The Amulet Of Nicmir (The Scripts Of Neptune, Book 1)

Chapter 45

Two days passed after Nyle returned, and neither he nor Lillian had woken up. Chad spent the hours bored stiff, drifting between the pit Sam and Crynia were being held in, Lillian's bedside, and Nyle's room. Lynn taught him chess and a few card games, and they played late into the night twice in a row.

Lillian's wound had vanished into a thick white scar after the doctor had applied whatever Nyle had brought back, but even then, she still hadn't opened her eyes. Nyle had stirred a few times, just enough that Chad had gotten glimpses of the milky sheen over his dark irises. His hands had been braced and bandaged, but the black and purple bruise that collared his throat stood out against his skin like paint on a canvas, and the slash that'd been carved into his arm was ugly and jagged. Chad wondered what Nyle had endured in that pit under his feet, against a monster of shadows and fear. Part of him didn't want to know. The way Nyle had been carried back on a stretcher, covered in blood and unconscious, had said enough.

The Nemaru were friendly, to say the least. They'd furnished Chad's room with more clothing than he'd ever wear, given him a tour of every inch of the stone city on Lynn's request, and set up a cot in Lillian's room after he'd fallen asleep more than once in the chair.

Midday on the third afternoon, when the sun was high and hot aboveground, Chad made his rounds for the fourth time, hands stuffed in the pockets of his baggy pants, the loose folds of his shirt hiding how skinny he'd gotten. If he was laying on his back, he'd gotten into the habit of poking the ridges of his ribs where they showed through his shirt, reminding himself to eat more. Even with the strength training with a sword had given him, he still looked like one of the stickmen he'd drawn when he was a kid from all the walking and rationed food.

Crynia was curled in a ball on her cot as usual, faced away from Sam, probably sleeping. Sam sat with his spine to his own cot, one leg drawn up to his chest, the other stretched out. He'd foregone shoes today. The look on his face as he attempted to juggle the walnuts Chad had delivered the day before screamed boredom.

"Works better if you watch 'em," Chad said, sitting down and swinging his legs over the edge of the pit. Sam glanced up and grinned wryly, and Chad returned it before shifting his gaze to Crynia. "Geez. How much does she sleep?"

"I think she's faking it," Sam said lightheartedly, chucking a walnut at her. It bounced off her back. She groaned drowsily and pulled her blanket over her head. Chad raised an eyebrow, and Sam grinned sheepishly. "All right, maybe not."

Chad shook his head. "You're hopeless." Reaching into the folds of his shirt, he pulled a small book out and waved it in the air. "I brought you something more interesting than peaches this time. It's not in the common language, but it's the only one I found with pictures."

Sam frowned and got to his feet. "Give it here," he said. Chad tossed it down, and Sam flipped through the pages. "Looks like some sort of medical dictionary. Lil would love this."

"She's not awake yet," Chad said, answering Sam's unspoken question. He rubbed the spot behind his ear and frowned. "The doctor said her brain might still be in shock from how fast she healed. She was fading when Nyle got back." Chad rolled his eyes at Sam's expectant expression. "And no, he's not up yet either."

"Sorry," Sam murmured, touching his finger to his tongue and thumbing through the book again. "I know. I'm just a little worried."

"We all are, Sam," Chad sighed, getting to his feet. "I'll be back later, and I'll try to scarf some oranges. These people treat them like gold."

Sam laughed and sat on his cot. "You do that." He waved the book in the air. "And thanks for this. Hopefully it'll help me keep my sanity a little longer."