Blood-Bound [ Lore of Penrua: Book I ]

48

Mhera was prevented from responding to Matei's comment by Aun's arrival. The healer was coming from the other direction along the main road, carrying a basket that appeared to be quite heavy.

Aun smiled, breathlessly greeting them. "Ah! My favorite invalids. Surely you're not here to have your bandages checked already? There is such a thing as being overly cautious."

Matei opened the door for Aun. As the healer passed into her infirmary, Mhera saw that the basket was full of wet laundry. "No, that's not why we came," Matei said. "Let me take that for you, Aun."

"No, I like the exercise," she said, carrying the basket over to the hearth. The fire was burning although it was day and still rather warm outside; the pleasant smell of something herbal came from a pot hung over it. "I need to hang them up outside, but I wanted to put Mhera's dress by the hearth fire. I thought she might like to have her things closer to hand."

"Oh, you—you didn't need to do that," Mhera said, taken aback and embarrassed to discover that Aun had done her laundry.

The healer smiled and shrugged. "I was on the way anyway—no trouble, really. You can help me with it next time, if you like. Why have you come back? Just for the pleasure of my company?"

She set the basket down on the floor. A drying rack was already standing near the fireplace, draped with several linen bandages. Mhera looked around the infirmary. The old man who had been there had gone, and the place was empty except for the three of them.

"That, fair lady," Matei started, "and to ask a favor."

Aun rolled her eyes, bending to sort through the soaking clothes in the basket. "I should have known. It's never just 'fair lady' with you."

"I'd be happy to pay you some more compliments before I make my request. How many do you think will suffice?" Matei asked. He folded his arms over the book he carried and lifted his chin, apparently ready for the challenge.

Aun paused in the process of extricating Mhera's wet gown from the other clothes. "How many do you have?"

Mhera set the book Matei had given her aside. She moved closer to Aun and took the gown Rhea had given her from the healer's hands. "Thank you, Aun. Really." She shook it out and turned to drape it over the drying rack.

"Oh, plenty," Matei said. "You're very clever with tea, always coming up with the most interesting combinations! Some folk worry far too much about flavor. You never let that hold you back—"

"What!"

"—which reveals your deeply courageous nature. You're prettier than Uachi—"

Aun began to speak at the same time. "My teas are medicinal, Matei, and I—"

Matei stroked his chin, looking thoughtful. "—at least twice as pretty for sure," he mused, ignoring Aun's interruption. "Maybe twice and a half as much."

Rising in volume, Aun's voice competed with Matei's. "—am certain you're aware that there is magic in those brews—"

"Very difficult to compare, you've got very different bone structures—"

"—which contributes to their healing properties much more than the taste—"

"—but you do have freckles which, in my opinion, is one of the highest virtues one's nose can aspire to."

Mhera couldn't help it. She laughed.

Aun, tight-lipped and narrow-eyed, threw a stocking from her basket at Matei. It slapped wetly onto his tunic front. "Ask me. Ask me! The sooner you do, the sooner you'll go away."