Chapter Three

Can You Do This?

Part One

~*~

Before Kelvaran could catch up to Kazia, an escort of four guards had fallen in behind her. Whether they were marching her along or she marching them was uncertain, as she led the way with a purposeful stride.

Kelvaran thought that he shouldn't seem too eager. He trailed behind them all, feigning reluctance while his heart clamored with desperation to reach Kazia, twisting in his chest at every glimpse of her bloodied and tattered chemise through the guards' formation and pounding against the hard edges of Nereyna's silver dagger hidden behind Kazia's bodice in his arms, leaving him to sullenly ponder the significance of that.

Kazia led this dismal parade through the labyrinthine corridors of the sprawling, ancient manor house to a far wing he hadn't had occasion to visit. Reaching a certain door on an upper floor, she halted and the guards took up positions along the hallway, clearly intending to stay a while. Kazia drew out her familiar ring of keys and inserted one into the door. She scoffed lightly as the key rattled loosely in the broken lock, then pushed the door open and entered, throwing Kelvaran a nod to bid him follow.

The moment the door closed behind them, Kelvaran lost his composure.

“Kaz-” he began, but her fingers pressed firmly over his lips.

“Shh!” she admonished, cocking her head toward the door. She put a finger to her own lips, then turned away from him.

Kelvaran took in the room they had entered. It was a bedchamber larger than his entire apartment in Caedra. No lamps were lit, but four tall windows along the outer wall flooded the room with sunlight, their moss-green velvet draperies held back with gold silk tassels. That end of the room was arranged as a seating area along with a breakfast table and a desk.

The opposite end of the room held a large canopied bed, spread with velvet and bear fur and a multitude of pillows, its draperies matching those of the windows. A dressing area lay beyond the bed. While Kazia went to a mirrored vanity table and began rummaging through its drawers, Kelvaran deposited her belongings on a padded bench at the foot of the bed. He slipped the dagger into his inner coat pocket, uncertain if Kazia's things might be searched at any point.

Kazia returned with a nail file in hand, which she used to pry up a section of wainscoting at the bottom of a wall, revealing the controls of a sound barrier within. Kneeling before it, she flicked her fingers together. A small spark showed, but dissipated quickly. Kazia sighed and tried again. Again, there was barely a spark for a brief moment.

Kelvaran watched her with puzzlement. He had seen how her hand came alight with energy when she had slapped Yilina. It had been a surprise. Now she seemed to have none at all. She beckoned him over.

“Can you do this?” she whispered.

“What is happening to you?” he asked.

“Shh!” she returned.

He nodded, then examined the control panel.

“It will take a moment,” he said softly.

He closed his eyes and pulled his energy back from the effects of the empathy potion, then fed enough into the control panel to feel it come to life.

“Is it working?” Kazia inquired.

“It seems so.”

Kazia blew out a breath and rose from the floor, steadying herself against the wall. Kelvaran took her elbow and guided her to sit at the vanity.

“We need to do something about... this...” he said as he began to cautiously pick the torn fabric of Kazia's chemise away from the wound across her back. He laid his hand across the wound and began to send energy into her skin.

“Stop!” Kazia said sharply. She twisted around and grabbed his bloody hand, holding it firmly and glaring at him.

“Kazia, I know why you don't like this,” Kelvaran said, his voice pleading, “but I trust you. Let me help.”

“You shouldn't trust me in this state,” she said, still as unemotional as she had been in the Great Hall, her face blank, her voice flat. “Even I don't know what I'll do.”

“What is this state?” he asked. “And why can't I feel you? Your aura... it's blank.”

Kazia raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

“Hm,” she said, her gaze meandering in thought. “Interesting... It's a potion,” she explained. “Like the Seamist, but far stronger. It... dampens the empathy to nothing... among other things.”

Kelvaran's brow furrowed. “Does it make you impervious to pain?”

“No. It just makes me... not care about it.”

Kelvaran tried very hard not to let his face contort with the horror he felt at this. “Kazia, what are you doing here?” he whispered, his voice trembling.

“What happened to you?” she asked, “You were in danger.”

“I suppose you all heard through the transmitter...” he mused, nodding.

“I felt it,” she told him. “I could feel you. It felt like you were dying.”

Kelvaran's mouth fell open. “How...?”

“I don't know.” Her eyes were still demanding an answer from him.

“It was the empathy potion,” he told her. “Those Alchemists... I think it was the same thing that happened to you at Vaksim.”

“And you took it again?” Kazia hissed. “Are you mad!?”

“I'm fine,” he assured her. “It was a learning experience. Now I know to pull my energy back right away if it happens again. I've gotten better at that.”

The bedroom door opened, and a rattling cart was pushed through, followed by Avetya and the shaggy gray dog, Byel. Kelvaran stiffened as Avetya scrutinized the scene, leveling her bright blue eyes at him.

“Lord Meratha,” she said. “Will you please step away?”

“I was just... going to give her wound some healing,” he said defensively.

“Lady Devratha doesn't allow energy healing,” Avetya said crisply. “I've brought supplies,” she told Kazia, indicating the cart. “Your room has been kept clean, but anything in your bathroom won't be fresh.”

