The Archer & the Flame (Whispers of the Night Ravens #1)

Chapter 23

We moved slowly, Silas leaning his weight on me as we stumbled towards the Traveller’s Rest. He winced with every step, my lingering guilt about his captors’ fate soon eclipsed by concern about his condition. I needed to examine his injuries properly.

“Never imagined myself as a damsel in distress, but this isn’t so bad,” he said.

There it was, that enduring ability of his to bring light to the darkest situations. Even now, when he could barely stand, he was trying to cheer me up.

“Does that make me your knight in shining armour?” I replied, helping Silas up the steps to the inn carefully.

He grinned, his laughter swallowed by a hoarse cough. “You can be whatever you’d like. I do enjoy the sound of you in armour, though. We should swing by Gladhaven while we’re here.”

“Then we must also buy you a beautiful gown, so you may be the damsel of my dreams,” I quipped.

Silas’ eyes lit up in delight. “You spoil me.”

The inn was much quieter than it had been on our last visit. This time, only a handful of tables were occupied, mainly by merchants and a group of excitable adventurers, their chatter echoing around the common room.

I ignored them, heading straight to the bar. The innkeeper paused her work of wiping down the gleaming counter to acknowledge us.

“We need two rooms,” I said, more bluntly than I’d intended. She pursed her lips but turned towards the shelf where the keys were hanging up in order, the inn fully vacant.

“No, just the one, please,” Silas said, pushing two silvers across the bar.

“That’s presumptuous of you,” I said, deadpan.

The tips of his ears pinkened as he spluttered. “That’s not what I…I didn’t-”

The same man had kissed me like he was going to ravage me only a few hours before. Was he worried he’d offended me with the assumption?

I put him out of his misery with a smile. “I know, but it’s fun to tease.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” His voice was a dark promise that rekindled the desire he’d stoked earlier. Anticipation coiled through me.

The innkeeper rolled her eyes, pressing a key into Silas’ palm before busying herself anywhere else.

We were far from graceful, drawing the attention of everyone in the inn with the racket we made as we manoeuvred up the stairs to our room, Silas still leaning on me for support. His whimpers of pain set my teeth on edge, but putting him through the ordeal was a necessary evil.

When we finally made it, it was all we could do to collapse on the bed. It was a small upgrade to my previous lodgings. The dated interior prevailed, but this room was more spacious, boasting a larger bed, table and chairs, and a bathtub tucked behind a screen.

I blushed when my brain caught up to the fact that I was lying next to Silas, our sweaty bodies pressed together and both of us breathless. I sat up, letting my legs dangle off the edge of the bed. As much as I wanted to follow that train of thought, there were things I needed to take care of first.

“Take off your shirt,” I ordered.

“If you want me to strip, you have to ask nicely.”

We weren’t in any condition to act on those urges, but it didn’t prevent me from remembering Silas naked in the pool, my cheeks heating at the memory.

“If I desired it, I wouldn’t be asking nicely. You would be begging me to undress you when I was through with you,” I said before I could stop myself. He knew exactly how to provoke a response from me.

Heat flared in his eyes.

Focus.

“I need to check your injuries to make sure they can heal,” I managed to say.

Silas looked like he wanted to argue, but thought better of it, his arms flexing as he pulled his shirt over his head.

His broad chest was covered in bruises, sending a fresh wave of rage through me. It was a good job his captors were already dead. I wouldn’t have been responsible for my actions if I’d encountered them again.

He whimpered as my fingers brushed over one, tracing the outline. His skin was hot, burning beneath my hesitant touch. Black and blue marks covered his torso, an explosion of sadistic violence that left no part of him unblemished.

I could feel every punch and kick as if I’d been the one beaten.

There were no cuts to clean and dress. They’d been careful to only leave evidence that would heal by the time he returned to Eirel. Their cruelty was cold, calculated, everything I’d come to associate with the Isle of Mist.

I pressed a delicate kiss to the tender skin of his shoulder. “I’m sorry. There isn’t anything I can do to ease the pain beyond letting you rest.”

“You saved me. You’ve already done more than enough.”

“You saved me too. Not just from Mirthal or the Hightower nobles, but from myself.” I grasped his hand, interlocking our fingers together, his steady warmth spreading through me. “Did Mirthal speak the truth? You escaped Eirel because they plotted to assassinate you?”

Silas nodded. “It started when my brother died, the day we both lost everything. I rarely saw my father, and he did the bare minimum to recognise me as his heir. I was never enough. Once, he told me he wished it had been me who was caught in the storm, not my brother.”

