“I heard,” he said softly, those two words heavy with concern. He peered carefully into Ilona’s room. “How is she?” Under these circumstances, their fight seemed sadly trivial.
“Ilona’s been working on her a long time,” said Kyra. Her voice sounded hollow.
Tristam’s face grew shadowed as he watched Ilona’s movements. Finally, he backed away and sank down onto the floor opposite her. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Malikel’s reporting to the magistrate. Ilona’s doing what she can.”
“Ilona’s one of our best,” Tristam said.
Kyra nodded, staring at the empty space in front of her. The cold of the walls and floor seeped through her tunic, and she hugged her knees closer to keep warm.
“Lord Agan has three sons,” said Tristam. “Santon’s the oldest, then Douglass. Dalton, the youngest, was in my cohort when we were squires. They’ve always had a reputation for causing trouble, getting into fights when the commanders weren’t looking.”
“Ever been punished?” asked Kyra.
“A few times.”
Not enough to dissuade them from beating a child to near death. “I’ve been beaten before,” said Kyra. “Once a couple Red Shields wanted to take my coin for a fake bridge toll. I tried to run away, but I wasn’t fast enough. Things like that aren’t uncommon in the city.”
Tristam shook his head in disgust. “Now that I spend more time in the Red Shield ranks, I see things. Soldiers abusing their power, extorting money from the citizens. There are a few commanders who almost certainly take bribes to look the other way. And the Council turns a blind eye. Rumors say that Willem is one of the worst offenders.”
“Must be nice to have the city’s forces do your bidding.”
Tristam didn’t reply. Kyra could hear Ilona’s soft footsteps in the patient room, the clank of mortar and pestle, the swish of pouring water.
“I’m sorry about the ball,” Tristam suddenly said. “I reacted badly to what you said.”
It took a moment for Kyra to follow Tristam’s words, but once she did, she met his eyes gratefully. His apology released a ball of tension inside her that she’d forgotten she was carrying.
“I didn’t exactly bring it up in the best way,” she said.
He met her gaze from across the hallway, eyes relaxing a little. “You’re just trying to think ahead, and really, it shouldn’t have fallen to you to bring it up. Though I hope you know that I’ve never seen you as…I mean, I would never see you as just a potential mistress.”
“I know.”
Ilona came out then, and both Kyra and Tristam stood to meet her. The healer moved as if her entire body were weighed down by stones.
“Two broken ribs, a broken arm, a knock on the head, and many bruises. She’s bleeding in her abdomen as well,” she said. “I’ve given her herbs to sleep, and that will be the best for her right now. You and the little one should go home and rest. I’ll send word if anything changes.”
Kyra rubbed her dry eyes and thanked Ilona. There was nothing more she could do.
Idalee seemed better early the next morning. She still slept, thanks to one of Ilona’s concoctions, but Kyra imagined that some of her color had returned. The healer was already there when Kyra arrived, and Kyra wondered if Ilona had slept at all. Though perhaps Ilona was indeed tiring, because she finally allowed Kyra to help change the girl’s bandages. They had just finished when Tristam came through the door.
“I thought I might find you here,” he said. “Malikel says to go see him when Idalee no longer requires your attention.” Tristam might have caught the hopeful cast of Kyra’s face, because he spoke again. “Don’t expect too much. I’m not sure how much even Malikel can do.”
When Tristam and Kyra arrived at Malikel’s study, the Defense Minister motioned for them to sit down in front of his desk. He wore an expression that Kyra had only seen on him after the most frustrating of Council meetings, and Kyra’s heart sank.
“I spoke with the magistrate,” he said. “He’s adamant that the evidence does not warrant a trial.”