Page 95 of Blood and Fate

“Kay? Kay? Kais!” His friend’s voice held more panic than Kais had ever heard from the man before. “Kais!”

The world spun around him, and the air seemed to grow cold. “Satori...”

“Help me! Help me get him to his tent. Someone go get Bram!” Teague was shouting.

Others were shouting.

Then everything seemed to quiet, and the only thing he could hear were Kezia’s words, words he had somehow forgotten about as Satori lay in his arms.

“She will rest in your arms and be safe. You will die.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

SATORI

Her chest burned. Her breaths came in short, shallow intakes that were not satisfactory. Her eyes and throat ached. Her head spun.

“Really, Satori,” Henrik’s voice dripped with disgust. “You’re making a scene.”

“Go to Helias, you bastard,” she choked out the words.

Henrik’s hand came up, caressing her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “Is that any way to speak to your husband?”

The very idea tore a sob from her throat and she jerked her head away. Kais was dead. He’d been shot through with arrows. Her blood could heal him, but she was too far away to tell them. Bram was a good doctor, but she knew what kinds of wounds arrows inflicted. She thought of Kais’ father. She’d never met him, but she knew from what Kais had told her that he’d already lost one son. It seemed like a cruel thing for Shala and Miram to take both of his children. It seemed like a cruel thing for Shala and Miram to give her Kais and then take him away, as well. It seemed like a very cruel thing to leave Henrik in his place.

Her shoulders shook as she tried to rein in her sobs.

“Your father will be so pleased to see you.” Henrik’s cheek rested against her hair as he spoke. “He’s been so distraught. Really, I’ve feared for his health.”

His words snagged something inside her. His health? “Is my father unwell?”

“Fret not, my Princess, I make sure your father has a nightly tonic. It calms him and keeps him from becoming too distraught regarding your absence or the state of the country. He tends to leave much of the decision-making up to me. And I’m sure when you return home and stop making such a fuss about a barbarian in the woods, he’ll be much better. Of course, should you continue fighting me, his health could decline swiftly.”

Her breath caught at his words and the threat they held. Nightly tonic. Henrik was poisoning her father. She shouldn’t be surprised, it was absolutely something he would do. She also wouldn’t put it past him to outright kill her father if she didn’t see her bargain through. The hand Henrik had around her middle slid to her thigh, and she fought the bile that rose in her throat. She had truly thought she was done with this man.

The large doors burst open, and Tessa raced down the stairs toward them. “Satori! Satori!”

Tears began to flow again. Satori hadn’t realized how much she’d missed Tessa.

Henrik pulled the horse to a stop and dismounted. Reaching up, he took hold of Satori’s waist and lifted her down. She squirmed under his touch as his fingers dug in a little too hard. But then Tessa was flying at her, and they caught each other in an embrace, both crying freely.

After traveling with Henrik, camping with him for days, being at the mercy of his constant presence, Tessa’s arms felt like a refuge. If only for a short time.

“Are you okay? Are you alright? I was so afraid I would never see you again!” the words poured from Tessa. “When Henrik told us what happened, we feared the worst.” Her arms closed around Satori tighter.

“I’m well,” Satori cried. Physically well, anyway. “I wasn’t harmed, I’m well.”

“Tessa, take the Princess to her rooms and get her cleaned up. And you,” Henrik turned toward another servant, “have the kitchen prepare a meal. We’ll eat in an hour.”

Satori turned toward him, still clutching Tessa. “No, I want to see my father.”

“Of course,” Tessa agreed.

“No.” Henrik’s tone was sharp and final.

Satori shot a glare at him. “You have no right to tell me no. I will see my father now, before I do anything else.”

Henrik stepped closer, and Satori’s stomach quivered, but she kept the glare on her face.