Having determined that Jo’s legs weren’t injured, beyond some cuts and bruises, Emma soon became determined to get him walking. It was slow going, and Jo’s legs and feet wobbled beneath him as she supported his efforts. As they made circuits of the cell, Jo explained that he was never allowed out of the room except to be interrogated. The brutes who escorted him to and from such sessions took particular delight in dragging him along.
Seeing the haunted look in Jo’s eyes as he spoke, Emma did her best to distract him. Her examination of him earlier had told her well enough what he had endured. Instead, Emma spoke of many things she hadn’t covered in her earlier summary of their time apart. Obviously glad for the change in subject, Jo was now more inquisitive.
Emma answered what questions she could about the rabbits of Halfwind whom Jo had known. She was sorry to admit that she hadn’t become acquainted with everyone he asked after, and tried to make up for it with other information. Jo was quite interested in her account of service at Harbone. The arrival of the Blackstar twins and the Terralain army at Halfwind was also fascinating to him.
“I will say, with how it turned out, I’m glad I wasn’t around for that business with Perkinson,” Jo remarked after Emma spoke more about the Fowlers unit. “The idea that the son of any Lord Captain, let alone Perkin One-Eye himself, could be a traitor…”
“Maybe if you’d been there, we would have found out sooner,” Emma said gently.
Jo snorted. “Emma, you didn’t figure him out. Heather and Picket, those Blackstar kids, Lord Ramnor, and Helmer didn’t figure him out. What makes you think I wouldn’t have been just as fooled?”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Jo,” Emma said, smiling despite herself. “Maybe your archer’s eyes would have seen something the rest of us missed.”
“Be serious, Emma. I might be able to spot a traitor like that if he weren’t cautious enough. Maybe if he let me into a secret lair, say, or made the mistake of letting me see things that added up to his guilt. But even then, I could see myself only figuring things out at the last minute.”
“Well, if the last minute is soon enough to save a good rabbit, lord or not, from dying, you’d be one up on me,” Emma responded quietly.
Halting their circuit, Jo looked at her steadily, but not unkindly. “Lord Ramnor’s death wasn’t your fault, Emma.”
“I was actually talking about Lord Rake. He took an arrow aimed at me.”
“They fired on you? On a medic?” Jo’s eyes blazed. Clearly, both prospects made him furious-intensely so.
Somewhat taken aback by his intensity, Emma only nodded. Part of her feared that Jo might ask why they had been shooting at her. But Jo, too, was silent. He looked away from her, apparently trying to master his anger.
Deciding that they’d done enough walking for the present, Emma helped Jo over to the nest of rags that served as his bed. He didn’t object, and she helped him to sit down. Emma sat down close to him, noting the unwashed odor of the area. She had endured far worse, though, and it wasn’t as though they could do anything about it.
Finally, Jo exhaled a long breath, as though releasing pressure. “I’m sorry if I startled you, Emma. The idea that other rabbits would attack a medic…it makes me sick. You’d expect that sort of thing from predators, but that even a rabbit could sink so low…it’s appalling. It’s on a level with going after younglings or elders.”
“And…?”
Jo lowered his eyes, and Emma thought she detected a slight flush about his features. “And…the thought of anyone trying to shoot you is pretty upsetting, too. Even without you being a doctor.”
Looking up at her, Jo spoke firmly. “Your father’s death isn’t your fault either, Emma. I didn’t know Lord Rake well, but what I did see of him tells me this. He would have died a thousand times if it meant saving you. And any good rabbit would be honored to do as he did.”
Now it was Emma’s turn to blush, and she looked away quickly. She wanted to protest, but couldn’t find the words to do so. And, she supposed, Jo was probably right, after a fashion. Just not for the reasons he supposed.
When she managed to look at Jo again, Emma saw that he was exhausted. Though she had helped him settle, his drugged sleep had not been all that he needed. It would take much longer for him to recover from his ordeals of the past months-nearly a year-and better care than she could currently provide. And the ordeal wasn’t over yet…if it ever would be.
“Get some rest, Jo-if you can.”
Once upon a time, Jo would have argued. But perhaps he had gotten wiser..or maybe he had no strength left for such small matters. In any case, he lay down and was soon asleep. Emma felt a strange mixture of relief at the sight and sorrow at the change in Jo’s behavior.
With no other tasks to occupy herself, Emma decided she might as well rest too. As she lay down, she looked over at Jo. Watching him sleep, she recalled his anger at the idea that she had been threatened, and his words about Lord Rake. In spite of their grim situation, she found herself smiling as she drifted off.
“EMMA!”
Jolted awake by the yell, Emma rose up from her rough bed. Nearby, Jo was thrashing wildly in his sleep. She’d seen enough rabbits in the grip of night terrors to know what she was seeing. Fearing that he would hurt himself, she called out!
“I’m right here, Jo! Wake up!”
He sat bolt upright, breathing hard. After a moment, he looked at Emma, eyes streaming. She went to him, putting her arms around him. Jo sat unmoving, saying nothing until his breathing had steadied and his tears had stopped.
“The worst things I see are never about myself,” he said hoarsely when he could speak. “I’ve lived…and am living…those things. No, the worst…is when I imagine other rabbits being brought to face those horrors. And all I can do is watch.
“Sometimes it’s my comrades from back at Halfwind. Other times it’s votary does, or younglings, And more than once, like just now…you.”
Unable to form an adequate response, Emma just continued to hold him. Then, suddenly, she heard footsteps coming down the corridor leading to their cell. Jo stiffened, and his remaining hand suddenly gripped her arm painfully. Before she could question Jo’s action, he let out a hiss.
“Vitton!“