The Deadlands

Chapter 6 - The Healer

With a Temple Guard as a witness to her crimes, there was no hope of escape or reprieve. Lili glanced around, but no one paid them any attention. She couldn't leave the table until her family returned, but she couldn't permit them to witness her demise either. She was in a quandary.

Lili turned to the doctor. "Please leave, I have important business to discuss with this man."

The doctor spluttered. "But I was hoping to ..."

"I need to speak to this man urgently," Lili insisted.

"Be a gentleman and do the lady's bidding," the stranger said, "and fear not, she is safe with me."

Lili stared at him to assess the truth of his words, but fear muddled her senses.

"Who are you?" the doctor asked again as he stood. The stranger smiled but said nothing. The doctor huffed. "I will see you later, my dear," he said as he pushed his chair under the table.

Lili gave a strained smile, which disappeared the instant he turned to walk away. Then her focus was on the stranger. She leaned closer to whisper, "Please don't arrest me here, not in front of so many people. I promise, I'll come quietly." She struggled to stand and grimaced with the effort.

"Stop," he said, "remain seated and explain why you believe I will arrest you."

She slumped in her seat and narrowed her eyes. She whispered, "You're a Temple Guard. You arrest people who break laws." He frowned and tilted his head as if her words made no sense. She pointed to her neck. "Your markings. Only Temple Guards have them."

He raised his collar to cover the black, swirling designs. "No, I ... I am a healer." He reached beneath his cloak. "Give me your hand."

"Why?"

"You are hurt and need a tonic to heal."

She sighed and shook her head. "I can't afford medicine."

"There is no cost."

She narrowed her eyes. "Is this a trick? Are you going to accuse me of theft, or something?"

After studying her face for a long moment, he sighed. "So young, yet so jaded. Has no one shown you kindness before?"

She snorted. "Not a stranger, and never someone with those markings. What do you really want? I don't have money, so blackmailing me is pointless."

"The only thing I desire is your trust."

She frowned. "Trust is earned."

"Indeed, so permit me to earn it." He caught her wrist and put two small vials into her palm and curled her gloved fingers closed around them. "I want you to heal. Put them in your bag and keep the knowledge of this tonic between us."

He held her hand a little longer than necessary before he released her. Lili sighed. It was obvious he wouldn't give up. Hesitantly, she slipped the vials into her wrist bag.

He said, "Take them tomorrow. One upon waking and the other before sleep." He produced one more vial and uncorked it. "Take this now."

The purple liquid sparkled. She held it up to examine it closely.

He lowered her hand. "It must remain a secret. Drink."

He released her hand and she leaned back to study him. He was young, maybe twenty years old, and definitely attractive. He had the speech pattern and air of authority associated with wealth, but his tattered clothes spoke of hard times. His accent was strange, but enchanting, and a little seductive with the way he rolled his R's. She wasn't sure she believed he was a healer, or even a Temple Guard. More importantly, why would he help her? She narrowed her eyes. She must have really whacked her head if she confused this gorgeous man with a building-sized dragon.