Cataindar

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Luisa opened her eyes, she did not recall closing them.

She looked at Clearwater, asleep, her room lit by a single flickering candle. 

That was weird. 

Her rucksack was next to her. She rolled off the bed. 

Cataindar felt different to her.

Why didn’t they just tell me?

Putting her rucksack on she crept into the black corridor.  Following instinct more than anything else she guided herself in the dark towards the room where Thorne was being tended to.  Finally, she could see the candlelight framing the door and approached it silently.

She heard a quiet murmur of voices.

She put her ear to the door, and although she could not make out individual words, she could hear urgent whispers inside.

Strange.

 She pushed open the door to the white room. Chopland and a robed catain of the readers were inside, with Thorne laying motionless in the centre of the room.  The robed catain jumped at the noise, pulling a short blade from a scabbard on his waistband.

An armed reader?

Seeing Luisa he quickly secured his blade and bowed, his face showed he had been caught out, in what exactly was the question.  Chopland looked cold, her face a grim mask.  She stayed too still.

What was going on? 

“Who are you?” Luisa said to the robed catain, although she could see by his tunic he was a very junior reader.  He swallowed hard and spoke softly. 

“My name is Garner princess.  I am a reader.”

Luisa folded her arms.  “I can see that. What are you doing in here?”

Garner looked down and swallowed again before looking at Chopland. 

Chopland cleared her throat with an impatient smile said,

“Princess, dear Garner here, was seeking medical aid.  He has a severe cut on his arm and, as I am chair of the committee of volunteer medics, I was helping Dr. Carnduff.  Would you rather he bleed to death like Thorne over there?” 

Garner raised his bandaged arm with an apologetic half smile.

“Oh, I...” Luisa began to say, though something did not feel right, she looked down at Thorne and touched her arm.  Through her clammy fur her skin was cold.  The bandages around her middle were caked black with blood and smelt of a strong metallic tang.  She put her hand on Thorne’s chest; her heart beat soft and slow. A righteous stab in Luisa’s chest made her change her thought,

“So if you are covering for Dr. Carnduff… why haven’t you changed Thorne’s bandages?”

It was Chopland’s turn to look uncomfortable.  Luisa thought it better to act quickly before allowing Chopland to come up with more excuses.  She took off her rucksack and spoke quickly.     

“Both of you get out.  Chopland go and get Clearwater and Dr. Carnduff, bring them here right away.  You obviously need a rest.  Me and Clearwater will look after Thorne tonight, and we will get some different volunteers to tend for her from now on. It seems to me you can go back to the kitchens. I’ve been informed by Finn that the contravention will soon be over and Cataindar is starving. You have much work to do.

Chopland’s jaw dropped open for a moment, it was the first time Luisa had seen her speechless. Chopland quickly composed herself, and with the same smile began her reply.