Hunter's Season (Elder Races #4.7)(16)

He looked down at his bare body dispassionately as she worked. He had no embarrassment over his nudity, and he supposed he was made well enough, but the long gashes were red and ugly, and the wound to his back ached and throbbed insistently. He would have to take care not to tear open the knitting muscle.

“This is good,” she murmured. “I think we can leave them off now.”

“Hoopla,” he said. He gave her a one-sided smile. “I actually mean that.”

She grinned. “Do you want some more broth?”

“Gods, no,” he said, and she laughed. He told her with surprise, “I’m really hungry.”

“Excellent. I found some quails eggs yesterday evening. I will bring you some breakfast in a little bit.”

She gathered up the bandages and left the room, returning shortly with scrambled eggs and pan biscuits that had been toasted to a golden brown. She settled into a sitting position on the bed beside him. “My apologies for the simple fare. Tiago will be coming some time day, which is a good thing, since our food supply has dwindled. We’ve got tea, oil and dry oats. If he’s detained for any reason, I will have to do a bit of foraging and hunting.”

“This is wonderful,” he said in all truthfulness. The steaming eggs were golden and the pan biscuits were delicious. He ate all of the eggs and a biscuit, and then with the abruptness of a convalescent tumbled headlong into sleep.

The sound of voices woke him. Tiago and Niniane were talking with Xanthe in the next room. “This is a wonderful place,” Niniane said.

“It is very small,” Xanthe said. “My father built it for us after my mother died.”

“Your father was a true craftsman. It’s beautifully done. The furniture is lovely, and so is the floor.”

Aubrey glanced over the edge of the bed at the planed hardwood floors that bore the smooth patina of age. “We brought half the marketplace with us,” Tiago said.

“And this bag is full of books,” said Niniane. “This one is full of clothes for Aubrey. And this one is full of games. You have plenty here with which to occupy yourselves, as soon as Aubrey is feeling up to it.”

“We certainly do,” said Xanthe. “This is all so much more than I expected.”

Niniane said, “We wanted to make sure you had everything you needed, in case we were unable to return right away.”

Xanthe asked quickly, “There are problems?”

“There are complications,” Tiago said, stressing the last word. “None of it is anything we can’t handle, but we are busy. And Niniane and I have both agreed that no one else is to know that Aubrey is here. You will be on your own until we can return again.”

“Yes, sir.”

Aubrey clenched his fists and contemplated getting out of bed. He felt immensely better than he had even earlier that morning, and he could tell that he had turned a corner. He eased himself to a sitting position awkwardly. Any unwary movement made his back flare with fiery pain. Breathing deeply, he eased his legs over the edge of the bed.

“How is Aubrey?” Niniane asked.

Aubrey said hoarsely, “I’m awake.”

He listened to a symphony of footsteps, one quick, light patter, another light step with a longer stride, and a deeper, heavier tread. He checked to make sure that the sheet was wrapped around his hips as Niniane burst into the bedroom. She threw herself at him, pulling up just before she made contact to put her arms carefully around him.

“I cannot tell you how scared I was for you,” she whispered.

He hugged her as he looked over her head at Tiago and at Xanthe. He said gently, “The scare is all over with now.” He met Tiago’s black gaze. “What has happened since the attack?”

“We are not here to discuss details of the investigation,” Tiago said. “Your assailants will not get away unpunished. That’s all you need to know, until we come back for you and tell you that you can return home.”

Aubrey’s face hardened. He opened his mouth to argue, and Niniane put a hand to his cheek, turning him to look at her. Her face was sober, eyes still moist. “Aubrey, you nearly died.”

“I know that,” he snapped.

“Then listen to me, because I am very serious and I mean every word,” Niniane told him. “Your job is to get better. Rest, eat good food, soak up sunshine and heal. That’s all. You cannot work. You will not leave this place. This is your safe haven for now. Tiago will return with more food in a week. In the meantime, we will not stop until we have in custody everyone who is responsible for what happened to you. You will be able to come home soon enough, and then you’ll have your answers.”

He gritted his teeth as rage coursed through him. Not rage at Niniane, but at the people who had attacked him. It was hard to let go of it. After a moment he said, “I will stay until I am completely healed. Then I can ensure my own safety.”

“No, Aubrey.” The Queen’s gaze was adamant. “I am ordering you to stay until I say that you can leave.”

“Niniane,” he said.

“Oh, I know you’re mad at me now. Deal with it.” She hugged him again.

He set his teeth but put an arm around her. Looking at Tiago, he said, “At least do one thing for me. I want you to check on one of my staff. His name is Sebrin. I sent him to uncover what he could about the Ealduns’ lawsuit, and I hadn’t heard from him since.”