She wheeled the cart over. It was piled with towels, bandages, and various bottles and containers. On its top level was a large bowl of steaming liquid that smelled of antiseptic.

“Lord Meratha, for your hand,” Avetya said, holding forward a towel.

Kelvaran looked down at his hand, now stained with Kazia's blood, then took the towel.

“Thank you... I... I've only been told your first name,” he said while wiping his hand. “That's probably not appropriate.”

“Sevei,” Avetya informed him. “Miss.”

“Miss Sevei... my thanks.”

“Now if you would please step out,” Avetya requested as she took over picking at Kazia's chemise.

“No,” Kazia said firmly. “He stays.”

Avetya eyed him warily. “Well, at least... go over there and turn away,” she said irritably.

Kazia gave a dark chuckle. Kelvaran watched her hesitantly, but then nodded. He'd have to keep an indifferent face in front of others. Kazia was not going to make that easy.

He went to sit on the far edge of the bed with his back to them and the gray dog trotted over, its mouth splitting into a wet grin as Kelvaran began to pat its head. He stroked the shag back from Byel's slightly cloudy eyes while listening to the conversation behind him.

“I can manage this, Avie. Please don't let me keep you.”

“Nonsense, Lady Devratha, let me help...”

“You needn't be formal.”

“I... think it's best.”

“Don't mind him,” Kazia said. “He'll be in my service now.”

Kelvaran heard the silk of Kazia's skirt rustling.

“He'll report to His Highness.”

“I expect so.”

“Shall I... bring his things from Madame Vysda's room?” Avetya asked meaningfully.

“Yes, please do,” Kazia answered with no reaction to Avetya's implication.

Avetya sighed.

“Kazia... My Lady...”

Kazia sighed.

“Avie, don't. I know what I'm doing. Things aren't what you might think, just... try to be assured.”

They fell silent to the sounds of water dripping and Avetya's occasional sympathetic sucking of breath through her teeth. The gray dog began to pant happily as Kelvaran scratched behind an ear.

“Don't let that old thing fool you, Lord Meratha,” Avetya said casually. “If you harm the Lady, he will tear your throat out.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” Kelvaran replied as the dog pressed its head into his hand.

“Lord Devratha said he'd come see you when things are settled,” Avetya murmured. “He wants you to keep Byel.”

“No, tell him not to come,” Kazia said. “He was right long ago, and I misunderstood. It's dangerous – tell him to stay away for now.”

“Mm,” Avetya responded. “There you are. Let's find you a robe.”

“Can you find me a few weapons?” Kazia asked. “My trunk is gone.”

Avetya hushed her, then continued in a whisper. “When you left, your room was searched and it was taken to storage.”

“Gorvan probably won't return it unless I prove myself. I'm not really eager to do that.”

“I'll see what I can do. Throwing knives? Perhaps a small firearm?”

“Mm.”

Kelvaran lifted an eyebrow as Avetya wheeled the cart around, now bearing a pile of bloody towels next to the bowl of reddened liquid, heading for the doorway into the adjoining bathroom.

“Lord Meratha, since you'll be here, you can watch her for signs of fever tonight. If you see it, send one of those outside for the doctor.”

“Of course,” Kelvaran said, standing as Kazia rounded the bed now wearing a dark blue satin dressing gown. Kazia greeted Byel, who had risen with excited tail wagging, while Avetya took the cart into the bathroom to unload its contents.

“Get some rest,” Avetya said when she returned. “I'll bring dinner later.”

“Avie,” Kazia replied with complaint, “you needn't serve me. You know I don't like it.”

“It's not serving,” Avetya affirmed. “It's caring. Let me care.”

Kazia pursed her lips, then nodded in concession. Avetya took her hands and, after another wary eyeing of Kelvaran, quickly kissed Kazia's cheek.

“Be careful, Kitzi,” she whispered before wheeling the cart out of the room.

As soon as she was gone, Kazia pulled the covers back on the bed and began a strategic piling of cushions down one side of the mattress.

“Kazia, don't pull your wound!” Kelvaran said in alarm.

Kazia glanced at him, continuing her task. “I'm alright, Kel. Honest.”

He regarded her skeptically, but stood aside as she arranged the bed to her liking, then lay down on her stomach, the pillows expertly arranged to prop her comfortably. It had all been done so perfunctorily, Kelvaran realized she had done the same many times. He frowned, at a loss for what he should do in this situation.

“Come lie down with me,” Kazia mumbled into the pillows.

He removed his coat, leaving it on the bench with Kazia's things, and stretched out on his side next to her. Her eyes were closed. She seemed completely at peace. He couldn't fathom how. That potion must be something.

“You and Miss Sevei seem close,” he noted. “You trust her?”

“Mm,” Kazia responded sleepily. “I do.”

“Why are you so uncomfortable with her serving you, then? If you trust her, better her than some unknown maid...?”

“Because she's my sister.”

~~~*~~~

avaseofpeonies

If you are reading ADBTW, you may recognize Avetya's surname. I assure you that there is no direct connection between the characters, I just really like that one and thought I'd get more mileage out of it. Maybe they can be distant relatives from across the centuries. Or maybe that's just the 'Smith' of Valesk. (Hmm... maybe it means 'smith' in Valeskan.)

Thanks so much for reading! ❤