Curse of Blades (Blades #1)

Chapter 7

[Freshly edited July 28th, 2021.]

Shelton felt a sharp stab of pain radiating from his side at the same moment he heard Wildas's voice in his mind. The pain was so intense that it made his stomach churn and he pushed his breakfast away. If he hadn't been feeling the phantom pain, he would have left the breakfast table, where his family was watching him with concern. Instead, he pushed his chair back until it found the stone wall a few feet behind the table.

Gods, Wildas, what happened? he demanded. Wildas had told him the night before about the assassination attempt and his escape from the castle without his full guard. He had felt faint pain in his side then, too, but it had been nothing like it now was. He'd been more concerned about Wildas making him promise not to tell Deandre the details until he was closer to home. As if he wouldn't be more upset about not being told immediately.

That assassin. Nicked me with a poisoned blade. Torture poison. You need to find dried Dragonweed. It's the only ingredient to the counter-poison the healer here doesn't have. I have six more days before the poison actually does any damage. It's just extreme pain first.

Where are you? How do you know this?

Village outside Arren. Please. Just find the Dragonweed. We're going to ride hard to make it there in less than six days. Don't tell Father yet.

Shelton sighed and ran a hand over his smooth face. Someone is coming with you from there?

Yes.

One of the Guardsmen survived?

No. Someone else. I trust him. I'll explain everything when this is over.

Shelton could hear the pain and exhaustion in the prince's voice. I'll have the Dragonweed.

Thank you.

The abrupt lack of pain when the connection ended made Shelton sigh with relief. He could barely imagine how Wildas felt having to endure that, and likely worse, until he got the counter-poison.

Shelton stood and left the dining hall without a word, though he knew he was being watched by his spouses and their children who had chosen to eat with them. The only thing on his mind was finding a healer with the right herb.

He would tear the city apart to find it if he had to.

***

Coulta woke to screams.

"What's going on?" the younger healer – he thought her name was Myri – demanded as he jumped from he cot he'd been given to sleep on.

Mara appeared to be barricading the front door nearby. "I don't know! Soldiers are killing everyone!"

Coulta ran past her to the window and swore at what he saw. Men in green uniforms were chasing people through the streets, killing anyone they found and setting houses on fire. They weren't close to the healers' house yet, but it would only be a matter of minutes before they reached it.

He knew those uniforms too well.

"They're looking for me," Wildas said gravely. Coulta turned to see the prince on his feet, but looking a bit unstable.

"We need to go," Coulta announced, moving to where he'd left his boots and pulling them on as quickly as he could.

"Myri, go with them," the older healer commanded.

"Mother I can't -"

Coulta saw her make a gesture at Wildas, who was struggling to get his own boots on. "He's our patient. Our promise as healers is to see every patient through to the end. Take the herbs and go. They'll need me here."