The Born Queen - J. Gregory Keyes [63]
Next to go were the elkskin boots and breeches, and he slipped into water that was almost painfully cold at first but after a few moments felt perfect. He closed his eyes and soaked for a moment, letting the toxic blood flow away from his skin in lazy banners.
Truth to tell, he didn’t think that as sedhmhari went the—what, wyver? drake?—was all that poisonous, at least not compared to the woorm or greffyn, whose mere glances were enough to bring death to the weak. But he needed a moment to think, and with Winna in her condition…
In her condition. He suddenly remembered the huge sow back in the Sarnwood, the thing within her tearing to be free from its mother’s belly, and felt his breath quicken.
“The next human being you meet, you’ll take under your protection. And you will take that person to the valley where you found the Briar King sleeping.”
That was Winna. Of course it was, Grim damn it all.
Well, he wouldn’t do it. To the hanging tree with the Sarnwood witch.
But why would she want him to take her there? Why would she want that?
He heard a twig snap and shifted his gaze. It was Emfrith, coming toward him.
Aspar cast a glance at his armor, a kingyard away, but there wasn’t any time to get that on. The knife was within arm’s reach.
“It’s me,” Emfrith said unnecessarily.
“Yah,” Aspar agreed.
“I’ve brought my cloak. It’s probably best we burn the clothes, don’t you think?”
“Probably,” Aspar replied.
Emfrith nodded but didn’t go toward the abandoned garments.
“Didn’t really think I’d see you again,” the greftson admitted. “She kept insisting we search, and I did, because, well, I suppose I owe you.”
“Was that the reason?”
“Not really. But I did search for you nevertheless, followed the waurm’s trail into the Bairghs and lost it there. That still wasn’t enough for her. Two days ago she had a dream, she said. Said she saw you coming down through these woods. I reckoned one more look wouldn’t hurt.”
“But it did.”
He shrugged. “I could wish we hadn’t found you.”
Aspar nodded, trying to take in the whole scene. Were there archers out there? But this boy had taken on the woorm with only a lance and a horse. That was almost the only thing Aspar knew about him, but it suggested he didn’t lack courage or conviction. Honor sometimes went with that.
“I never reckoned I could feel this way about someone with common blood,” Emfrith went on. “But it’s not so unusual in my family. We’re not high royalty, after all.” His voice lowered. “I can give her a better life than you can, holter. And the child, too.”
“I know,” Aspar said. “How does Winna feel about all this?”
“What do you think? She’s been waiting for you.”
“And here we are.”
“Here we are,” the greftson concurred. Then he started forward, toward Aspar’s clothes.
“Maunt you we should destroy the cuirass, too? I can give you another.”
Aspar glanced at the worn piece of armor. He’d had it for a long time. He’d already lost Ogre.
Stupid. It was just a thing, a thing nearly used up. And if Emfrith wasn’t going to try to kill him now, he probably was telling the truth about replacing it.
“I’m being chased,” Aspar said.
“Chased? By whom?”
“A pack of monsters,” he said.
“How far behind you?” Emfrith asked. He didn’t seem surprised.
“Well, the flying ones are here already, aren’t they? The rest could be a day behind or a nineday. I’m not sure about their route or how well they track.”
“We can fight them at Ermensdoon.”
“No, we can’t,” Aspar said. “Trust me.”
“What, then?”
“I—” Aspar began, but then his throat tickled. What he meant to say was that he and Leshya would continue on, draw Fend and his beasts off someplace.
That was what he meant to say.
“We can keep ahead of them. I know a safe place; it’s just a matter of getting her there.”
Emfrith frowned. “I understand your feelings for her, but if the monsters are chasing you, wouldn’t she be safer if she didn’t travel with you?”
Yes!
But Aspar shook his head. “They’re after her, too. The wyver was attacking her, yah?”
Emfrith nodded. “Yes,