The Ashes Wake

Chapter 9: Lana

LANA

"When asked why he got into the business of snatching, Tizian Herald replied,'For the denari, why else? Snatching and the shadow exchange is where the only real coin lies. The cries of each creature youngling I took from its home was just an added bonus.' Herald was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment, and, upon release, twenty years of service to the Kingdom."

Newspaper Clipping from Creature Courant
5307 Year, Frigus Season

-

"If you don't hold still, I'll enchant a Pixie to drop bad dreams into your head!"

Lana squirmed as Theodora caressed salve onto her injured side, hot and painful. The elderly Tonist's long, crimson and gray braid fell past her waist and swished as she moved, daring to stick to the medicinal ointment she applied.

"You wouldn't know how to enchant a rock, much less a Pixie," Lana said with a grin despite the sting.

Theodora put her hands on her wide hips, palms jutting outwards so not to ruin her long dress with the sticky salve. "Yet I'm treating your injury, aren't I? The nerve you have girl-how dare you speak to a Tonist like that! There's few enough of us as it is."

Yeah, there's so few because you lot are crazy, Lana thought with a minute tug at her lips again.

Clyde laughed from the corner of the chamber, his eyes bright in the dusky lighting. "You two always bicker. I ought to remember that next time I offer to take you here."

"Told you I'd be fine on my own-Ouch!"

"Quit whining; I'm almost done," Theodora scolded as she shook her head. "A dragonhide spear-can't believe the Officials let Olk use that on you."

Lana wasn't surprised. The Stadium Officials had never liked her much.

Once the Tonist finished dressing her wound, she said, "Make sure you keep that clean and take the bandages off at night. An injury like that needs to breathe. The slash should close up on its own in a few days with that restorative salve, but no fighting until then. If you don't tell the Officials you're out of commission, I will. And then I'll beat you bloody myself."

Lana gave the woman-creature a mock salute but then hugged her gingerly. She stifled a gag, overwhelmed by the scent of chopped myst-roots and aged gnome beards the Tonists always seemed to carry.

"Now get! I got a Liyex serum to brew and you're keeping me from it," Theodora said, gently separating herself and moving to a large wooden table with ingredients all over it.

Lana saw the blackened teeth of a Zycanth in a jar and cringed. The trade of Witches and their devout followers-the Tonists-was a strange one.

Clyde and Lana pushed through the circular door and out the chamber, walking through another long hall with crumbling walls and the scent of mildew.

"Feeling better?" He asked, eyeing the white bandages that stuck out from underneath her tunic.

"Doesn't hurt that bad, but yeah, I suppose so," she said.

The gatekeeper let loose a small snort and Lana ignored it. She wasn't one to complain much about lesser injuries after being a Stadium fighter for so long.

Sudden shuffling in front of them made her glance up. A familiar figure turned the corner and walked towards them, a scroll gripped firmly in twigged hands.