Time for your medicine, sir.” She offered Maria’s pea soup–like concoction. Dee still wouldn’t look at her.
“I’m sorry you have to do this,” he muttered. “It must be hard to see.” Lilly blushed.
“Proud to do it, sir.” She handed him a forkful of steaming potato. “I like looking after brave men.”
When she said brave, I thought Dee would pass out. He looked spellbound as Lilly picked up Ivanhoe. “Someone’s left off in the middle. Would you like me to continue?”
“You would read to me?” Dee’s smile widened as I slid out of the wagon to give them some room.
As I walked across the clearing, I studied the company around me. The sorcerer perimeter remained in place, in rigid anticipation of an attack.
Pain flared again through my body. Like magic, Maria was at my side, grumbling as she supported my weight.
“Can’t believe I have to chase you around camp. You’re worse than a runaway pup.”
“I wish I could take a shift.” Joining the guard would have meant I was in control of my traitorous body.
“You’ll be able someday, but not soon, and not as you used to.” A lump formed in my throat; yes, nothing could be as it used to.
We returned to the carriage. I didn’t want to climb into that small, hot box, but I hadn’t much choice. As I placed my foot on the step, Maria said, “Though I don’t know how they’ll manage the guard with that squadron leaving. His Lordship’s mad as a hen about it.”
“Which squadron?” I stopped.
“Valens is taking a handful of men and riding off to aid Her Majesty’s army in the north. Told Blackwood he didn’t want to sit behind glass walls any longer.” She tucked a curl behind her ear. “Magnus is going with them.”
Shocked, I slipped from the step. “Where is he?”
Maria tried to stop me, but I ran, ignoring the increasing bite of pain. Sure enough, to the north of the perimeter, a group of men were saddling horses and tying up sacks of provisions. Magnus was among them, cleaning out the hooves of his chestnut bay. The men had all dug up spare red coats for the army; his hung loose on his frame, designed for a bigger man.
This was bloody suicide. Heart in my throat, I stopped in front of them.
“Howel.” Magnus looked surprised to see me. “Here to say goodbye?” He put the horse’s hoof down and stroked her neck; her ear flapped in appreciation.
“Where are you going?”
“Northumberland. They say there are more Familiars pouring in against the eighth battalion.” He tried to make it sound easy, but I knew what horrors awaited them. “Blackwood—I mean, the Imperator—was in a snit, but I think when he found I’d volunteered, he agreed to let us go. Don’t believe he’s terribly keen on having me in the family.” Jokes. Always jokes with him.