“You’re not going,” he said.
Delysia’s eyes narrowed, and he saw her stubborn streak surfacing.
“I am not afraid,” she said. “Nor am I helpless. You need all the help you can get tonight, and you know it. I will not sit idly by while you risk your lives.”
“That’s not it,” Tarlak said, sitting down at the edge of Haern’s bed. He gestured to Haern, who still slept. “You’re needed here. If you get hurt, or captured, then his recovery will only take longer. Not sure how this happened, but Haern’s the most important man in the city right now. We’ve got to get him up and stabbing people with the pointy end of those sabers.”
He pulled off his hat, ran a hand through his hair.
“Besides, sis, I’m already in over my head. Haern’s the one who knows these people, who their leaders are, what they’ll do. I just plan on roasting anyone who looks at me funny, and praying to Ashhur that I got a bad guy.”
Delysia shifted so she sat beside him, and he wrapped his arm about her.
“I’m tired of this room,” she said, letting out a tired laugh.
“I know. You don’t look too good, either.”
She elbowed him, and he mussed her hair in return. Their cheer was forced, and it died quickly. Tarlak looked to Haern, and he felt the weight of the night pressing on him.
“I think he’ll wake soon,” he said. “Someone should be here when he does, and I think he’ll be happiest to see you. Let him know what’s happening. He’ll try to be stupid and leave the tower before he’s ready, so don’t let him sway you with his masculine charms.”
Delysia kissed his cheek.
“I’ll be praying for you,” she said.
“Thanks. I’ll need the help. And don’t you worry. Me and Brug’ll be back by dawn.”
He waved goodbye, then climbed down the stairs to where Brug waited. The man was trying to adjust his platemail, and grumbling all the while.
“Be hard to sneak up on them with you making a ruckus,” Tarlak said, earning him a glare.
“You see this armor? It’s perfect. Made it myself. No dagger’s slipping between these creases. Rather be last to the fight, and live, than first and dead.”
“How much all that weighs, there won’t be a fight left by the time you arrive anywhere.”
Brug shrugged.
“I’ll still be alive.”
Tarlak chuckled. Couldn’t argue with that.
“You ready?”
Brug gave his breastplate one more hard twist, then readied his punch daggers.
“Lead the way, magey, or are we taking a portal?”
“We’re walking,” Tarlak said. “Expect a long night ahead of us, and need to conserve every shred of energy I have.”
Brug grunted.
“Del not coming?”
“She’s staying with Haern.”
“So just you and me against the world, eh?” Brug asked, a cocky grin spreading across his face.
Tarlak nodded.
“Looks like I’ll have to rely on you to keep them off me. Must say, Brug, I think I miss Haern already.”
14
Haern felt the darkness peeling away into layers of dreams that came and went. Within were friends and foes, even those long dead. As the dreams faded, he realized he slumbered, and a pain in his head suddenly roared to life. Slowly he opened his eyes, almost regretting the return. His skull throbbed, and the pain in his side was frightening in its strength. He tried to remember where he was, what he was doing. He was on a rooftop, hiding from his unknown assailant. No, there weren’t any stars, so where…
“Haern?”
He knew that voice. Something soft and warm took his hand, and he looked down. Delysia’s hand. It was her face he saw next, tears in her eyes.
“Del,” he said, and despite his pain, his exhaustion, he smiled. “You found me.”
“My brother did, to be fair. How do you feel?”
“Like I was run through by a bull. Do you have any water?”
A moment later she handed him a glass. He tried to sit up, but the movement was unbearable. Carefully he lay back down and sipped the cold water. It felt divine on his parched throat.
“How long?” he asked, setting it aside.
“Almost a full day. You lost a lot of blood, as well as took a vicious hit to your head.”
“Yeah,” Haern said, the attack replaying over and over in his mind. “I remember that. Felt like an ox kicked me. Could hardly see straight afterward. Where’s Tarlak?”
He saw a shadow cross over her face.
“Don’t worry about that right now. You need to rest.”
Haern frowned.
“Something wrong? Is he all right?”