Fire Weaver (Fall of the Fey #1)

Chapter 30

It took a worryingly long time to wake Mira up and one look at her head wound showed why. During the night it had begun to swell and it secreted putrid fluids. Mel didn't know how to treat infected wounds so she had to stand awkwardly while Dresdan held Mira still and quiet while Lucius cleaned out all the puss as best he could.

It was a disgusting sight that made Mel queasy but she did not say a word. Even though looking was horrible, she could imagine it felt much worse. Afterwards Lucius carried her because she had fainted and they walked in silence, as though cleaning the puss from Mira's wound had wiped away their ability to speak. Mel shook off the morbid thought.

'How far behind do you think we'll get by going around the swamplands?' She asked, trying to distract herself.

'We were already behind for the simple fact that they had horses.' Lucius answered, his face was pulled in concentration and he kept looking awkwardly around Mira to make sure he didn't step on anything.

'What we need to do is find someone to help Mira.' Dresden spoke sternly as though he was upset that we would discuss anything other than that. Mel glanced at him, her brows pulled together, her mouth turned down.

The trees were sparse here and, even though there was no one to tend to the grass, it was short and brown. Mel wondered vaguely if the grass was drowning from all the water in the air and ground. She had felt weak and unwell herself when she had woken up but now she was walking around her skin colour had improved yet she didn't feel completely okay. She didn't think she would feel fine again until she actually got out of this humid country.

It was strange that they actually saw the small shack.

It was hidden in a clump of old trees and they wouldn't have noticed it at all if it hadn't of been for the man whistling while he fixed the roof. He was thin to the point of being malnourished and even though he looked perfectly harmless Mel felt a wave of weariness crash over her. Maybe it was because of the child monsters they had just escaped from or the ominous looking Swampwoman. She just had a feeling that this man should be left to his business.

'Hey!' Dresden called out before she could suggest that they walk on. Her fight or flight reacted when the man turned to look at them, she wanted to run. She looked at Lucius to see how he felt but he had his eyes on the unknown man, his head cocked to the side, his face considering. 'We need help! Can you help us?'

Dresden jogged up to the shack until he was only a few feet away. The man got down from his ladder and approached them. His thin lips were pulled into an uncertain smile. Mel tried not to stare at his face for too long, he was missing an eye.

'Our friend was attacked in the woods, she's wounded.' Dresden told him, his tone beseeching. His arm was stretched forward like a street beggar, his eyes alight with hope.

'Attacked you say.' The man's voice whistled through his lips and it Mel could see that he was missing the majority of his teeth. His skin was brown and leathery, covered in scars upon scars. 'Well, you better come in.'

Dresden did not hesitate to follow the man inside, this time when Mel looked at Lucius, he was looking back, and he didn't look like he wanted to go into the house either. Mel and Lucius walked much slower into the small house.

It was dusty and the twigs and leaves had invariably fallen into the house through the shoddy roof. Mel watched the man, who had yet to introduce himself, clear the clutter off of a small table that sat, forgotten, in the corner of the room. Two rickety chairs were shoved out of the way.

'Bring her here.' He directed Lucius. Mira didn't wake up as she was placed on the table or when the bandage was taken off to reveal a wound that was once again gleaming and swollen with puss. Dark lines had begun webbing out from the wound. Lucius paled when he saw it and Mel took it has a bad sign.