Salvage ~ V1: Nuts and Bolts (Steampunk/ Gaslamp Romantasy ~ FxM, MxM)

Chapter 37: The Winds Are Shifting

When Kazia opened her eyes again, it was late afternoon and she was in her own bed.

Brandra and Neiphi were there, sitting in chairs they had drawn to her bedside.

She yawned, and it hurt her head. The pain seemed less than it had been, but now there were other aches and bruises making themselves known all over her body.

She put a hand to her head and felt a bandage wrapped there.

"Lady Kazia!" Brandra cried, rising from her chair and grasping Kazia's hand.

"Mistress! We were so scared!" Neiphi added, bouncing onto the bed.

"Neiphi, don't jostle her," Brandra said. "Go bring Mistress Amelys."

Both were a flood of almost every emotion one could name, and it crashed into Kazia almost as hard as the Archive ceiling had.

"Please," she said, shrinking away from them. "Please calm yourselves."

Neiphi ran from the room.

Kazia's head began to throb, and she touched her temple gingerly.

"You're going to be fine," Brandra said. "It isn't as bad as we feared. The wound is shallow – it seems you've got your comb to thank for that - and your brain was surely addled a bit, but you're expected to be just fine with some rest."

"My comb?" Kazia asked.

"It's like your mother was looking out for you, isn't it?" Brandra said, smoothing Kazia's hair back from her forehead. "The comb was damaged, but don't worry. The Queen herself has sent it to her own jeweler to see if they can't fix it up."

Amelys came in then, looking disheveled and wiping at her eyes.

"Mistress Amelys, were you sleeping on my settee?" Kazia asked. "I'm sorry to wake you."

"Sorry to wake me?" Amelys replied in mock indignation.

"The gall of this child!" she said to Brandra.

Kazia patted the other side of the bed.

"You should have just come here," she said. "I am embarrassed that my hospitality has been lacking."

"Impudent urchin," Amelys retorted. "I'll keep that in mind the next time you almost die."

Kazia tried to sit up, but her head began throbbing again.

"Careful, dear," Brandra said.

Placing an arm around Kazia to steady her, she piled all of the pillows behind her.

Neiphi was sitting at the foot of the bed, bouncing nervously again.

"Madame Brandra, will you and Neiphi give us the room for a while?" Kazia said.

"Of course, dear, we'll go find you something to eat," Brandra answered. "Do you think you can manage some soup?"

"I think so."

As Brandra finished with the pillows, Kazia grasped her hand and gave a weak smile.

"Thank you, Madame Brandra."

"Of course darling. Come along, Neiphi!"

Brandra ushered Neiphi out of the room, and Kazia sighed as their emotional turmoil exited with them.

"Is there any news of Eaphan?" Kazia asked, resting back on the pillows. "Kelvaran said he was badly injured."

"He is here in the castle infirmary," Amelys told her. "He is expected to recover, but it may take quite some time. His injuries were severe."