“So what should I do?”
“Avoid using any magic for a few days. Try something small after that. You’ll have recovered from a minor injury in that time, but if it still gives you a headache, or any pain at all for that matter, then you should give yourself a full two weeks of rest, because that would indicate that you hurt yourself pretty badly.”
“That really does sound similar to a muscle injury,” agreed Will.
“It’s a useful analogy.”
Will glanced up as a bell rang from the front hall. Someone was at the door. It was already after dark and he hadn’t agreed to meet anyone, so the interruption annoyed him. He considered letting Blake answer it, but a sudden impulse overtook him. Standing up, he stepped out of the study and shouted toward the kitchen, “I’ll see who it is.” After hearing Blake’s acknowledgement, he strode purposefully to the front hall.
Chapter 3
A small figure stood before his front door, covered in a heavy wool cloak that was steadily dripping water. It had been raining heavily since shortly after Will had arrived home, but his visitor had apparently been caught by the elements.
Wool was an excellent material for damp weather. It could absorb many times its own weight in water before actually becoming wet, but once it had reached its limit it became a serious liability. Not only would it be wet, but it also weighed many times its normal dry weight. Will couldn’t see his visitor’s face but he knew better than to allow an unannounced stranger inside. Despite his newfound influence as Selene’s husband he had no doubt that he had far more enemies than friends.
He spoke through the small window inset in the center of the heavy oaken door. “Whatever it is we’re not interested. Leave a card tomorrow.”
As he began closing the window, the stranger replied, “Please. I need to see Selene. She wouldn’t turn me away.” The voice was distinctly feminine with a cultured accent. It reminded him of Stephanie Beresford.
Just a year before, he would never have considered turning a woman away from his door when it was raining, but he was significantly less trusting these days. He had changed. Plus Tailtiu had already retired for the evening, meaning she had left. In spite of her part in keeping up the illusion that Selene was living there, Will refused to let her sleep anywhere near him. Selene’s doppelganger was probably already back in Faerie.
“Sorry. No visitors without an appointment.” He felt a faint pang of guilt as he shut the tiny wooden door that closed the window.
Before he had gone two paces a persistent banging began as the woman outside began pounding on the door. “Please! I left my card earlier. I have to see her!”
Will took a deep breath to calm himself, then returned to the door. This time he drew the bolt and opened the door so he could see the woman better. “I already told you we—” He fell back as the heavy wood slammed into him. It caught him slightly off balance and he fell to the right, catching himself on the wall as the woman shouldered her way through the opening.
“Selene!” she yelled, her voice piercing in both its clarity and volume. “Selene, it’s me! I need your help. Where are you?”
Tailtiu’s daily lessons had left their mark on him, and in spite of his surprise Will reacted a bit more decisively than he probably would have otherwise. As he pushed himself back away from the wall, his right foot swept out to hook the stranger’s ankle before she could get out of reach. A second later his hand found her shoulder and he spun her around and sent her into a tumbling fall. Her head made a sharp ‘clack’ as her jaw struck the wood paneling, slamming her mouth shut. Will’s teeth hurt in sympathy as the sound registered. Ouch!
“Sorry for that,” Will apologized reflexively. “But you can’t just barge in here. Who are you?” His hand reached for the woman’s hood. In a sudden panic she jerked, and her hand came up. Once again Will’s training took over before he recognized the fact that the woman was merely trying to keep her hood down. He caught her arm and twisted it into a wristlock before he had a chance to think. He released it just as quickly, feeling a sense of shame. It seems like I’ve done nothing but abuse women today.
“Ow! Let me go, you brute!” she shrieked as her hood fell away. Wet hair fell forward to hide her features, but not before Will recognized the face.
“Laina?” he asked in shock, releasing his half-sister and moving away to put more distance between them.
She seemed to flinch as he said her name. “Don’t look at me,” she ordered. Beneath the shadow of her hair Will could see that her eyes were red and swollen. Had she been crying? Laina looked away before he could make up his mind.
“Why were you out in the rain? Alone? Where’s your escort?” he asked feeling a sudden rush of protective concern for her. Laina had never liked him, and truth be told he didn’t much care for her either. Everything he knew of her had shown him that she was a typical young noblewoman, spoiled and entitled. But she was still his sister, even if she didn’t know it.
“None of your business,” she snapped. “Where’s Selene? You can’t keep her away from me forever.”
There was blood at the corner of her mouth, making Will feel even worse. Probably from when she hit the wall. “Are you all right? You’re bleeding.” He pointed at his own lip to point out where the blood was, then he reached into a pocket and dug out a handkerchief to offer her.
Laina batted his offering away. “I’m fine. What have you done with Selene? Are you hiding her? If you’ve done something to her, I’ll see that you pay for it in blood. Do you hear me?” Her red, swollen eyes held a certain intensity that utterly overshadowed her bedraggled and pitiful appearance. Will believed her.
Whatever his sister’s other faults might be, she was at the least a loyal friend.
“She isn’t here,” he admitted.
“Liar. People have seen her. Even the king says she’s here, with you, though I’ll never understand why.”
“I can’t explain the details,” said Will directly. “You wouldn’t believe me anyway. Maybe you’ll believe her when she gets back. I’m sure she’ll explain everything then.”
“You’re blackmailing her, aren’t you?” accused Laina. “This is some sort of extortion. It’s the only way to explain this sham marriage.”
Will threw his hands up in resignation. “There’s no reasoning with you.”
“It might be a bit more believable if you weren’t keeping her locked away somewhere like a prisoner. No one has been able to see her in person.”
“That’s not true,” Will argued. “Why, just last week…”
“No one that knows her—personally,” corrected Laina. “What are you doing to her? Have you locked her away? There’s no reason why she would refuse to see me.”