Blood Ward

Chapter 22

I slept through the rest of thenight safely in Reif's arms. When I woke in the morning, I saw itwas early and I was glad I would have time to prepare myself beforehaving to ride off to battle. I got up and stretched, waking Reif."Stasia?" he mumbled.

"I'm fine," I said. "It'searly. I wish to gather myself before battle."

"Do you wish for a partner?"he asked.

"No, I just need to sharpen myblades and eat." I realized I was starving, not having eaten sincebreakfast the day before.

I left the tent with my weaponsand saw I wasn't the only one up. Stefan watched me from acrosscamp. "You were with Reif," he pointed out, a hint of curiosityin his voice.

"I did a bit of unplannedsleepwalking," I explained. "We thought it was best if I stayedwith Reif until Drust is dead."

"That was wise," he agreed.

"So is there breakfast yet?"I asked strolling over and dropping myself onto a rock across fromhim. I pulled out my sharpening tools and drew my new sword from thesheath it had inherited from my previous sword. I started sharpeningit.

Stefan eyed me closely, and thenfinally said, "Lú did amazing magic yesterday."

"She does have quite a talent.It will truly cut back on recovery time," I smirked.

"You never told us whathappened out there," he prodded.

"Bandits," I shrugged.

"Youwere bested by bandits?" he asked almost disbelievingly.

"They didn't play by therules. I lost my dagger arm early in the battle. I had to compensate.It was three against one and I was nearly crippled. Honestly, afterthe last one took me in the side, I thought I was bested," Iadmitted.

"In the side?" he asked.

I lifted my shirt and pointed."It went in here... and came out here."

"You were run through and youwalked all the way back to camp?" His jaw dropped.

"I wasn't going to lie downand die, Stefan. If I was going to die, I was going to do it amongthe ones I love," I said going back to sharpening my new toy.

"I saw you with Anders. Youtruly love him, don't you?" he said sadly.

"I do," I said honestly.

"More than you loved me?" heasked.

I sighed. "Do you want to knowwhat he asked of me last night? He asked me to promise never to leavehim. Think hard Stefan, and be honest. If you had seen me like that,thinking you'd almost lost me, what would your request be?" Ialready knew my answer. He'd shown me after Reif had first attackedme.

"I would have wanted to whiskyou away from danger, and probably gotten angry that you had gotteninto such a situation in the first place," he admitted sadly.

"I will always love you Stefan,but that right there is why we will never work," I said. We werequiet for a few minutes until Beriima came from her tent.

"Commander, I trust you arewell this morning," she said. "Lúthiel did a wondrous job withyour wounds."

I smirked. "She did. I'll betDaeron could learn much from her."

Beriima scoffed. "My brother'sinterests lie more in pursuing Aelairwen than studying healing withLú." Her face was sour. "He thinks I don't see the glances anddoe eyed stares they exchange."

"You don't approve?" Iasked.

"Wen is good with a bow, butshe is no fighter," she pointed out.

"It isn't really about skillin battle," I said logically. "It's about following your heart...From what I'm told, Daeron truly loves Aelairwen."