The War of Six Crowns: The Vanished Knight

Kaela

"It wasn't your fault," Gawain stated and continued to stir whatever was in the bowl.

Callan stared at him. "But he died because he—"

"I know. I saw it happen." His head lowered as he stirred. "It was his choice."

Her lip quivered. She was too exhausted to hide it. "But he was just a child."

Gawain didn't smile, but the spark returned to his eyes as if her statement amused him. He dipped his fingers into the bowl and plastered a grayish-green goo on her chin. Coolness seeped into the throbbing pain.

"What is it?" she asked.

"A balm for your wounds."

Callan frowned at him. "Not that!"

"I had to make it fresh this morning." He pasted on more of the gunk.

She turned her face to hide the side he worked on, but he just continued on the one she presented. "Do you do this often?"

"I had to use the balm I had on your ribs." His hand stopped and his eyes widened in an attempt to look innocent. "What did I do?"

"Avoided the topic?"

"What topic?" He nudged her head back to its previous position.

She groaned with impatience, but couldn't help smiling. It hurt. She lifted her hand to touch her cheek, but he slapped it down.

"I wouldn't if I were you," he warned, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "The draught I gave you wore off."

"Draught?"

He squinted in concentration, spreading the balm over her nose. Everywhere he touched, an ache or jab of pain made itself known before it numbed under the chill seeping through her skin.

"Well, you had cracked ribs. You needed something for the pain until the balm could take effect."

Cracked ribs? She did an inventory of her injuries. There was the grazing from when she was tackled. The cut...the hit to her face...the smash to the floor...

She moaned. How would she avoid attention with a wrecked face? "I must look like a—"

Gawain grinned, his fingers working beneath her eye. "Well...yes. You didn't lose any teeth though." The bruise complained despite his light touch. "Surprising, given that you fought like a dragon."

"Like a dragon? Should I be insulted?"

"Maybe you'll meet one someday. Then you'll know."

"Yeah, right."

He just shook his head and smiled. He spread the last of the balm over her neck.

"So what now?"

He couldn't quite disguise his wince fast enough. "Well...I'll go find something for you to wear and eat."

"What's wrong with what I have on?"

When she finished asking, she realized she only wore the bandage around her chest and the blanket someone had thrown over her. Heat shot up her cheeks and she gasped, trying to wrap the blanket more securely around her body. The fast movements sent pain drumming through her torso.

Gawain grabbed her hands and pinned them down to the mattress. "You'll hurt yourself." He searched her face for a moment before glancing away. "No one saw anything. It was dark when we came in."

His words made her blush more. Or maybe it was his obvious embarrassment.

"Why do you hide yourself?" he asked suddenly.