“Caste!” He gave a small jolt, trying to force eyes open that felt like they were welded shut. “Oh Caste…what did he do to you?”

  “Emeri…go away…” He flailed his arm uselessly.

  “Stop being an arse, Caste and let Aalis treat you!”

  “Aalis?” The fuzzy blobs in front of him blurred in and out of focus. “Wha…”

  “He has a concussion…he is fortunate the blow did not kill him. Caste, can you hear me?”

  He mumbled incoherently in response. Something cool was pressed against his forehead and immediately the pressure inside his skull lifted. Caste opened his eyes properly, gasping at the sudden relief. Aalis, who had been leaning forward with her fingers touching his face, sat back and lifted his chin, gazing into his eyes.

  “That is better. I am going to apply a poultice to the wound and salve to the bruises on your shoulder and arm. I just need to prepare them.”

  Caste blinked, still a little confused but no longer wrapped in a fog. He looked up and saw Judd, Verne and Giordi standing over him.

  “What happened?” He asked.

  “That’s what we want to know.” Judd said darkly.

  “Emeri arrived at the house, frantic and terrified.” Verne’s jaw was as tight as his bowstring could be.

  “Emeri,” Caste’s memories returned and he tried to rise again but Judd pushed him down, “is she hurt?”

  “No,” Aalis bit her lips to keep them from trembling, “but she would have been…if not for you.”

  “Emeri told us you stopped Jerom.” Judd looked at the others. “Maybe one of us should make sure Suvau isn’t taking matters into his own hands?”

  “Not a bad notion, given his thunderous expression when we left.” Giordi nodded. “I’ll go.”

  Caste closed his eyes, the aftershock of fear washing over him. “What was I thinking?” He put his hand to his face, quaking as the enormity of what had happened finally sunk in.

  “You saved a young woman from being defiled.” Aalis insisted, grinding some herbs into a paste with a little water. “It was very brave.”

  “Knightly, even.” Judd nodded.

  “Stupid…so stupid…” Caste groaned.

  “How can you say that?” Verne demanded.

  Caste could only see the bloody dagger, proof of Emeri’s assault on Jerom, in his mind. He wasn’t thinking about how he had protected Emeri. She had protected him…and there would be serious ramifications.

  “I have to get up…” Caste muttered, clutching the pillar, forcing himself to his feet.

  “Caste, I really think…”

  “Up!” He snapped, dragging himself upright. He stood, panting, trying to keep the world from spinning and took a step then another, stumbling towards the doors.

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  “Go with him.” Aalis said to Judd.

  “I will. You,” he looked at Verne, “stay here while Aalis finishes preparing her remedies and packs up…and don’t leave her for a second.”

  “Understood.” Verne nodded.

  Judd ran out of the room, catching up with Caste easily as he clung to the wall. “Here,” Judd offered his arm, “if you insist on walking at least lean on me and I’ll keep you upright.” Caste sagged against Judd, hardly a heavy weight and the young man helped the cleric walk. “Where are we going?”

  “Sir Fereak…must…circumvent…” Caste scrunched his eyes shut. “Words…where are my words?”

  “You were knocked out. The words will return…and at the very least if you’ve lost some of your brilliant mental capacity, you won’t make the rest of us look so foolish.”

  Caste gave a laugh like he was tipsy and looked at Judd…then frowned. “Why are you green?”

  Judd grimaced, knowing he had congealed monster blood in his hair though he’d tried to wipe as much off as possible. “Hydra blood.”

  “Oh…”

  They staggered through the fort, Judd not even sure if Caste really knew where he was going, when they heard Giordi yelling their names. They turned to see the minstrel sprinting towards them.

  “Judd, come quick. Jerom has arrested Emeri, saying she assaulted him.”

  “But that’s…” Judd paused and looked at Caste. “Where’s Suvau?”

  “Shackled and Yolana is bound as well. You’ve got to come!”

  Giordi led them through the fort, through the upper bailey to the larger, lower bailey where soldiers who were not occupied with putting out fires were gathering. The mount of Maul had grown weary of flinging lava bombs at Fort Omra but the damage had been done and it was extensive. However, now that the immediate danger was passed, Jerom had wasted no time in gathering a crowd of witnesses and not content with the assembly of soldiers, his father had marched half of the village up the slope, crowding them at the back so that they could watch Fort Omra justice be done.

  Judd let Caste sink onto a barrel to the side, the sight of Emeri on her knees in the pale yellow gravel before Sir Fereak tearing at his soul. Nearby, rumpled from the violent awakening, Lady Alonin stood with her arms folded, her expression unreadable. Shackled, though Judd wondered if they would be able to contain him, Suvau was held on the far side, sinews straining and there was no doubt, if he managed to get his hands on Jerom, he’d snap his neck without hesitation. Yolana was by his side, her face stained with tears and ash.

  “What is this matter you’ve brought before me?” Sir Fereak demanded in an unimpressed voice. “Fort Omra has suffered a crippling monster attack and you drag this Maul for judgement?”

  Emeri bowed her head, weeping.

  “My lord, Sir Fereak,” Jerom said loudly, his shoulder wound being bound by a servant, his self righteous indignation overpowering his need for medical attention, “this Maul slave must be punished! Not only has she acted as if she is one of us,” Jerom gestured to Sir Fereak and his resigned lady, “but she attacked me!”

  “This girl attacked a seasoned soldier?” Sir Fereak's boots were smoking from stamping out fires, he was smudged with soot and his veins were still pumping with adrenalin from the assault. “Kenet, are you out of your mind?”

  “She bore a blade…armed as not one of her people is permitted to be.” Jerom held the bloodied dagger out. The bright red had dulled to a darkened, crusty coating as he placed it in Sir Fereak’s hand. “She drove it into my shoulder during the distraction of the attack.”

  Sir Fereak looked at the blade then turned to Emeri. “Where did you get this?” She didn’t answer. He strode across the gravel, grabbed her chin and forced her eyes up. “Answer me!”

  “Leave her alone!” Suvau roared, pulling at the chains. It took four men to hold him back. “I gave her the blade! To protect her! If you’re going to punish anyone, punish me!”

  “No father!”

  “Silence!” Sir Fereak snapped at her and Emeri cowered in the sandy grit once more. He turned to Suvau. “There is more than enough punishment to go around. You committed an act of defiance by giving this weapon to your child…and she used it against one of my own who fights to keep this land safe! You will both be whipped!”

  “No!” Yolana screamed as Emeri was grabbed by two guards, her outer gown torn from her. Suvau lunged forward, dragging the guards with him. Four more leapt onto him, punching and kicking him even as he bellowed curses at them. Ermo Kenet watched the proceedings, a satisfied look in his eyes that he would finally be rid of Suvau.

  “You will not lay a hand on my daughter!”

  Emeri shivered, cold and fear huddling her over as Jerom looked at Sir Fereak who nodded. Jerom held out his hand and a whip was placed into it. He flexed the leather and it strained within his grasp.