I had no words for that, squeezing his hand tightly.

“When my father died, the High Council were quick to swoop in, promising support. They convinced me I was too inexperienced to rule, that my decisions would harm Eirel, and I should leave it in their capable hands. After everything, it wasn’t hard to believe.” Tears glistened at the edge of his eyelids, threatening to spill over. “I became reliant on them, believing I had to follow their guidance if I wanted Eirel to thrive. Valeria set me straight, after months of trying to get through to me, but when I tried to fight back, they imprisoned me in my chambers, only letting me out for superficial functions where I couldn’t derail their plans.”

“They were wrong about you,” I said. “You would be a fair and compassionate ruler.”

“I can see that now, with perspective. But when every voice you hear is critical, you internalise it until your own voice becomes just as cutting. I lost faith in myself.”

He shuffled on the bed, propping himself up with a pillow. “The night I ran away, Valeria brought me evidence of the plot. I realised they wanted more than a pawn; they wanted everything. I was to be married off to the daughter of one of my advisors, then assassinated when the time was right. Our rules of succession are absolute. So long as the power of her Blessing made her a worthy match, she would succeed me following our wedding. It was meant to be a way to protect the bloodlines, encouraging us to select an equal and produce strong offspring, but the council sought to take advantage of it for their own gain.”

“So, you left,” I said.

“Without a wedding, everything would stall. I needed to buy time to come up with a better plan. I couldn’t let Eirel fall into their hands.”

“And you found me.”

“The luckiest break of my life,” Silas said. “I was fumbling around, struggling to look after myself for the first time. Then you appeared. You looked so strong. Capable. I knew I could only do this with your help.”

“I shot you.” And he’d picked up my arrow like it had been the most precious thing in the world.

He grinned. “I’m sure I deserved it. My attempts to earn your trust were poorly done. I tried using my charm, but that blew up in my face.”

“I feared you were just another noble, out to use me for your own entertainment.” The ghost of Ithan’s betrayal had haunted me, clouding my judgement with suspicion.

“Yet you still gave me a chance. I’m grateful.”

I quirked a brow. “So you didn’t fall helplessly in love with me the moment we met?”

“I thought you were formidable, that you were someone I wanted in my corner. Then you slowly opened up to me and I realised your kind heart matched my own, that you carried the same pain, but didn’t let it hold you back. That’s when I knew my feelings had changed.”

His lips were soft as they captured mine. I snuggled into him, careful to not put pressure on his chest. We fit together like we were made for each other, two halves of the same heart.

“How can you do it? Smile despite the pain?” Even now, each of my smiles was a hard fought victory, winning against the force of my memories.

He held me tighter against him. “Because it’s the only thing I have control over. They’ve stolen my pride, my purpose, my legacy. I can’t let them take my happiness too.”

“What are you going to do?” I asked.

“I’m still working on that part.”

I tilted my head to look up at him. “You could marry someone else. Their plan hinges on a wedding, after all.”

Silas smirked. “Are you proposing?”

“Not me,” I said quickly. “I don’t meet the conditions about possessing an equal Blessing to you.”

“The council would have to sign the contract anyway, so that’s out.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “You really think I would marry someone else now I’ve found you?”

I didn’t want to think about it, but it was a grim possibility. “A political marriage, perhaps, if it would benefit your subjects.”

“A good ruler doesn’t need to barter themselves. They negotiate true alliances, built on mutual interest.” His eyes blazed into mine. “I will never let anyone dictate who I marry.”

He claimed me with a kiss that made my worries melt away, wincing as we parted.

“You should rest,” I said. “Our trials are far from over.”

“Can we forget about everything, just for tonight? Right now, you’re here and that’s enough.”

“Of course.” My gaze flickered over to the silhouette of the tub visible through the screen. “Reckon you can make it to the bath? I don’t want to take any chances with your injuries. If you’re clean, they’ll stand the best chance of healing well.”

“I’m sure I can grin and bear it.” He stumbled over, shooing me away when I attempted to help him. “What about you?”

I was in sore need of a bath myself. Ash still coated my hair and skin, and blood stained my neck in a red ring. I’d been surprised when the innkeeper hadn’t mentioned it.

“I’ll request for the water to be replaced when you’re finished. Leave your clothes on the floor and I’ll make sure they’re washed.” My stomach rumbled, and I laughed nervously. “Perhaps arranging a meal should be added to my task list too.”

