"Out for another walk?"
Basil paused, looking up from retying the bandage around his right hand. There were still people milling about in the dark streets, no longer worrying about more attacks now that the town had been carefully searched. Basil smiled when he noticed Joseph stepping out of the shadows of the inn.
"Not this time." He replied. "Percy wanted me to help him home, and now I'm returning to the castle."
"I see." Joseph seemed hesitant. "Mind if I walk you there?"
"Not at all."
Joseph fell into step beside him, and for a moment, neither said anything. "How are you feeling?" He finally asked.
Basil shrugged. "I've been worse."
They lapsed into another silence as they walked up the treacherous path. Basil kicked a rock over the edge then another before they entered the castle, the torches casting warm shadows along the walls. He waited for Joseph to say his farewells, but the knight clearly intended to walk him all the way to his chambers. Basil didn't see why since there seemed to be nothing for them to say to one another. He couldn't take much more of this silence.
"I could take a look at them, if you'd like." Joseph said as they reached Basil's chamber door.
"What?" Basil turned to him, startled.
"Your injuries. I'm sure it's hard for you to take care of them on your own."
Basil blinked. "Uh, yeah, sure." He shook his head and led the way into his chambers, using his magic to light the candles. "I'm sure you've seen plenty of horrible injuries. Being a knight at all."
"None worse than the ones you always seem to acquire." Joseph gestured to a chair, and Basil sat obediently.
"They're not so bad. At least these aren't life threatening..." He paused. "And you didn't have to carry me this time. Although with how angry you were, I suppose that's a good thing. You probably would've just left me there." His words grew softer until they simply faded away. He slipped off his ring, the royal crest glinting in the candlelight as he placed it onto the table beside him, and unraveled the bandages around his hands. He left the one on his arm alone, nervous to let even Joseph touch it.
"Don't say such things." Joseph said sharply, bringing the bowl of water closer, "I would never have left you behind."
"I know." Basil sighed, turning his hands over so the injured palms were showing. One bore a long, thin gash and the other a bright red burn. He flinched when Joseph began washing the gash first, dabbing at it as gently as he could.
"So reckless." Joseph murmured. "Using your own blood for a spell. Don't you know how dangerous that type of magic is?"
Basil ignored the question, assuming it was rhetorical. "You followed me." He said instead. "When I left to find Taylan's parents."
"Of course I followed you. Percy told me what you were planning, and I knew you'd run into trouble. Princes are supposed to let the knights do the fighting."
"Percy gave me away?" Basil's magic flickered around him in annoyance. "I can't believe him."
"Basil..."
"I bet Liam's knights don't tell him to stay out of the fighting."
"Liam is a knight."
"Perhaps I should have become a knight then." Joseph's soft laugh had Basil bristling. "You don't think I could do it?"
"I didn't say that." Joseph tightened a fresh bandage around Basil's hand, causing him to wince. "I just couldn't imagine you as a knight."
YOU ARE READING
The Witch's Retribution
Fantasy((Book two of the Knight's Deception Trilogy)) Nothing burns quite as bright as the fires of revenge... It's been a year since Lily married her prince, six since she killed her brother to protect him, and everything has settled into a warm routine t...
