That silenced her for the whole trek through the foyer, up the stairs, and down the corridor to their room. There was no fire in the grate and the air was cool, for which Senneth was grateful. Her skin was still heated; her pulse was too high, too fast, too thick.
Tayse settled on the bed beside her, arranging her so that her back was to his chest but she was leaning away from him. On their very first journey together, he had learned the trick of chasing away her headaches. No one else had the physical strength or reach to command all the pressure points at once. Now, very gently, he placed the thumb of one hand on a bone partway down her spine. With the other hand, he cupped the back of her neck. Senneth braced her fists against the bed.
“I’m ready,” she said.
His hand closed around her neck; his thumb bored into her back. She gasped with a sensation that was both pain and the cessation of pain. It was as if his hands were as ferocious and unbreachable as her own wall of fire. It was as if they made a barrier that misery could not cross. Still, the suffocating hold was difficult to endure. She invariably had spectacular bruises the day after a cure like this, but the alternative was three days or more of migraine.
“All right-enough,” she breathed, and he slowly released her. They both waited in silence a moment to see if the pain would come washing back, but Senneth felt nothing now except hollow exhaustion. “I think that’s done it. What a gift you have for healing me.”
“The gift I treasure most,” he said solemnly. His hand pushed her down so she was lying on the bed. “Sleep now. I’ll go hear the councils of war.”
“I need to talk to Kirra,” she said drowsily.
“I’m sure she’ll be by as soon as she’s taken care of details of her own.”
“And my dress is covered with blood.”
“You can take it off later. Sleep now.” He leaned over and brushed his mouth across hers. The light kiss made her smile. She was asleep before he left the room.
CHAPTER 25
IT was full dark when Senneth woke, feeling physically refreshed but emotionally drained. Sitting up cautiously, to make sure no pain woke up with her, she touched a few of the candles on the bedside table, and light wavered through the room. A glance at the fire sent the coals leaping with fire. Sweet gods, she was filthy. And starving.
She had changed into a more comfortable-and much cleaner-shirt and trousers, and was washing her face in the basin, when a quiet knock sounded on the door. “I’m up,” she called, and Tayse, Kirra, and Donnal filed in. Kirra was carrying a tray of food. “Oh, you most thoughtful girl,” Senneth said, immediately pulling up a chair beside a small table. “I was thinking about chewing some firewood, I was so hungry.”
Kirra sat beside her at the table. Donnal settled in his customary place on the floor before the hearth, even though he was shaped like a man tonight. Tayse dropped to the window seat so he could monitor any activity occurring outside.
“Everyone in Danan Hall sends you gratitude and adoration,” Kirra informed her, sneaking a slice of potato off Senneth’s plate. “And your brothers have been struck almost speechless by your display of power. You have done what you always hoped to do-earned their respect.”
“And it only cost the lives of several hundred men,” Senneth said between bites. “Hardly a steep price at all.”
“Still, it was most impressive, even for you,” Kirra said. “Though you look dreadful, I must say. How’s your head?”
“Better. But I’m sick at heart. Tell me the extent of the damage and what your father plans to do next.”
“The Hall itself is mostly unharmed. Except the lawns are completely destroyed, but who cares about that? We lost a little over eighty men, and my father and Casserah are devastated by that. They are also both furious-that a man of Danalustrous would betray the land. I think they care less that they were attacked. They would give their own lives for the House.”
“Are they prepared to defend themselves if a bigger army convenes?”
“They are. The reserve troops will be here tomorrow. But my father doesn’t seem to believe there will be another assault. He is busy collecting renewed oaths of fealty from the vassals who did not participate in the uprising. It seems that only three lesser lords were responsible for the mutiny.”
“Your sister mentioned Chalfrey Mallon? I think I met a Mallon or two many years ago when I lived here.”
Kirra looked deeply depressed. “It is my fault he hates the Hall. He despises mystics, and Casserah made it clear to him that she would choose me over him. He has been nursing a grudge for months, I suppose.”
Donnal stirred on the hearth. “Or found that incident a convenient excuse to turn against your father now.”
Tayse spoke from the bench at the window. “Does this change your father’s attitude about joining the battle on behalf of the king?”
Kirra’s laugh was bitter. “No! Indeed, it makes him more adamant that he will not send soldiers away from Danalustrous when it is clear Danalustrous needs defense. I cannot entirely blame him-except I do blame him. If Gillengaria is torn apart, Danalustrous will be trampled in turn. I don’t understand how he can fail to see that. It is so shortsighted, so blind, to care only about your own small patch of land. If we do not stand together, we will all fall. Gillengaria must supersede Danalustrous.”
Senneth smiled at her. “And this, I believe, is the reason your sister will be marlady, and not you.”
“It is indeed.”
Senneth finished the last of the bread and wished there were more. “We leave for Ghosenhall in the morning,” she said. “Will you stay here or come with us?”
“My father wants me to stay, but I can’t,” Kirra said. “There is obviously a great deal to do here-but-I have to put myself in the king’s service. I have to.”
Senneth glanced at Donnal, and he nodded. “Even if Kirra wanted to stay, I would go,” he said quietly. “All of us are needed. All of us who have some ability to defend the throne.”
Senneth tapped an impatient hand against the table. “Still, it will take so long to get to the city! And this is news that should go fast. Perhaps you two should fly on ahead and tell Baryn what happened.”
Kirra locked eyes with Donnal and he grinned. “As to that,” Kirra said. “There might be a way. To get you to Ghosenhall faster.”
Senneth sat up straighter in the chair. “Why am I filled suddenly with apprehension?”
Kirra smiled, but only briefly. “I could change you, you know. Both of you. To something small and furry, perhaps mice. Donnal and I could take hawk shape and carry the two of you across Gillengaria. Not comfortable, and not fun, but we could do it.”
Senneth just stared at her. Tayse had slewed around at her first words, losing all interest in whatever might be unfolding on the grounds. “I’m not sure I have the heart for that,” Senneth said faintly.
“No. I thought you might not. And I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t exactly relish being set on fire by you, even if it was ultimately something that would aid me.”
Donnal’s voice was casual. “Justin would do it. He’s not afraid.”
“Justin’s recklessness is legendary,” Senneth shot back.
“And I’m not entirely certain I can change you,” Kirra said. “Last fall, I altered all those people on Dorrin Isle who were sick, but none of them was a mystic. Maybe the magic in your veins will keep my magic out.” She shrugged. “It’s the reason I didn’t try to change Ellynor last year when she had to be rescued. The situation was too dire for me to try something that might go seriously awry.”