The Black Raven - Katharine Kerr [123]
He moved again, lying beside her, turning on his side to pull her into his arms. The cool air touched her sweaty back. She twisted away just in time and coughed, felt her back arch like a strung bow, coughed again, pulled free of his arms and sat up, covering her mouth with both hands to gasp for breath.
“Lilli, ye gods! What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” she mumbled. “I’ll be all right in a moment.”
She got up, staggered around the chamber, and finally found a rag lying on her table. As delicately as possible she coughed up what was troubling her lungs. She could hear Maryn moving behind her.
“Shall I go fetch Nevyn?” he said.
“I’ll be all right. Please don’t.”
“As my lady commands, then.” Maryn sounded worried. “You don’t have a banked fire in this hearth, do you? I wish we had a bit of light, so I could see how you fare.”
Lilli found her way to the shutters and swung them open. The chill night air smelled wonderfully fresh. The starlight and the last glow of a waning moon turned the chamber a bit brighter, enough so she could see him hunkering down by the hearth.
“Get back under the covers,” Maryn snapped. “You’ll catch your death of cold, standing there naked like that.”
“I was just going to have a drink of water.”
“Go lie down and get warm. Now!”
Maryn found the water jug and cup, then fetched her a drink like a page. She took it in both hands and drank it slowly, lying propped by pillows. He sat down next to her, took the cup, and set it on the floor.
“Shall I go away?” he said.
“Please don’t!”
He laughed and kissed her, but gently, then stood up and walked back to the other side of the bed. She could see him silhouetted against the open window and the stars, but she fell asleep before he lay down next to her.
When she woke in the morning, Maryn still lay beside her, sound asleep on his back and snoring. In the silver dawnlight she allowed herself the luxury of looking at him, simply looking for a long silent while. Out in the corridor voices passed, servants, perhaps.
“Marro? Marro, you’d best wake up.”
“Imph?” He sat up, yawning, staring at the open window. “Ye gods! It’s light. I’ve got to be gone.”
Hurriedly he dressed, then lingered at her door for one last kiss.
“Hold me in your heart, my lady,” he said, smiling.
“Always, my prince.”
He kissed her once more, then opened the door, looked around, and slipped out, running down the hall and bounding up the stairs. Lilli shut the door and stood yawning for a moment. She crossed to the window to close the shutters and took a deep breath of the cool dawn air. Like knives it sliced through her lungs. She gasped, nearly fell, caught the table edge and steadied herself. The rag she’d used the night before lay on the table. It was stained with dry blood.
Lilli sat down heavily on a chair. She should dress and run to Nevyn, she knew, but fear turned her so heavy and cold that she only managed to cross the room and crawl back into bed. Although she fell straight asleep, a pounding on her door woke her.
“Lilli, are you in there?” Nevyn’s voice.
“Come in, my lord. It’s not barred.”
Nevyn strode in, his arms full of cloth sacks. Wildfolk and the scent of strong herbs swirled around him.
“The prince told me you’re ill.”
“I am. I coughed up blood last night.”
Nevyn froze, staring at her.
“It wasn’t much, truly,” Lilli said.
“Any is too much,” Nevyn said. “From now on the only dweomer you’re going to study is the lore in my book. We’ve got to get you well.”
• • •
In those days, when there were no locks and weirs, barges on the Belaver could travel no farther upstream than the South Downs. At the village of Lauddbry the promised carts were waiting for Princess Bellyra and her party, and with them the local lord, a member of the western branch of the Stag clan, come to offer her and her people his hospitality for the night. While his war-band helped her servants unload the barges and load up the carts,