corrected, turning back to my patient.
Isdra leaned in to look at the man. "Do you know which illness it is, Warprize?"
"No." I got up to put some water to heat. "Not yet."
Epor scratched his beard. "Makes sense that an invisible enemy is hard to track. But there's no bolt on the door, Warprize. Isdra will remain, and I will search."
"You don't lock the doors of a shrine, Epor." I answered absently, still intent on my patient.
Then his meaning sunk in, and I snapped my head around. "Don't be foolish. You can move faster if there are two of you." They both got a mulish look on their faces, and I stood up.
"Fine. I will put a bench before the door. If anyone comes in, I'll scream. Will that satisfy you?"
Epor frowned, but it was Isdra who spoke. "Remember Marcus's lesson, Warprize. Death can come in an instant."
For a moment I remembered the touch of the blade at my throat, and the fear that went with it.
He'd moved so fast. The fear was real, but I wasn't going to let it stop us from rendering aid.
"It will have to do. The quicker you leave, the quicker you will be done."
Isdra looked at Epor, who shrugged. "We will do as much as we can before we lose the light."
"Remember the phrases I taught you?" I followed them out the door.
"Do not be afraid." Isdra spoke slowly in Xyian.
"We will take you to a healer." Epor had the words down, but his accent was terrible. Still, it would work. I closed the door behind them.
"I'm not leaving until I hear the bench." Isdra's voice floated through the door.
Irritated, I dragged a bench over, and dropped it down in front of the door. "There."
"We'll check the nearest buildings and return. Stay safe, Warprize."
I'd already forgotten them as I hurried to my patient's side. No swellings, no boils. No signs of vomiting or flux. I wiped him down with damp cloth, and tried to get him to drink but it dribbled from the side of his mouth. He never roused as I examined him, and his strange lassitude disturbed me. Still, from all appearances, I was dealing with the Sweat. He wasn't coughing, although each of his breaths seemed an effort. I listened to it as I set my supplies in order, praying that I'd have enough to minister to those in need.
Blankets, we'd need blankets. And something to eat, a broth if I could find something to make it from. Porridge, if nothing else. I should have said something to Isdra, so they'd look for them as well. There were no supplies to speak of here. I tried to relax, take a breath and ease the knot in my stomach. Once the villagers knew that a healer had arrived, we'd have help aplenty.
A pounding at the door jerked me up. I let Isdra in, her arms filled with a squirming bundle, her face grim. "I found this one on the bed next to her thea." The blanket fell back to reveal a baby, squirming and fussing in the cloths. Isdra brushed past me. "Ward the door, Warprize."
"Isn't Epor bringing her mother?" I looked out into the square.
It was the silence that made me turn to look at her. Isdra had an odd, cold look in her eyes.
"No."
I bit my lip, and turned back to secure the door. By the time I entered the bedroom, Isdra had the babe by the fire, cushioned by the blankets, and was digging in her saddle bags. The baby was crying, kicking its feet in the air. "I've gurt here," Isdra said. "We can soften it in water and feed her. She's a mess, Warprize. Her thea must have been dead for hours."
I knelt down, and smiled at the little one, checking her over. "There's no sign of fever in this one. Just hungry and unhappy."
"Skies be thanked." Isdra started looking through the blanket. "I grabbed some extra swaddles." She pulled forth some clean diapers, and the few stalks of lavender fell to the floor.
The babe opened its eyes and looked at us with sweet brown eyes framed by dark curling lashes. Then the little face squinched up and a howl filled the room.
"What are those flowers?" Isdra asked as she started to work. "They are lovely."
"Lavender. Her
Isdra leaned in to look at the man. "Do you know which illness it is, Warprize?"
"No." I got up to put some water to heat. "Not yet."
Epor scratched his beard. "Makes sense that an invisible enemy is hard to track. But there's no bolt on the door, Warprize. Isdra will remain, and I will search."
"You don't lock the doors of a shrine, Epor." I answered absently, still intent on my patient.
Then his meaning sunk in, and I snapped my head around. "Don't be foolish. You can move faster if there are two of you." They both got a mulish look on their faces, and I stood up.
"Fine. I will put a bench before the door. If anyone comes in, I'll scream. Will that satisfy you?"
Epor frowned, but it was Isdra who spoke. "Remember Marcus's lesson, Warprize. Death can come in an instant."
For a moment I remembered the touch of the blade at my throat, and the fear that went with it.
He'd moved so fast. The fear was real, but I wasn't going to let it stop us from rendering aid.
"It will have to do. The quicker you leave, the quicker you will be done."
Isdra looked at Epor, who shrugged. "We will do as much as we can before we lose the light."
"Remember the phrases I taught you?" I followed them out the door.
"Do not be afraid." Isdra spoke slowly in Xyian.
"We will take you to a healer." Epor had the words down, but his accent was terrible. Still, it would work. I closed the door behind them.
"I'm not leaving until I hear the bench." Isdra's voice floated through the door.
Irritated, I dragged a bench over, and dropped it down in front of the door. "There."
"We'll check the nearest buildings and return. Stay safe, Warprize."
I'd already forgotten them as I hurried to my patient's side. No swellings, no boils. No signs of vomiting or flux. I wiped him down with damp cloth, and tried to get him to drink but it dribbled from the side of his mouth. He never roused as I examined him, and his strange lassitude disturbed me. Still, from all appearances, I was dealing with the Sweat. He wasn't coughing, although each of his breaths seemed an effort. I listened to it as I set my supplies in order, praying that I'd have enough to minister to those in need.
Blankets, we'd need blankets. And something to eat, a broth if I could find something to make it from. Porridge, if nothing else. I should have said something to Isdra, so they'd look for them as well. There were no supplies to speak of here. I tried to relax, take a breath and ease the knot in my stomach. Once the villagers knew that a healer had arrived, we'd have help aplenty.
A pounding at the door jerked me up. I let Isdra in, her arms filled with a squirming bundle, her face grim. "I found this one on the bed next to her thea." The blanket fell back to reveal a baby, squirming and fussing in the cloths. Isdra brushed past me. "Ward the door, Warprize."
"Isn't Epor bringing her mother?" I looked out into the square.
It was the silence that made me turn to look at her. Isdra had an odd, cold look in her eyes.
"No."
I bit my lip, and turned back to secure the door. By the time I entered the bedroom, Isdra had the babe by the fire, cushioned by the blankets, and was digging in her saddle bags. The baby was crying, kicking its feet in the air. "I've gurt here," Isdra said. "We can soften it in water and feed her. She's a mess, Warprize. Her thea must have been dead for hours."
I knelt down, and smiled at the little one, checking her over. "There's no sign of fever in this one. Just hungry and unhappy."
"Skies be thanked." Isdra started looking through the blanket. "I grabbed some extra swaddles." She pulled forth some clean diapers, and the few stalks of lavender fell to the floor.
The babe opened its eyes and looked at us with sweet brown eyes framed by dark curling lashes. Then the little face squinched up and a howl filled the room.
"What are those flowers?" Isdra asked as she started to work. "They are lovely."
"Lavender. Her
Similar Books
