“He’s lost a lot of blood. I can’t work miracles, m’lord.” His hands glowed as he patted down Aleric’s body and pausedwherever he touched. “I don’t think anything is broken.” He let out a shaky breath. “That’s one less thing to worry about, and no snapped ribs will be poking a lung or anything else.
He’d hit the ground pretty hard. At least he could avoid having bruises later too since Olivier touched all over the side he’d landed on. Jaime had only been vaguely aware of a few trying to catch the horse, and someone on the far side of the clearing had caught Mighty’s bridle. Her sides were still heaving, and she looked ready to bolt again. The rest were hovering behind Jaime, and Lord Gautier clapped Lord Monet’s shoulder as he accepted his dagger back.
“He’s a strong, young man. He’ll live. I’m sure of it.”
Lord Monet had broken into a sweat, and he couldn’t tear his eyes off of his son as the physician stood and spoke again.
“Let me get something from my saddlebag. Jaime, you look strong. Pick him up and hold him.”
“Why?”
“Blood loss makes a body cold and increases the strain. It's not good for him to be on the ground.”
“Here. Take my cloak to wrap him.” A man held it out.
Several were talking, and Lord Monet yelled to be heard by everyone while Jaime wrapped Aleric in the cloak. “Who did this?”
Everyone cut off and glanced at each other except for those trying to calm Mighty who didn’t seem keen to have anyone too close.
“It must have been an accident,” a man said as Jaime spread the cloak on the ground so he could lift Aleric onto it.
“An accident?” asked a woman. “Was anyone with him?”
“I think he rode off alone. He usually does for a bit.”
Jaime picked Aleric up. “A stray arrow is one thing. I doubt they’d catch him with a spear too by accident. Not like that.He’d have to be in a big, tangled group. Even then…Someone intended to kill him.”
The truth couldn’t be ignored, and understanding dawned on a few faces. Two men watching the woods looked where Aleric had come from as if they’d see the attacker standing right there.
If it was outlaws, they’d fled. They wouldn’t hang around and attempt to fight so many.
Lord Monet swiped at his forehead. “I want everyone collected. NOW!”
Several of the men hurried off, and a couple of women followed. One man kicked his horse into a gallop and disappeared between the trees. A couple said they'd check the woods where Aleric had ridden from and followed him. A man with black, feathery wings said he’d go overhead. With the thick canopy, Jaime didn’t have much hope. Any outlaws would likely stay under cover as much as possible.
Lord Monet grabbed the spear lying in the grass. The metal tip was coated in blood, and it was rather simple and of decent quality although not quite as fine as some of those carried by the hunting party. No name was carved into the shaft.
Lord Gautier inspected the wicked tip gleamed where Aleric’s blood was drying. “Others hunt in these woods, and who’s to say no outlaws ever pass through? If he went off alone…he likes to hunt alone and see what he can get before meeting back up with us.”
“If he was alone, two or three might have decided he was a good target,” said Jaime. “Aleric needs a weapon to channel his magic like me. That’s not exactly a secret, and if they guessed who he was…”
Lord Gautier pointed at Aleric. A little bit of a gold chain around his neck could be seen. “Gold can be melted down and made unrecognizable. They ruined his clothes, but some outlaws will take anything. Plus, his sword, Mighty, the saddle. His bootsare good. The emeralds on his sword would be hard to dig out, but what else does an outlaw have to do? Even if they took nothing else, those emeralds would keep them going for a bit.”
Lord Monet covered his face for a moment. “I want them found. Someone needs to go to the nearest towns and villages and ask about anyone new or suspicious. If Aleric can speak-”
“I’ll tell someone, and I’ll go myself too.” Lord Gautier marched toward those trying to calm Mighty. Someone was trying to remove her saddle, and she wasn’t happy about it.
“Fuck-Pearl would kill me…” Lord Monet muttered.
“It’s not your fault.” Jaime shifted Aleric’s limp body and managed to get his wrist to find a pulse.
“These woods are supposed to be safe. Mostly rabbits. Everyone hunts. Nothing’s ever happened in living memory except for a couple of accidents. This wasn’t an accident.” Lord Monet moved the cloak to better cover Aleric and touched his face. “He’s cold.”
“He still has a pulse.”
Everyone said an area was safe until something unsafe happened.
Olivier approached with a tiny bottle and dripped a few drops of liquid into Aleric’s mouth. “That’ll keep him sedated, and we can take him back in one of the servant’s carts.”
