Blood-Bound [ Lore of Penrua: Book I ]

54

Night had settled over Hanpe. Looking out the window of Aun's infirmary, Mhera saw that the rose moon was high.

"I'm worried," Aun said.

Mhera turned from the window. She saw Matei sitting where he had been for the last few hours, in a chair at the unconscious girl's side. People had been in and out to consult with him, but he had not moved from his place. Aun was sitting on the cot behind him, rolling bandages.

"You think she will not wake?" asked Matei.

"Isn't it far to come alone? You barely made it to the edge of the Duskwood, and you are a powerful mage and had ample help. What if she tried it herself?"

"She couldn't have. She'd be lying in a field somewhere a short distance from Karelin, had she been bold enough. Probably dead. No ... there must have been other mages to work the spell with her. Obviously not enough."

"She could still die. She's weak."

"Aye, she is, and she could. Goddess grant she doesn't. For her life and ours. She must have important news."

Feeling the need to occupy herself, Mhera went to pour two cups of water. She took them to Matei and Aun.

"Thank you, sweet," said Aun. She took a sip. "Sit here near me and help me with these bandages. You're as nervous as I am, I think."

Mhera did feel nervous, although she wasn't quite sure why. She did not know the girl, nor what news she might bear to the citizens of Hanpe. But there was such a tension in the room that she could not help but be affected, and the effect of seeing the figures from her vision was still with her. She had told Matei, and he had received the news with uneasiness.

She sat on the other side of the cot and began to roll bandages, too, draping a few lengths of linen over her gray skirt. The work was soothing to her.

"Makes me jittery," Aun said. "You deciding to stay, and her coming in like this."

"You've reason to be, I think," Matei said. "If only she would wake."

"Well, while you're sitting here, let me see your back again." Aun stood, leaving Mhera to roll the bandages. For once, Matei didn't argue with her; he peeled off his tunic and draped it over his knee. Aun began to unwind the bandages from around his torso.

Mhera saw, to her astonishment, that the lash marks were already well on the way to healing. They were still ugly to look upon, but they were more pink now than red, and looked less painful.

"Coming along nicely," Aun said. She went to get her salve from the shelf. "But you'll have scars, I'm afraid. How do you feel?"

"Much better," Matei said. He was not playful tonight. As Aun smoothed more salve over his skin and began to wrap his wounds again, he sat quietly; he did not seem to have a joke to spare. When she was finished, he pulled his tunic on again, saying, "Thank you. I should light a lamp."

Mhera realized how gloomy the room had become after nightfall. The hearth fire cast only a little light, for it was far away from where they waited.

"I'll do it." Aun moved back to the hearth and pottered about there for a moment, tidying things away. She came back with a lamp, which she placed on the side table. Mhera was surprised to see that it was made with a wick and fire rather than any sort of magic, and she remembered how Matei had called Starborn magic, like spirit globes, useless tripe.

In the quiet room, the sound of a soft sigh and a cough almost startled her out of her skin. She looked over at the bed and saw the nameless girl's eyelids flutter.