The Knight's Eyes

20: PHASE

KIT POV

Lila knocked on his door, "Kit. Kit. Are you okay in there?"

He lied still as a tree staring wearily at his scarred hand. Since his visit with Lady Hansel and Miss Walta afterwards, an unsettling phase had attacked him. Sweat freely extracted from his moist skin and the summer's air frosted cold every so often.

Night had fallen by time he returned to his bedroom in Master Citrus' chambers, shoulders slouched, breath faint, and strength gone. The old coinsman had gone to bed, leaving him a cheery note on his bed.

Good night, it read, Sorry for not seeing you lately. This summer has truly been busy. Tomorrow I will be in another meeting with the King and Council all day. But, hopefully, we would be done by six so you and I could visit Walta one last time for dinner. I hope all is well. Love you, Citrus.

He had moaned after reading the note and plopped into bed. A nasty sleep took him. He dreamt of the fire engulfing his village. The screaming of his neighbors and friends as they were sliced down where they stood. Knights and armsmen of the King galloped by with bloody swords in the air shouting like foreign raiders from the west. His father had been sliced down just minutes ago at the front door. The armsman laughed and made his way into the house. His mother screamed for him and his two eldest sisters to run off towards the black prison that sat behind the palace as the armsman beat her. Holding hands, tears streaming down their cheeks, they ran until three horsemen crossed their path.

There was nothing he could do as they sliced down his sisters as if they were stray animals. Because he was small in nature, he managed to slip away and hide along the prison walls.

Kit woke up crying, arm throbbing in pain. Now he lied awake in bed, rubbing his right arm almost stiff as sugarcane. Shards of splinters slid up and down it, turning his olive skin a raw pink. He poked the red scar across the back of his hand, surrounded by soft- blistered flesh. He flinched and seethed his teeth. He dropped his arm onto the blanket and stared wearily at a stack of books on his desk.

Lilia knocked again and a jiggle of keys followed. Kit propped himself against the bedframe and slid his hand under the blanket just as the maid poked her head inside.

"Kit?" Her gaze found him and she stepped in. "Honey, why are you still in bed?"

"I...um,"

"It is past noon. You should be up and moving."

"Oh, I know, Lilia. I'm 'bout to get up."

"Don't you have work to do from Sir Citrus?"

"Uh..." He had nothing to say except stare at her. Actually, he did have something very important to do, but he didn't feel like doing it. When he had visited Miss Walta and told her everything that had happened in his visit to Lady Hansel, she had given him a small white pouch of green tea herbs. Give it to her and tell her my instructions, the old woman said.

He felt so enthusiastic to do this illegal transaction, but as he returned home it died to exhaustion. He glanced over at the stack of books where the sac was hidden and hoped the persistent maid wouldn't start cleaning. What would happen if he were caught with the green herb?

"Come on little mister, get up."

"Okay, I will."

She narrowed her eyes and stepped closer. Kit tensed up as the young woman's face lit up with concern. "Oh my, Kit. You don't look so good."

"I'm fine."

"Nonsense," she said pressing the back of her hand against his forehead. "Child, you are burning up. No wonder you're still in bed."