The Road To Kalbakar, Wyrms of Pasandir #1

CHAPTER 18 - TOWER BATTLE (Part 3)

'Wakey-wakey,' Teodar said. 'Time to get up, sluggard.'

I woke up without moving, not knowing where I was.

'I've been asleep?'

'You can say that. Actually, I kept you asleep. You've been neglecting yourself, bud.'

'How long?'

'A week.'

That rocked me. A whole week wasted! 'Darn, I must get up.'

'Relax, take it easy. You needed the sleep. Nothing bad happened while you were away. I'm still here, the monks in the keep are slowly awaking from their madness now they're drinking clean water; all is well and so are you.'

'Water?' I didn't quite get what he meant.

'Yes.' Teodar sounded angry. 'The madness is caused by a poison in the underground well below the monastery. It can't be an accident.'

'You think him-we-don't-name had a hand in it?'

'Yes. Now, get up and back to work, slouch!' He chuckled and left.

I lay still, eyes closed, letting my senses roam. There was a smell of candle wax in the air, and the musty odor of mildewed draperies. I felt the hairs of a woolen bedcover against my skin. The room was cold, but my bed was warm enough. I wasn't alone. Soft breathing and the scratch of a pen told me it must be Kellani.

'Still on your report?' I said, and I heard a gasp of surprise.

'You're awake!' It was Kellani. She came hurriedly and gripped my wrist like any nurse would. 'How do you feel?'

I hadn't considered, but I felt fine. 'Great,' I said. 'I want to get up.' Then I realized I was naked. 'My clothes?' I gaped at her, feeling the blood rush to my face. 'Who undressed me?'

She grinned. 'Not me, don't ya worry. One of the male servants did – Mazuun's servants, not the restored monks.'

'Ah,' I said, smiling weakly. 'That's all right. Where are my clothes? I want to get up.'

'You sure?' she said. 'You still look a bit less Rocky to me.' Her use of that idiot orphanage nickname had me grinning like fool.

'Teodar said it's all right,' I said. 'I must get up. My color will return, but I'm not an invalid.'

The door opened and Naudin came in, carrying a tray. 'Teodar released you!' he said. 'Good. You want out of bed? Even better. Then I'll leave your broth and bread on the table. No need to feed you any longer.'

'You didn't!' I said, surprised.

'Course I did,' Naudin said. 'You were the easiest patient. Sleeping all the time and waking just enough not to choke on a spoonful of soup.'

'Here y'are.' Kellani dumped my clothes on the bed. 'They've more or less been cleaned.'

I pulled on my pants under the bed covers, feeling silly, but nobody laughed. Then I sat on the edge and shoved my feet into my boots.

'How's Ulaataq's ma?' I said, wriggling my toes inside the cold leather.

'She's gone back to that mining village she was working for,' Kellani said. 'To my mind, she was merely exhausted and dull with hunger. Ulaataq didn't want to leave; he thinks we'll need him for the second generator, at the monastery.'

'He could be right,' I said. 'But not yet. Not while Teodar says no.' I had just pulled on my tunic when something small streaked through the unglazed window and landed on my shoulder.

'Awake! Y'are awake! Missed you! Look how big! Lothi-Mo flies, big wyrm now,' the wyrmling chirped.

'My, you're getting heavy!' I said and mock-sagged through my knees. 'Bi-ig Lothi-Mo! Great jinn-killer. I'm proud of you, girl.' I stroked her neck and she wound her tail around my wrist in a possessive way.

'We have the keep,' I said. 'Is...' Before I could ask anything, Amaj came in with Jem close behind.

'Your little wyrm screamed you were awake,' he said. 'How are you? Better? Are we going now? I'm constantly trying not to quarrel with Mazuun.'

'Easy!' I said. 'Let me get my bearings first.'

'We will go home,' Kellani said firmly. 'I must report, friends.'

'Of course we will,' I said. 'We can't have them thinking you two are dead or something.' I smiled. 'Besides, I have lots of questions for Naudin's warlock dad.'

'A bath and fresh clothes,' Naudin said. 'And then I must tell Mother I broke my glasses.'

'She'll have you back, that ought to be a decent exchange,' I said.

'I hope so,' he said somberly.

Lothi-Mo chirped and we all laughed.