She sat up straight in bed with the covers drawn around her. Komi jumped into her arms and she was surprised to see that there was a hand joining hers on his back. She pulled away as she looked at the person whom she knew immediately was her benefactor.

  His face was bespoke of that of a beautiful noblewoman whose nose and ears were pulled too much as a child followed with strong eyebrows and high set cheekbones. There was a scar that poked out from the front of his shirt and snaked along the side of his neck set with red irritated stitches. His body was of course that of someone who was used to war, but much leaner than her husband as he was used to fighting from a horse and sitting behind battlements. His right arm was more muscular than his left, the callus on his hands rough like sandpapers as it had met hers.

  It could be no one else.

  Lot bowed slightly. It was awkward to meet someone like this while she was waking up and still in bed. “I apologize deeply for trespassing on your household, my lord.”

  His voice was playful. “My staff made some considerable effort to not inform me that you were here. I knew nothing of it. My steward said that Lady Savina had injured your hand.”

  Lot touched the bandage that went around her whipped hand with a strange feeling. She shook her head. “It should be the Lady herself, who should be here to serve you. I’m nobody. If news gets out that you spend the night here in my room.”

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  “I am not a woman.”

  Lot froze. “You’re Duke of Onem and you’re here in this room with me.”

  The Duke’s eyes grew soft. “I suppose it is. I spent the night outside in the refugee encampments. I can’t make head or tail of it. The ogres are ravaging those who are on the outskirts, but why? Why have they changed their diets now that the war had ended.”

  Komi pulled out of his mother’s hands and then easily moved to the Duke’s embrace. It seemed practiced as if it was something that Komi had gotten used to in the morning.

  “Komi,” Lot said harshly. “You should start with eating breakfast.”

  “Ma, I’ve already eaten breakfast with father.”

  “Komi, you have a father.”

  The Duke laughed. “I’m a father to many. Komi if you want to call me father, I’m not opposed to it. I’ve always kept orphan children close to me and my men. It’s not something that any soldier should be opposed to.”

  “It’s improper.” Lot said weakly as she looked at the Duke.

  “I’ll have the physician take a good look at you. It’s getting close to midday. We don’t know what you’ve been exposed to in the refugee camps. It would be good for the both of you to start taking some daily stabilizing medicines so you don’t fall behind when we start moving.”

  Lot sat up as the Duke handed Komi over to a nursemaid. The nursemaid seemed jovial and bowed to the two of them before bouncing Komi out of the room. As they were left alone with a food box, Lot felt uncomfortable with the ajar door.

  “Komi,” she said weekly.