“
The lord of the house is not at home, Your Majesty,” she informed me. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“I actually came to see Lord Steldor, if you would escort me to his room.”
Now she seemed intrigued, for the reasons behind the annulment of my marriage to the former King had been kept quiet. I could read on her face her desire to eavesdrop.
“Certainly, although I don’t know if His Majesty has risen.”
“He has,” I said without thought. Not once during our marriage had I woken before him, and I doubted his sleep patterns had changed.
With a puzzled glance, she led me up the stairs and into a hallway, stopping before the second door. She knocked on my behalf, and gave another small curtsey when Steldor’s voice invited entry.
I opened the door, waiting for her to return to the first floor before entering, catching her regretful glance that she could not dally. Steldor was sitting up on the bed across the room, his legs swung over the side, pulling a shirt carefully over his head.
“Should you be doing that so soon?” I asked, for it had only been a week since the lashing.
The garment fell over his muscular chest, and he ran a hand through his dark hair. He came to his feet with the hint of a wince.
“Making sure I’m cared for is no longer your worry. I’m not certain it ever was.”
His mood was a bit dark, and I wondered if I should have given him more time to recover before paying him this visit.
“Perhaps what you need is someone to keep you from coming to harm in the first place.”
He smirked, turning his back to me to idly straighten his bed coverings. “What is it--did you come here to coddle me or lecture me?”
“Both, I suppose.” I was frowning, amazed at how swiftly we had fallen into our old patterns. “I’ve come to talk--and to give you this.”
He swiveled to face me as I removed his silver wolf’s head talisman from the pocket of my cloak.
“I never expected to see that again,” he said, sounding awed. “Did you face the bitch yourself or get it from Narian?”
I smiled at his word choice. “I approached Rava myself--I’ve been known to face down a bitch or two.” He stepped forward to take the pendant from my hand and immediately slipped the chain over his head.
“Thank you. I feel better already.”
“If you don’t mind my asking, what is the significance of the talisman? When I reclaimed it from Rava, she remarked that it might provide power and protection, and that started me thinking about its purpose.”
He chuckled ruefully. “I hate to admit it, but Rava’s right. The wolf brings strength and protection. Depending on the mix of herbs and flowers put inside the talisman, other properties can be added, such as health and healing. The captain gave the pendant to me when I was four, following the death of Terek, at the time I was sent to live with Baelic and Lania. He didn’t want me to think he’d abandoned me or that I was in danger. It was originally his, and his father’s before him. I’ve worn it ever since.”
“Then I’m very glad I was able to secure its return.”
His eyes met mine, and the color rose in my cheeks, for I was still affected to some degree by his handsome features and soldier’s build.
“I suppose that concludes the coddling,” he finally said, crossing his arms and watching me expectantly.
“Yes, I suppose it does.
”
”