The Silver Crown

Chapter 14

Caleb

I can't believe I did that.

Stupid, that's what I am, plain stupid.

As Kylee moves away to lay down and get some rest, I begin berating myself. I want to bang a rock against my head, but Kylee would notice. Didn't I just say that I don't want to put another girl in the path of danger? This whole trip I've been concerned about having another girl along. The whole situation was too much like my trip with Phoebe and I desperately want to avoid ending it the same way. Now, I've promised to stay with her no matter what quest the Sages place before us.

I'm a fool.

Eventually, Valus returns bearing a pitifully small handful of sticks, torn from the hard, black shrubbery that manages to grapple a living on the cold rock of the mountain. He starts at the sight of the fire, now roughly the same size as it had been when he left, but returns quietly to his task, stirring the small cauldron on the fire.

"What is that?" I ask, coughing as a draft of the rancid smell washes over me.

"Medicine, for you." Valus states simply. He lifts a ladleful of a thick yellow-brown paste out of the pot. "The principals involved in the creation of this poultice were formulated by a teacher of mine. A Healing-mage classmate of mine started work on a few theories, and I combined them to form this. It is very simple to make, but very powerful in healing injuries of the skin. Burns, cuts, and bruises all disappear after being treated by this." As he explains the origins of his concoction, an unmistakable note of pride, crawls into his voice. I smile and nod.

"Thanks, but those are the least of my concern." I say dryly. Valus nods regretfully.

"Indeed. You have six broken ribs, at least three of them fractured multiple times, and Miss Jenkins has a thoroughly shattered arm and a terrible spear wound on her leg. But any healing is better than none. If we can heal your burns and bruises quickly, then you're body can focus on healing the more major wounds. Besides, it will be more comfortable for you in the long run." As he says this, Valus scoops a fair amount of the disgusting paste into a large bowl. I sigh and accept my fate.

Valus quickly spreads the paste over my skin, taking the opportunity to change my bandages as he did so. In a few moments, I smell like a garbage heap, but the medicine feels like a soothing cream on my skin. "The poultice should dry and harden within the hour. Then it will fall off on its own and your skin should feel much better." Valus explains. "If your skin still hurts when it's gone, we can reapply."

He moves off to tend to Kylee, changing her bandaging. Fortunately for her, she had managed to avoid any burns or bruises, aside from her arm. I scowl as Valus unwraps the bandages. From the shoulder to halfway down her elbow, Kylee's arm is a massive, swollen mix of purple and green blotches. My thoughts move back to Rolcarnagur and my plans to make him pay for the pain he causes.

Kylee's whimper of pain brings me back to focus. Valus is trying to spread his skin ointment, along with a few other herbs and creams, over Kylee's arm, but no matter how gently he is, the contact is guaranteed to be painful. I stride quickly over and take Kylee's good hand. She smiles in gratitude and squeezes my hand to cope with the pain.

Valus gently rewraps her arm and moves to her leg. My expression darkens again when I see the bloody tear that has ripped through her calf. Valus has done a decent job of sewing it together, but it still looks horrible. How did she even stand at all today?

Kylee must have seen my expression, because she gives my hand a different kind of squeeze – one of encouragement. "Don't worry," she says hopefully, but her voice is small from the pain. "It's not as bad as it looks."