“I could get used to this treatment. Thank you.”

He disappeared behind the screen, his clothes sailing past. Water splashed as he slowly climbed into the tub, letting out a whimper. “I’m not going anywhere in a hurry.”

I scooped up the garments, closing the door as I headed downstairs. After the scarcity we’d experienced in Threstia, a feast like our last visit would only result in wasted food. Instead, I ordered us a bowl of stew each, knowing it would help restore Silas’ strength.

At the sight of our dirty garments, the woman in the laundry room charged me double, providing me with a basic nightgown to dress in, and some linen trousers for Silas, while our clothes dried overnight. Only a few coins remained between us, but the inn’s comforts were a justifiable expense.

By the time I’d returned to our room, arms laden with a tray of stew and trailed by a grouchy man who worked for the innkeeper, Silas had left the tub, fast asleep on the bed. He was wrapped in a towel, his damp head resting on the wooden headboard. At the sound of the door closing behind me, his eyes fluttered open.

While I served the meal, placing the food on the table, the man set to work using his Water Blessing to drain Silas’ bathwater and fill the tub with clean water once more. He wielded only a fraction of the power Mirthal had, the water trickling from his hands slowly.

“Sorry, must have nodded off,” Silas said once the man had left. His movements were stiff as he limped across the room to join me at the table, keeping the towel tightly wrapped around himself. “I’m ravenous. This looks great.”

Awkward in the knowledge I’d spent his coin without checking with him, I hesitated. “I used the coins from your pouch. I hope I didn’t overstep.”

“Of course not. After what you’ve done for me, I’d gladly give you every coin I have.” He ripped apart a bread roll, dunking it in the stew and devouring it. I ate a spoonful, smiling to myself.

The fish stew was rich and salty, settling in my stomach comfortably. We ate in easy silence, polishing off every morsel. When we’d finished, I sagged in my chair, nearly lulled to sleep by my fullness. My body was coming out of survival mode now we were safe and forcing me to recover from the past few days.

Stumbling over to the tub was torture, but I knew it was worth it to wash away the grime of Threstia. My teeth chattered at the chill of the water, but I persevered, submerging myself.

I dug my fingernails into my scalp as I cleaned my hair, determined to dislodge every speck of ash and dirt with the inn’s chalky soap, using it to scrub my skin when I was finished.

“Are you asleep?” I called out to Silas.

“No, but before you start, I am resting. It’s just a little difficult to drift off knowing that you’re naked, with only a screen separating us.”

“Am I distracting you?” I said.

He laughed, the delightful sound cut off prematurely by a wince of pain. “I preferred it when I was the one teasing you, and you were the one getting increasingly agitated.”

“I can see why. It’s highly entertaining to rile you up.” Especially when every retort issued a new challenge.

“Willow…” The way he said my name, dripping with longing, dared me to act bold, reckless.

I stood, water dripping from my body as I climbed out of the tub. “I’m no longer in the bath. Problem solved.”

Silas groaned.

“Who knew a simple screen could bring the mighty Lord of Eirel to his knees?”

His voice was low, sending a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the cool air on my wet skin. “The screen is irrelevant. You’re the one playing with my imagination.”

His words drew a smile from me as I dried myself with a towel. “How can I resist when you react so eagerly?”

When I was done, I changed into the simple nightgown I’d borrowed, ducking out from behind the screen.

Silas patted the space next to him on the bed, dressed in the linen trousers the inn had provided. His eyes were hooded, glazed over in a way that left no doubt of where his imagination had taken him. “Sleep here. I promise I’ll keep my wandering hands to myself, since you were so concerned about that before.”

I snorted. After all, I had been the one with wandering hands as we’d shared a bedroll. It felt like an age ago. I looked longingly at the bed, remembering how well I’d slept last time at the inn. His healing took priority, but there was room for both of us.

“Very well,” I said. “But for future reference, wandering hands wouldn’t be so bad.”

He chuckled, the sound low and dark. “I’ll bear that in mind.”

I climbed in next to Silas, acutely aware of his proximity. but he was injured, and I sorely needed rest. I rolled over, staying as far away from him as I could. It still wasn’t far enough. I was conscious of every breath he took, the warmth of him under the blanket, and every movement he made, no matter how slight, as he found a comfortable sleeping position. It was torture.

The last thing I remembered before I succumbed to sleep was Silas murmuring something too quietly for me to hear.