Naamah's Kiss - Jacqueline Carey [236]
She shuddered again, a different shudder. "I pray so, too."
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
As it transpired, Bao's head was very hard. "I'm fine!" he said in an aggrieved tone when Master Lo ordered him confined to a day's bed-rest. "I can travel."
I poked his chest, hard. There were no words sufficient to express my profound relief at finding him alive. "You're not fine. And no one is travelling today."
He eyed me. "Stupid girl. Always flinging yourself into danger. You could have gotten yourself killed, you know. Moirin, are you crying?"
"Aye, a little. So?" I rubbed my stinging eyes, then leaned down to give Bao a long, lingering kiss, not caring if it defied custom or roused the dragon's ire. "You were in more danger than I was, stupid boy," I murmured against his lips. "And we may count ourselves very, very lucky that none of us were killed."
Lying on his back, Bao lifted one hand to tug gently at my hair, winding it around his fingers. "I hate seeing you in danger," he whispered in reply. "But you have a point. I am glad to be alive to argue with you."
It was true. On the whole, we had been fortunate in unfortunate circumstances. No vital organs had been pierced in the monk shot by Lord Jiang's archer, and Master Lo gauged that he would make a full recovery in time. Kang had sustained a deep sword-cut on his right thigh. It was severe enough that he would not be continuing onward, but Master Lo judged that so long as it did not take septic, Kang too, would recover. Bao had a nasty lump on the back of his skull, and an irascible attitude.
I was relieved and glad.
Glad for him, glad for me.
And glad, perhaps most of all, for the princess and the dragon. She had taken this risk deliberately. If she had hurt him badly, she would have a hard time forgiving herself.
In the aftermath of battle, she was quiet and withdrawn. Once I left Bao's side, I managed to get her into the bathing hut. Moving stiffly and painfully, she didn't protest when I helped her out of her blood-soaked robes.
"Are you injured?" There was so much blood on her, I couldn't tell if any of it was hers. "You should have said something! My lady, please don't punish yourself."
"I'm not injured." She sank into the tub. Sponge in hand, I eyed her doubtfully. "I hurt. Everywhere." She leaned her head against the rim of the tub. Even her hair was clotted with blood. "Mortal flesh was never meant to channel that much force."
I felt like an idiot. I'd not considered the physical toll such inhuman exertion would exact on her. "Of course." I dipped the sponge and squeezed it over her skin, beginning the long process of washing away the blood. "I'll ask Master Lo for a tonic for the pain."
The fact that she didn't argue against it gave me an idea of just how badly it hurt.
I am sorry.
"Do not be." The princess pressed her hands over her blindfolded face. There was blood under her nails, too. "You cannot control it. And if it were not for you, we would all be dead. I am grateful."
It took a while, but I got her washed and dressed in clean robes, then went to find Master Lo. He and Abbot Hong were interviewing Brother Liu, the young monk who had betrayed us. I waited until they had finished, torn between anger at the monk's impetuous deed and sympathy for his genuine remorse.
Master Lo looked as weary as I'd ever seen him when he emerged. "Moirin. How is her highness?"
"In pain." I told him of her suffering.
He nodded. "I'll prepare willow-bark tea for her." He sighed, running a hand over his white-stubbled scalp. "It may be that there is a windfall in these unfortunate events. The young brother reports that Lord Jiang's men tethered their mounts and made camp at the base of the mountain. Abbot Hong is sending acolytes to secure it. So." He glanced down the path of