Curse of Blades (Blades #1)

Chapter 28

[Note: This was originally included in Curse of Blades: Book 3, but as of July 28th, 2021, I began combining the 3 Curse of Blades books into a single one.]

Wildas was happy to see that Coulta looked rested by the time they met for dinner in the sitting area of Wildas's chambers. He still wasn't moving his injured shoulder very much, but at least he wasn't dragging his feet with exhaustion.

They left the door open so there would be no gossip once Anil and Myri joined them, and the meal passed pleasantly after a few moments of awkwardness. Clearly Anil had overheard what Rohan had said earlier that day about her not wanting to kiss Wildas, because she seemed uncomfortable until he asked after Zairn's reaction to the note. Hopefully she'd be even happier after hearing the offer he'd been asked to pass on to her.

"I haven't been told not to help the ill," Myri commented. "It seems that would be a greater concern than cleaning up after horses."

"Master Zairn voiced his concerns to the Royal Horsemaster," Wildas began, glancing at Anil, who was seated in the chair beside him. "He's in charge of all the stables here; the breeding, training, and care of every horse at the castle. The Royal Horsemaster, one of my uncles, then spoke to me and suggested you might be interested in being his assistant, if you're not happy working for Master Zairn. My uncle plans to retire eventually, but he has no successor."

After everything he'd done by giving her a job to begin with, then asking her to marry him, Wildas didn't think he could possibly surprise her any more. But he watched her gray eyes grow wide and she stopped buttering her roll, probably without realizing she had.

Finally, she smiled. "I'll certainly consider it. I'm not sure if there will be more trouble or not, but I'll certainly consider the offer. Thank you."

Wildas smiled back at her. "You're welcome, of course."

Shelton arrived soon after they finished eating, and asked to speak with Coulta. When Coulta stood to go, Wildas pulled him back for a quick kiss on the cheek, knowing that Shelton certainly didn't care. Coulta returned the gesture, then followed Shelton out of the room.

Wildas turned to Anil and Myri, who were both finishing their wine – the plain, unspiked kind, Wildas had made sure. "Are you both happy with your ladies-in-waiting?"

They both nodded and Myri said, "Marla seems interested in being a healer, too. She'd make a good assistant if she could be."

"Of course she can," Wildas replied. "Her job is to do whatever you need her to. If she'd like to be an assistant healer, she'd be attending you that way, as well."

Myri nodded. "That's what I had hoped."

"I also met Lissa," Anil told him. "She seems very sweet."

Wildas smiled. "She is. I think she was holding on to the hope that I'd take a few more years to marry, so she could be a lady-in-waiting. She's too young to have been considered now."

One of the Guardsmen who had been stationed outside the open door stepped inside suddenly and bowed to Wildas. "The healer, Mistress Sara, is here for Lady Myri."

"I almost forgot that I promised to help her pick night herbs tonight," Myri stated, setting her wine down. "Is that all right?" she asked, turning to Wildas.

He nodded. "Of course." He rose when she did and kissed her cheek before she followed the Guardsman out the door.

That left him alone with Anil, who looked just as awkward as she had earlier that day in Shelton's office.