"What?" Numair asked, apparently jolted out of his thoughts.
"I mean, you’re a mage, not a Healer. Or at least I didn’t know you were."
Numair glanced at me. "Jon didn’t trust anyone else. When Raoul-"
"Sir Raoul?" I yelped. "Raoul of Goldenlake?"
"Yes," Numair said, staring at me in amazement. "How did you know?"
"Never mind," I said. "Go on."
"When Raoul brought you in and we saw your clothes, we didn’t know what to think."
"Um, where are my clothes?" I asked tentatively. I wanted them back - if they were still in one piece.
"We still have them," Numair said. He noticed my sigh of relief. "You want to wear them again?" When I nodded, he said, "How can you wear them? They’re so... strange."
"They’re normal where I come from," I replied.
"Amazing," he murmured.
"Not really."
I looked up and found Numair staring at me. "What?" I asked irritably.
"Your eyes," he said. "They’re violet."
"What else is new?" I asked. "Honestly, you’d think people would stop staring all the time, but no. And now you-"
"Are you related to the Lioness?" he interrupted gently.
"Who? Me? I wish. No, I'm not."
"Your eyes are exactly like hers."
"Yeah, I know. I don’t have red hair though."
I saw his eyes glance sharply at me, out of the corner of my eye and let it drop. "Um, is there any chance I could get dressed?"
He rose. "Of course." He inticated the folded mound of clothes and turned to move. "I’ll be waiting outside." He closed the door softly behind him.
I gingerly tosed the covers aside and - gently - slid out of the bed. I winced. I hurt everywhere. Apparently I msut have done some real damage to myself. Or the car had done to me.
I shivered. The feeling of being tossed up in the air. Never again, I told myself. I slowly got dressed. I found I still had my underwear and socks on. I slowly pulled on my clothes and boots. I found my black scrunchie and scraped my hair in a ponytail. I gingerly walked outside and closed the door behind me.
I found Numair waiting patiently. He stood up and glanced at me. "Come," he said, turning and walking off.
"Hey! Look, I would at least like to know where we’re going."
"The King," he replied shortly.
"What?!" I yelped.
"The King wants to see you," he said and held open a door for me. "I’ll be outside."
I gaped at him. I was just expected to go in there and have friendly conversation with the King of all people? They expected a lot from a person here.
Taking a deep breath I walked in and Numair shut the door after me.
That was why I never heard him murmur, "I hope she doesn’t offend him."
