She had been standing with her foot partly drawn back, ready to kick him while he was down. Laina relaxed and resumed a normal stance, a faint look of disappointment on her face. She stepped back, then frowned. “Mention that again and I’ll make you regret it.”
The pain was beginning to subside a little, and Will managed to sit up. He gave his sister a serious look. “You know me better than that.” Their eyes connected, and neither blinked for several seconds as the enormity of their shared experience threatened to overwhelm them once more.
Laina turned away as her eyes began to glimmer with excess moisture. “I still don’t like you,” she said unconvincingly.
He nodded. “Yeah, I know. You don’t have to say it.”
Tiny looked at Darla with a puzzled expression. The Arkeshi returned his look, then shrugged, equally confused. When they looked back, they saw Laina was watching Will with a faint look of concern. Finally, she asked, “Are your testes all right?”
The big warrior couldn’t help but snort, and Darla turned around, covering her mouth.
“No thanks to you,” Will groaned.
Darla caught Tiny’s eye once more, and he saw something flicker across her normally deadpan face. Suddenly an air of faint worry came over her, and she put a hand on Laina’s shoulder. “You were too enthusiastic. We should probably check.” Laina’s face paled, and she seemed to wilt, but Darla was ready for that. “Do not worry. I have some experience with wounds.” Then she looked up at Tiny. “Help me remove his trousers.”
Tiny was more than ready to play along. “Of course. Let’s get him up on the worktable.” Reaching down, he put his hands beneath Will’s arms and made as though he would lift him up.
Will’s eyes were round, and his face had gone red. “No thank you! I’m fine now.”
Darla shook her head. “You don’t look well. Let me see.” She reached out as if she might undo the laces of his trousers.
Will began scrambling back, kicking the Arkeshi away as he backed into the corner of the room. “I said, ‘no thank you!’ I can check them myself—later—when none of you are looking at me!”
Darla broke character first as a strange, raspy, laugh began to emerge from her. Tiny soon followed, laughing deeply, and then Laina joined them, realizing she had been had. Will declined to join them. He was still fighting diffuse pains and a feeling of nausea.
He probably would have joined them in their laughter, eventually, but Lawrence appeared at the door to the laboratory. “Will, are you in there?”
“Unfortunately,” he answered.
“There are soldiers downstairs. They want you to come with them. It’s a summons from the king. They’re asking for Miss Nerrow as well.”
“Fucking hell,” swore Will. He started to get up and gratefully accepted a hand from Tiny. Standing perfectly straight still wasn’t comfortable, but he tried not to visibly hunch as he opened the door. Someone took his other arm, helping him to stand straight, and he was surprised to see it was Laina beside him.
By mutual consent neither of them made eye contact. It was still too soon.
Downstairs in the lobby, Will found a Royal Guard captain along with eight of the Driven. Standing just outside was a large group of additional soldiers, at least four squads worth. Damn. He might still choose to fight, but the odds weren’t good. “What do you want?” he demanded, affecting an air of annoyance.
The guard captain bowed deeply. “Captain Geoff Harris at your service, sir. The king has sent me to request your presence, as well as the attendance of Miss Nerrow, daughter of Baron Nerrow.”
The respectful attitude caught him completely off-guard. Realizing his confusion, Laina leaned over to his ear. “While you were out, we discovered that the king ordered his men not to interfere and to provide assistance if needed.”
He glanced at her, then quickly returned his eyes to the captain. The old saying about eyes being the window to the soul seemed truer than ever. Meeting Laina’s gaze might tear the wound in his spirit wide open all over again. “Did you need so many men to make your request, Captain?”
“The streets are not safe, sir. They are merely for your protection.”
Unable to find fault with that, Will gestured to the others and started forward, but the captain spoke once more. “The invitation is only for you and Miss Nerrow, sir. No one else is allowed in His Majesty’s presence.”
Laina’s hand tightened around his upper arm. Will lifted his chin. “I won’t be separated from them.”
“They can still accompany you, sir,” explained the soldier. “But they’ll have to wait outside the receiving room.”
Will relaxed. “Oh, of course.”
The four of them were loaded into a plain but well-built black carriage, while soldiers marched in front and behind them. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t necessary, as the palace was practically next door to Wurthaven. Will could have walked there on foot in ten or fifteen minutes, and in much less time if he were running. He didn’t mind the carriage, though; it seemed appropriate, especially since Laina was with him.
As soon as he realized what he was thinking, he laughed at himself. Maybe I am turning into a nobleman. When would I have ever worried about a ‘lady’ needing to ride rather than walk in the past?
They arrived at the palace without trouble, though he paid close attention to their surroundings through the small window on his side. The palace gates had to be opened for them to enter, which was in itself unusual. Ordinarily the gates remained open with only a small guard. The palace had been locked tight. Will could see guards, sorcerers, and military men in every direction. The palace yard was full of busy men.
The carriage stopped at the main palace entrance, and they were shown into the front hall with all the respect and courtesy that any landed lord might expect. I suppose Laina counts, thought Will, even though she doesn’t actually have a title of her own yet. Of course, as the princess’ husband he should have been granted a title or two, even if he was lowborn, but Will hadn’t exactly married the king’s daughter under the most amiable of circumstances.
He’d openly defied the king on several occasions, as well as refusing to accept either an elemental or a grant of land and title. It wasn’t so much that he was averse to moving up in society; rather, he knew such a ceremony would involve swearing fealty to the king. To make matters worse, he’d openly told the king as much.
The public might not know it, but as royal sons-in-law went, he probably rated slightly lower than the city rat catcher in King Lognion’s estimation, which suited him just fine. In Will’s own appraisal the king was only slightly less repugnant than a demon-lord.
And he’d met one, so he figured his opinion counted for something.