Page 67 of Wings of Ice and Steel

‘If I’d known you were coming, I’d have been up sooner,’ Ariadnne replied. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘I’ve been better.’ Melixanthe grimaced. ‘That arrow really did a number on me.’

Ariadnne grunted in agreement.

‘They told me you stayed by my side most of the week.’ Melixanthe’s red-rimmed eyes found hers. ‘Thank you.’

‘I…uh.’

‘It’s okay, we don’t have to talk about it. I’m just glad I get to be here to have said that. It means a lot that you stayed.’

Melixanthe leaned back against the cushions, releasing Ariadnne from her gaze.

‘I asked Sascha if we could take lunch here. I wouldn’t miss it, given what day it is today.’

With a jolt, Ariadnne realised it was the last restday of this month—the day they would usually visit Ullieve town together. They had never missed it since their tradition began. But then, her handler had never been this close to dying before.

Melixanthe had been Ariadnne’s handler for barely five months when she’d seen that part of her fifteen-year-old ward’s frustration stemmed from seeing nothing but the same walls each day. Seeking a way to help her, she had petitioned the Council for permission to take Ariadnne out of the castle, arguing that it would reduce the unwanted eruptions of Ariadnne’s shift. They had agreed to one day each month. Most importantly, it had laid a foundation of trust between them.

Ariadnne felt a pang as she took in Melixanthe’s pallor, and the tremor lingering in her limbs. They wouldn’t be leaving the castle today. A very real fear gripped her heart that if there was another attempt on Melixanthe’s life, she might not survive.

Sascha was setting her small table with an assortment of olives, flatbreads, and oils. Melixanthe beckoned for Ariadnne to sit across from her as though they hadn’t been at odds and things were the way they had always been.

‘So, how did Josef fare? Leading the training this week,’ Melixanthe asked, reaching for the basket and selecting a flatbread with care. Her hand trembled like a leaf. Ariadnne tried not to stare.

‘He did alright.’ Ariadnne paused, then added, ‘But you were missed.’ A silence fell between them. There was so much to say about how close Melixanthe had come to death, yet neither of them broached it. She had almost certainly been poisoned. With a sour twist in her belly, Ariadnne realised that she needed that trip into town—needed the opportunity to ‘bump’ into someone from Sol’s company. It would be another month before her next sanctioned trip.

She didn’t have the luxury of a month, not when there was a very real risk of something happening before then.

A sigh slipped past her lips, stomach tightening with nerves at what she was about to request.

‘I can’t believe it’s restday already, and our day at that.’

She purposefully didn’t look at Melixanthe, instead filling her plate from the spread before them.

Melixanthe’s brow furrowed. ‘I know, but I’m sure you can appreciate I’m not in any state…’

‘Oh no. I wasn’t implying you should take me anywhere!’ Ariadnne sat back. ‘No. You need to rest. Do you know how much you scared me this week?’

‘I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have had to see me like that,’ Melixanthe said softly. ‘They shouldn’t have let you in.’

‘I didn’t give them a choice.’

Melixanthe’s eyes creased. ‘Oh, I’m aware.’ She looked away, her hand drifting to the pendant at her chest.

Ariadnne met her brown eyes and saw genuine gratitude there. It made her feel warm. She cleared her throat.

‘Listen. I know you need to rest, and in all honesty, you should probably be in your bed.’

Melixanthe protested but Ariadnne shot her a sharp look.

‘You look like death. You should be in bed.’ She exhaled, summoning the courage for her next words. ‘But… I was wondering… later, maybe another knight could accompany me into town?’ She hurriedly added, ‘It’s just, it’s been a difficult week, and my dragon has been restless, I feel like a walk outside the walls might settle her.’ She felt bad using her dragon as incentive. They had worked so much on Ariadnne maintaining her control—if Ariadnne hinted that she was struggling, Melixanthe would take it seriously.

As she had guessed, Melixanthe’s eyebrows knitted in concern. ‘Have you slipped? Has anyone seen?’

‘No, no. I’ve kept a handle on her. But you know… sometimes it’s hard.’

Melixanthe gave her a long look, her eyes settling on the way Ariadnne’s hand was clenched in her lap.