Yet Rohan’s own explanation did not entirely satisfy him, despite what he had just said to Serxio. For one thing, he had not mentioned to Serxio that he could have sworn that Finn had whispered Tyreon’s name just before throwing himself between the wolf and Rohan’s bolt.
But, again, how would Finn know the King of Wolves? Rohan challenged his own assumption. And what would the Tyreon want with a servant? No, it must be me that is triggering this unwanted attention. And whatever my uncle is doing to find the tree with glass leaves.
“If Leonid does not track down this wolf--which he will, of course, he’s woodsy and all that--but if he doesn’t do so soon…” Serxio bit his lower lip as Finn groaned and thrashed.
“It is all right, Finn. It is all right. I’m here. You’re safe.” Rohan stroked Finn’s forehead and cheeks. When Finn quieted he turned back to Serxio, and said, “We will think of something. Whatever it takes, we will do.” Rohan tucked the blanket closer around Finn’s shivering body. “Put some more wood on the fire, please, Serxio.”
Serxio moved with alacrity to add more branches to the fire, though he did glance out between the vines again as he was doing so. Rohan guessed he was worried what Leonid might say about them increasing the fire’s strength and, hence, its smoke. Tyreon was the only one who knew they were on the Fae side of the Wall and it did not need smoke to locate them. Its nose would do.
And Tyreon could be leading the Fae king here right now, Rohan worried.
The summer palace of Aymar was more than a week’s journey from here. At least his memory of the old maps told him that.
But what if Tyreon can communicate with other Fae? He does not have to go all the way to Aymar, Rohan realized with growing unease. What if he simply brings local guards here? Serxio is no fighter. It would be me against who knows how many Battle Mages. Yet if we were captured, at least Finn might receive some medical attention…
Serxio expertly laid branches on the fire. He glanced up at Rohan then and gave a weak smile.
“Not exactly the romantic picnic you hoped for. At least it's prettier here than in the Lupine Woods,” Serxio joked.
“That is the one upside,” Rohan agreed sadly.
“If only Finn were awake to see it.” Serxio stared at Finn’s beautiful face. “I see why you were so taken with him.”
“His outer beauty is considerable, but his soul shines even more,” Rohan said as he passed his hand over Finn’s feverish brow once more. It did seem when he touched Finn that the young man’s distress eased slightly.
“Do bolts always have this effect on people? It is a bad wound to be sure, but…” Serxio looked at him helplessly.
“He likely has Fae blood,” Rohan guessed. “The bolts are inscribed with spells that affect Fae more than humans.”
“Fae blood?! He’s a… He’s…” Serxio’s brown eyes widened. “But I thought…”
Rohan grimaced at his reaction even though he should have expected it. “Up north, where you are from, I’m sure it's rare to see anyone with Fae ancestry, but here, in the south, it's quite common.”
“Forgive me, my king! I should not have--”
“No, no, I understand the prejudice.” Rohan waved the apology away. “My uncle rooted out those with Fae sympathies after my parents’ deaths.” He frowned. He had put a stop to that after he had taken over as king, but still the fear of showing Fae blood remained. He had not truly realized how much. “People interpreted it as anyone with Fae blood was suspect, but really that would implicate most every house in the land. My family tree has quite a bit of Fae lineage, in fact.”
Serxio winced. “I had no idea!”
“People forget what is convenient to forget,” Rohan said with a sigh. “I was taught several Fae dialects from the time I was an infant. Uncle Hugues kept up my instruction, though I do wonder what an actual Fae would think of my pronunciation.”
“I suppose it is one thing to read in the history books that we were long friends with the Fae and another thing to really know it,” Serxio said with a wry smile.
“Indeed.”
Rohan gazed down upon Finn’s beautiful face. Was Finn the result of some dalliance of a Fae with the young man’s mother? Perhaps. The delicacy of his features, even the way he moved, reminded Rohan of the stories of Fae. How had he not seen it before? But it was bad luck that it was true. For the bolt’s effect on a pure human would have not been half this terrible. Rohan pressed his lips together.
“I am sorry I got you into this, Serxio.”
Serxio widened brown eyes at him. “My king, I would be nowhere else but by your side, especially in times of danger. I am not exactly the best warrior, but I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
Rohan’s smile changed to one of genuine pleasure as he took in the rather foppish, young lord. He did not doubt Serxio’s good heart, but he had no sword arm. Even the sword he carried was more for show than actual use. There was not a dint on its shiny blade.
“Thank you, Serxio. But I will endeavor that you make no such sacrifice--” Rohan’s words were cut off as he heard a rustling at the vine entrance. His crossbow was up and aimed at the figure who slipped inside. He lowered it the moment he saw who it was. “Leonid!”
But his pleasure at recognizing his Guard captain fell away when he saw the grim expression on Leonid’s face.
“You did not find Tyreon?” Rohan stated more than asked.
Leonid shook his head. His hair was full of leaves. There were scratches on his right cheek and thick sap smears on his left. He looked like he had gotten into a fight with the vegetation. Hopefully, it was that and not the Fae.
“No, but the damned flora here is dangerous! I was attacked by vines! And I swear the forest itself smoothed out the damned wolf’s tracks so I couldn’t follow him!” Leonid’s gray eyes flashed with anger at this thought especially.
Rohan’s heart sank into his feet. If they could not track Tyreon and bring that bloody wolf back to the Wall, there was no way for them to get home and for Finn to be cured by a healer.
Not a human healer to be sure, Rohan thought and the wheels of his mind began to turn.
“What do we do? How do we get back without Tyreon?” Serxio had collapsed onto his knees on the ground.
Leonid ran a hand through his hair and wrenched out the leaves. “Perhaps the Wall opens at certain times. If we stay here and keep watch on it, we might have a chance of it opening again.”
“Finn does not have time for us to wait and hope,” Rohan stated simply.
The other two went still and looked down, ashamed that they had failed him, but they were not the ones who had caused this. Rohan stroked Finn’s forehead one more time before lifting the young man’s head from his lap. He lowered it gently onto one of the packs. Finn moaned and thrashed. Rohan’s heart clenched.
“I’m sorry, Finn,” Rohan murmured and leaned down to kiss his cheek. “But I must go find you some help.”
“Go?!” Serxio and Leonid cried at once.
Rohan rose up with Lightbringer in hand. He strapped it across his back. “We need a healer. A Fae one might do better than a human one in any case considering Finn’s… condition.”