Ghost Fields - Book One of The Fields of Mendhavai Trilogy

Chapter Fifteen

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

It seemed as if I’d no sooner closed my eyes than I was awakened by bright light, turning my vision red as it shone through my eyelids. I groaned and rolled over, bumping into Danu who had me pinned at the very edge of the bed. One false move, or a push from him, and I’d be on the floor.

“Pst.”

“Go ‘way, Corina. I won’t see anyone, even the king himself, until morning.” I unwrapped my hand from the tangle of bedclothes and waved her away.

I could hear her tiptoeing, but the sound was not receding, it was drawing nearer.

“My Lady,” she whispered in my ear, making me jump. I hadn’t expected her that close. “It is morning. It’s after breakfast. Veyga says you were to visit him in the infirmary after breakfast and that was hours ago. He insists I wake you. I’m sorry.”

I groaned again, sitting up and wrapping the top cover around me. Breakfast was hours ago?  “All right, I’m awake! Bring me some of that breakfast and make sure there’s some nice light fare on the tray for Danu when he wakes. I’d prefer he be able to keep it down. And some of that concoction Veyga was always pouring down Jaden’s throat the morning after a long night of drinking with his friends.”

Corina grinned knowingly, glanced over my shoulder and bobbed a curtsy before hurrying from the room. I rolled my eyes. She knew better than to curtsy to me. When she did, it was only to try to get a rise out of me.

A low growl came from behind me and I turned, shocked to find myself face to face with Danu, his eyes twinkling with mischief. He threw his arm around my waist and pulled me back into the featherbed, still growling. I shrieked in astonishment, cutting short his fun as he flung both hands to his ears to cover them, buried his face in a soft pillow and moaned piteously. I put my hand on his shoulder.

“Sorry, love,” I whispered. “Corina will be back soon with something for that terrible headache you must be suffering from.”

“It’s your fault,” he grumbled, voice muffled in the pillow. “You made me drink.”

“Actually,” I corrected him, “I just kept your cup full. You’re the one that drank it all.”

I pecked a quiet kiss on the back of his head and tucked the covers in around him. “You stay abed as long as you like. I’m going to go help clean up and make sure all our guests have been taken care of. I’ll be in the library later when you feel better.”

Before I’d finished dressing, Corina had brought back the tray of food and disappeared again. I took the cup from Veyga to the bed and coaxed Danu to finish it. He made a sour face and fell back into bed. I slipped into my slipper shoes and snuck out of the room, closing the door quietly on his soft snores.

I ran to Compa’s room, the door was ajar and the young man was gathering up his writing tools.

“I’d been told you’ve need of me this morning, my Lady,” he said as he joined me in the hall.

“Really? Well, there’s always someone in the keep that’s one step ahead of me - usually Corina.”

He nodded, confirming my suspicions. “I take it something rather grand happened last night?” he asked speculatively as I set a brisk pace toward Veyga’s workrooms.

“Something of significance. I wouldn’t yet call it grand, though. We’ve uninvited company in the infirmary. It would seem Mivius took it upon himself to bring more guests to the festivities last night.”

“Mivius!” There was a loud rustle of paper as the scribe juggled his materials and caught a pot of ink just before it hit the floor.

I smiled wryly at him. “Mmm. Seems he’s had a change of heart. He’s been feeling a bit guilty for his transgressions against us.”