Ink Forged

~A Horror of a Thing~

Maevus' knees decided to quit on her just as she reached the bed's footboard. She clutched at the wood, using the wall to slide down so she didn't hit the floor quite so hard. Her vision was tunneling and she felt lightheaded, her breath coming too quickly.

"You always gotta overdo it, don't ya?" Vraylor's voice floated down from somewhere above her. Strong hands gripped her wrists, gently pulling her forward until an arm could be wrapped around her shoulders.

Vraylor lifted her to her feet, taking most of her weight as he led her over to a chair. Maevus plopped down onto the cushion. Her hands and feet felt tingly and numb. She closed her eyes, her mouth dry as a summer desert. Every muscle felt weak and shaky.

"Lorn, go get Naghi," Vraylor said, his boots thumping on the floorboards as he moved back toward the bed. "Bring him and Sav if he's shown up."

The door slammed shut behind him and Maevus battled to open her eyes. When she finally managed it and blinked the blurriness away, she found Vraylor standing over the bed, his arms crossed and a frown on his face as he looked down at Voron.

"What's..." She sucked in a breath. "What's wrong with him?"

Vraylor looked over his shoulder, then returned his attention to the bed. "Nothin' good."

Still struggling to keep her eyes open, she tried to lean forward, the first step in getting back to her feet. Vraylor pointed a threatening finger, not even bothering to look at her. Scowling, Maevus sank back into the chair.

"He has a fever," she said.

"Mm-hm." Vraylor crossed his arms again, leaning against the wall. He finally turned that cool gaze toward her.

She remembered how Voron had cried out in pain when she'd touched him. "I think he has a wound on his shoulder."

"Maybe so."

Her temper spiked, not quite as hot as usual. Her magic reserve was still so low, she could barely feel the threads around her heart. "Well, why don't you take off his uniform and have a look?"

"He's not exactly my type, girlie."

Maevus rolled her eyes. "To see what's wrong with him."

"Naghi'll do that," Vraylor said. "He's Medica-Charmed and your Imp here'll be in much kinder, gentler hands with him than with me."

"Why do you keep calling him that?" Maevus asked, annoyed. 

Vraylor gave her a dry look. "He's an Imperial guard."

"I—" She growled under her breath. "I understand that. Why do you all keep calling him my Imp?"

Vraylor just raised a brow. "You're the one brought him here, ain't ya?"

It annoyed her even more that she couldn't refute that. She had brought Voron here, but that was mostly because she'd had no idea where else she could take him. Chewing at her lip, she dropped her gaze from the master to Voron. "He's here because of me."

"Yes?" Vraylor drew the word out, making it a question and a mockery all at the same time.

"No, I mean..." She sighed and waved a hand toward the guard. "Whatever is making him like this, he's like it because of me." She touched the hilt of the sword. "Because of this."

Vraylor didn't say anything. He just watched her in that steady way of his, waited for her to continue.

Maevus swallowed hard, her mouth feeling like she'd chewed her way through a field of cotton. "I told the queen." Vraylor's arms dropped, his hands coming to rest on his lean hips. Maevus lowered her gaze. "I didn't... I needed to get it back. I didn't trust that he'd... I didn't trust him."