Warrior's Mind (Book 2 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 61

Leyla was eating her last piece of bread when Delphine burst into her room.

"Michael says you haven't left your room all day. Consort, this just won't do!" She crossed her arms and frowned, failing to look the least bit intimidating. Delphine's features, her movements, everything about her was too delicate and measured to be fearsome. She was the type of person who thought through every action and moderated all of her reactions, while Leyla...

Leyla was a mess.

She had been so focused on others mistakes, that she had failed to see her own. In her first days in the Land of Light, she had mistakenly believed that Raphael was having an affair and every judgment she made about him after that moment was coloured by the assumption. She was still finding it hard to believe how she had allowed her emotions take control of her actions - but after thinking it over for an entire night, she knew it was the truth.

If she hadn't believed Raphael was having an affair, she would have tried harder to convince him about what had happened at the river. She would have given him a chance to explain why he had put the bracelet on her; or at least asked him why. She would have realised that he had always been looking out for her in his own way and wouldn't have felt so betrayed at the judgement yesterday.

He was not blameless in any of it, but neither was she. The question was why? Why was she so quick to lose control of her temper with things that concerned him, when she was calm and level headed with everyone else. Well, not everyone else. She had lost her calm with Alec too...

"Have the Warriors left?" She asked, looking out the window.

"Not yet. But that's not important right now." Delphine's tone became cajoling, "The weather is lovely, the flowers are in bloom. Let's go for a walk, hmm?"

Leyla's brain was starting to hurt from thinking, and being static had never been her forte. Plus, Raphael had acknowledged all his mistakes and apologised for them, it was time she did the same. "Where's the Prorex?"

Watching Leyla rise in surprise, Delphine smiled quickly. "You want to speak to the Prorex?" Her smile growing wider at Leyla's nod, she rushed on. "I don't know where he is, but if we take a walk around the inner keep we are sure to run into him."

Taking a deep breath, Leyla straightened her shoulders. "Alright, let's go."

For the next two hours, they walked through every garden in the inner keep and while Raphael was nowhere to be seen, an unusual number of residents were taking random strolls. From the way they watched her, then avoided eye-contact as she drew near, Leyla could tell that they can come out for round two of yesterday's spectacle. Did they all think she hurt those guards? Leyla tried not to let the thought upset her.

"I wish at least one person would come right out and ask me," she muttered.

Delphine raised her nose from a large peach coloured flower in surprise. They were in the last of the gardens, the one housing the residence of the Minister of Health who had been watching her with horror filled eyes just  hours ago. Leyla was glad all the High Thinkers seemed to be absent from the area; probably at the same meeting Michael had disappeared into after giving her an earful for not going down to breakfast earlier in the morning.

"Ask you what?" Delphine wanted to know.

"If I really tried to escape," she shrugged. "It's probably why everyone has decided to crowd into the gardens today of all days, isn't it?"

Delphine caught the eye of two women who were watching them from a short distance while pretending to admire a shrub. One was wearing a scientists smock while the other was in a plain white dress with triangular embroidery along the bodice that was worn by spouses of the alchemists.

"They wouldn't dare to, even if that was really what they were thinking," Delphine said, touching a delicate peach petal. "But you know, I heard a group of servants gossiping on the way to see you. They were retelling yesterday's event as if it was the most romantic thing they'd ever witnessed."

"Romantic?" The word burst from Leyla's lips."What could they possibly find romantic in what happened?"

Delphine shook her head in an annoyingly superior manner. "First the Prorex tries to sacrifice himself for you, then you do the same. The only person who doesn't see the romance in that is you."

"Delphine!" Leyla rolled her eyes, but her friend would not be put off.

"You can't seriously tell me that you don't see the Prorex loves you?" She swept her hand across the courtyard at the dozens of Light people who were pretending not to see them. "Everyone else knows it, that is why they are out here trying to get a glimpse of you. A love match amongst High Thinkers is like water in the desert."

Romance! "Has everyone lost their minds? Raphael doesn't - I don't even..." She pressed her lips together at Delphine's knowing expression. Romance? Between Raphael and her? Hah! Impossible.  The memory of the last time they kissed appeared in her mind, almost making her blush. Alright, so maybe there was attraction between them, but love? After all that happened with Alec, Leyla wasn't sure she knew what love was.

"Where's the training field?" She asked, deciding not to think about ridiculous things anymore.

Delphine blinked, "the what?"

"Training field!" Leyla frowned. "The Light Guard has to train somewhere?"

"Certainly, but..." Delphine looked anxious. "Are you sure it's a good idea to go there?"

Leyla guessed that her friend was worried about the reception Leyla would receive amongst the soldiers. After all, they all thought she had wounded one of their own. But that was precisely why she wanted to face them. The idea that she was thought of as honour-less by soldiers irked her. Plus, the training field would have weapons and Leyla hadn't held a bow and arrow in far too long!

Brightening at the thought, she smiled at Delphine. "Don't worry and lead on."