Free Breath of Winter, A by Hailey Edwards Page A

held my arms out to Henri, who angled the chair into position.
    Ghedi drummed his fingers on the doorframe. “You might need my help.”
    Henri clasped my outstretched hands and pulled me flush with his chest.
    “She won’t.” He curved an arm around my waist, balancing me against him. “She has mine.”
    “Then I’ll see you inside.” Ghedi punched the door casing. “If your rattletrap makes it that far.”
    “Go on, then.” His temper fueled mine, and I snapped, “Don’t make me bring Kaleb into this.”
    “Don’t make me laugh.” Ghedi vanished into the hall.
    “Sorry.” I returned my attention to Henri. “Ghedi has a temper on him.”
    “Confinement doesn’t agree with him.” He shrugged. “I can sympathize. To a point.”
    I think I had expected Henri to offer me his shoulder. A little support from him and I could have hopped into place and sank onto the seat. So when he slid his arm up behind my shoulders, I let him without complaint. It was the arm he eased underneath my legs that made me stifle a gasp. For all of his talk of my tallness, he lifted me as easily as Ghedi ever had, and he put me down twice as gently.
    I was still speechless when he knelt and put my good foot on a brace set inches above the floor. With tender hands, he settled my busted foot on the brace sticking out into the room. With that done, he plucked the comforter off the bed, tossed it over me and tucked it under me though it was stifling.
    Or maybe I was the only one who broke into a sweat while he played nurse for me.
    “There.” He stood back to appraise his work. “Are you comfortable?”
    I nodded dumbly. Where was his grunt or groan? His struggle to carry me or sharp exhale when he realized he couldn’t? When was the moment when he laughed at my gangly legs or at my weight?
    Silk. Araneidae silk appeared as much the same as any other. Its hidden strength distinguished it, making it impressive, distinct. It would appear those same traits applied to those who spun it as well.
    Finally, I found the brains to ask something sensible. “How is our ward?”
    “As well as can be expected.” He knelt beside me and adjusted a set of knobs, raising my leg. “She has learned the limits of her cage.” He straightened and grasped the chair’s handles. “So far she has shown no signs of self-destructive behavior. Once she realized I wouldn’t open the cage even if she beat herself senseless on the bars, she accepted her situation isn’t likely to change anytime soon. She’s calmed considerably since she first arrived. She has even attempted conversation with me.”
    I tilted my head back. “She spoke to you of her own free will about something besides food?”
    “Yes.” He studied me. “Is that so important?”
    “The only time she communicated with Hishima that I saw was to bargain for food. She had the knowledge he wanted, but he paid for it in flesh. If she’s talking to you, she’s after something.” I had a good idea what it was too. “What are you feeding her now? Fresh meat, I’m sure. But what kind?”
    “Varanus for the most part.” His fingers tapped the handles. “The animals were butchered a few weeks ago and the meat frozen. Are you saying she wants fresh meat? Or a chance to hunt her own?”
    The hunt was only half of it. “She has a taste for Araneaean flesh.”
    He scoffed. “You think she’s bribing me in the hopes I’ll indulge her addiction?”
    “She has her own agenda.” Gods only knew what it was. “She won’t help anyone for free.”
    “Is she so far gone?” He sounded doubtful. “Is there no hope she might be rehabilitated?”
    “None.”
    He shook his head. “We owe it to her to try.”
    Since pity seemed to be getting the better of him, I reiterated what I had told him earlier.
    “From all accounts, she doted on Hishima. He was her only child, her heir. Yet she murdered him with her bare hands. What sort of mother could do that and live with herself afterward?” None