Page 91 of Unkindness of Crimson Ravens

“Help Caleb!” I interrupted him, shaking my head. “I am fine. Caleb is still there,” I pointed in the direction we fled out of.

“Rox!” Francis called out. “Take them home,” he told her as he glanced at me and Charlotte. “I will be right behind you.”

Chapter 35

Royals Are No Help

Charlotte’s even breathing echoed through the room as she laid upon my bed. She’d refused to sleep anywhere else when we’d gotten back a few hours ago. Her face was still red from all the tears she’d spilled tonight.

Silver curled up against her shoulder as though protecting her sleep from nightmares.

My swollen wrist wailed in pain as I fixed the blanket around her small body. Every slight movement burned, filling my veins with agony. I certainly had a fever.

“Guard her,” I whispered to the cat, silently closing the door to my room behind me.

I rushed down to the common room, my heartbeat quickened when I entered and didn’t see his face.

“Is Francis back yet?” My voice cracked when I met Roxanne’s and Florence’s gazes. Nausea spun my head as my fingers slowly lost sensation.

“He just got back,” Roxanne answered. “He couldn’t find Caleb,” she whispered. “Charlotte?”

My heart squeezed tight. Caleb had saved me and it might have cost him his life.

“She has finally fallen asleep.” I closed my eyes as a new wave of pain swept over me.

“How many men were there?” Florence walked towards me. “Oh, dear Gods, Cordelia, your hand—”

“There were two,” I croaked, cringing as I tried to move my fingers. I drew a deep breath as my wrist caught aflame.

“We need to treat your hand.” Florence caught my shoulders when I wobbled to the side.

“Is it broken?” Roxanne frowned as they both walked me down the hall into—what appeared to be—some sort of study. Every shelf in the room overflowed with dozens of vials and differently colored glass bottles of medicine. “What happened?” Roxanne took a good look at my wrist before rushing towards the shelves.

“I am so sorry, Cordelia,” Florence muttered, sitting me down on the chair when Roxanne searched for something in the drawers. “If I didn’t insist on going—”

My head spun from the pain with every breath I took. “I’m all right.” I shook my head which only made me dizzier. “The man stepped on my wrist when he realized I cut him with Royal steel,” I mumbled.

“Take this,” Roxanne gave me several berries I recognized as the vasyalisk berries. The healers in the palace used them to numb pain before an operation.

I put them in my mouth, my eyes watered as the bitter taste pierced my tongue.

“One of them still got my sword,” I suddenly realized. “He fought Caleb with it.” My stomach turned at the idea of Caleb being injured by Royal steel.

“I got her.” Francis walked into the study. His black cloak was covered in blood. “We must straighten the bone before it starts to heal, Princess.” He crouched before me as he doubled in my vision.