Lady Zhorzha shivered, but she drew not my cloak to cover her shoulders and arms. I had no comfort for her, but the quiet eased me, and I hoped it served her also. She rose and walked to the edge of the bluff. The sun arrived in all its heraldry and lit her hair like a watch fire, like the quick leap of a spark upon dry grass.
I went to her, and for once, those within me all weren silent. They offered no warning and no guidance, so that I followed only mine own heart. I went down upon my knee to Lady Zhorzha and, finding me there before her, she offered her hand. I envied Sir Rhys’ ease in that passage of a lady’s hand to his lips, but I possessed it not. Still I took her fingers into mine.
“Mayhap thou art a phoenix, for thy hair is like fire,” I said.
She laughed and pressed my hand.
“It’s beautiful here. I wish I could stay here. I wish I could bring Marcus here.” She was heartsore to be parted from her little page. The night past, she had gone up the hill to call him, but his grandfather rebuked her and would not allow her to speak with Marcus. She had been much distraught. “But I can’t stay, can I? I need to figure out what to do, and I have no clue what that is. I feel so fucking helpless,” she said.
“What wouldst thou do? Wishest thou return to thy mother?”
“I don’t know. We always fight, and I’m no use to her, but I can’t just hide out here and wait for . . . I don’t even know what I’d be waiting for. We have to go back to Wichita anyway, don’t we?”
“I vowed we should return ere the midday meal, for my aunt, the lady Bernice, needeth my help,” I said.
“I know you have things to do. You don’t need to worry about me.”
She released my hand and, all the while she paced the hilltop in her fiery splendor, I kept watch. She spake not to me of the battle that raged in her, but ere the sun rose above the trees, she returned to me.
“I think I need to go see my uncle,” she said.
“My lady, I shall take thee wheresoever thou wilt.”
“No. I can’t ask you to do that. It’s all the way in Missouri. Plus, I haven’t seen him in a long time. He acted really weird when I called him, so I don’t even know if it would be safe to take you with me.”
“If it be not safe for me, how can it be safe for thee?” I said.
Lady Zhorzha put out her hands as though she meant to place them upon my breast. I braced myself, but she did not lay hold of me.
“My uncle is— He used to be involved with some really bad men and maybe he still is. I wouldn’t feel right taking you there.”
“Fear not for me, but give me leave to stand at thy side.”
“Ah, thy pride revealeth thee,” Hildegard said. “Thou speakest like a braggart, not one content to serve. Thou wouldst that she see thee as a great warrior.”
“More like she shall see thee as a preening cock,” Gawen said.
“’Tis not preening to declare I am unafraid to meet her enemies.”
“I’m not saying you’re afraid,” Lady Zhorzha said. “But maybe you should be.”
CHAPTER 28
Zee
Rhys said they sometimes fought with real weapons, and on Sunday morning, they did. It was crazier than MMA, because it was seriously three guys in armor with swords and shields waling each other. Or anyway, Gentry waling on Rhys and Edrard, while they tried to defend themselves. After two hours, they took a break, and Rhys looked pissed when he pulled his helmet off.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he said. When Gentry didn’t answer, he knocked on Gentry’s helmet and said, “Are you in there?”
“I am here, Sir Rhys.” Gentry took off his helmet and picked up his bottle of water. He was dripping with sweat and red in the face, but completely calm. Rhys was the one who seemed out of control.
“Did I do something to piss you off that you’re trying to kill me?”
“Nay,” Gentry said. He didn’t look mad to me, but I didn’t know him that well. His left hand was relaxed, and his right hand was closed around the metal water bottle. Rhys looked over at me, like it was my fault.
“Whatever it is, maybe we could discuss it without weapons?” Edrard said.
“I am not angry with ye, my brothers. I am sorry if I was too fierce.”
“Shit.” Rhys laughed.
“What’s going on with you? You’re acting a little crazy.” Edrard laid his gloved hand on Gentry’s armored shoulder. So that was allowed.
“’Tis not madness, but the Witch claimeth my blood be not hot enough.”
I hated the idea of Gentry feeling he had to prove to the Witch or to me that he was brave enough. Had I started it by talking about going to see Uncle Alva? By saying Gentry ought to be afraid?
“I don’t know where the Witch is getting her information, but your blood is plenty hot enough,” I said.
“I hear the voice of experience.” Rhys was back to leering.
“Well, I’m glad you’re not having a feud. I don’t want my husband hurt,” Rosalinda said. “Why don’t we go ahead and have breakfast?”
“Nay, I promised my lady mother I would return ere noon.” Gentry was already unbuckling his armor, but he stopped when he got to where my headband was tied. This time he’d asked me for it.
“Without breakfast?” Rosalinda said
“We already had breakfast,” I said, since Gentry didn’t answer.
“But we always break fast together on Sunday.” Apparently me being there was screwing up traditions.
“Sorry. Gentry cooked.”
He raised his head when I said his name, and came toward me, holding out my headband. I wasn’t sure how to feel about how he was acting, so I didn’t move, and he eventually closed the gap between us. I took the headband and put it back on. When I was done wrestling with my hair, he was still standing there.
“’Tis common that a knight might receive a kiss from the lady for whom he hath stood champion,” he said. That’s what he’d been thinking about. How to say that. Whether to say that.
“You can kiss me.” I was pretty sure he’d meant for me to kiss him, but I didn’t want to overstep.
“Where, my lady?” He brought his head up a little and smiled.
Oh, jokes. We were making jokes.
“Right here.” I put my finger up to show him where, mostly to tease him, and got a clean-shaven but sweaty kiss on the cheek.