to do her bidding. Her hands trembled as she collected the
medicines and instruments she would need to treat Graham.
She quickly directed the two boys in removing Althea’s
narrow cot and setting up the larger bed, then she laid out her
supplies on the room’s small table. Ground alt root would lessen
the swelling, but would do little to ease his pain. If only she had
some nika root.
She hadn’t lied when she told Kyne of the nika plant’s
medicinal benefits. Only the strong narcotic would keep Graham
unconscious while she manipulated his bones into proper
alignment. Could she convince Kyne to procure some nika root?
If not, a double dose of alt was her only alternative, but would
it do?
Neither herb nor narcotic could knit Graham’s shattered
bones into usable limbs. She must join her ka with his, absorb
his injuries into herself, and use her innate skill to mend bone
and muscle. While she didn’t fear the physical pain of joining
with him, the thought of the mental anguish daunted her. Because
he already called himself dead and because he mistrusted her,
his ka would fight her healing. The risk was great—to both of
them.
A commotion in the courtyard told her the caravan had
arrived. She stepped out of Althea’s chamber, and her gaze
clashed with Kyne’s. No softness lurked in his dark stare.
“Bring him in here.” She had no time for Kyne’s
recriminations. Graham’s life took precedence.
Like a big cat intent on destroying his prey, Kyne stalked
toward her. Standing her ground, she forced herself not to recoil
from her sudden awareness of his turbulent emotions.
He leaned close, and the heat of his body—potent with the
smell of sweat, blood and death—washed over her. “I’ll not let
you finish what your father started.” His whisper reached only
her ears. “Where’s Althea?”
Sianna grabbed his arm. Emotions lashed her—guilt, grief
and fury swirled like a whirlwind within Kyne. Unwilling to risk
draining her energy in a fruitless attempt to ease his turmoil,
she jerked away. “Althea is an old woman. She hasn’t the vigor
to treat Graham’s injuries. Let me help him. I’ll not hurt him.”
His hand gripped her shoulder, and his thumb pressed into
the hollow of her throat, a reminder that he held her life in his
hands. For the first time she actually feared Kyne would do her
physical harm. Pushing aside her apprehension, she projected
an aura of peace, serenity and a confidence she didn’t truly
feel.
“Trust me, Kyne.”
“I’d as soon trust a hungry water worm in my bath.” He
spoke of the large parasitic worms that lived and bred in stagnant
water and fed by burrowing into living flesh. His fingers dug
painfully into her neck. “But I have no choice. If Graham dies,
you die.”
She nodded. In the healing Graham’s ka and her own would
merge. If one perished, so would the other. Her affection for
the man decreed she help him. “I accept your terms. Now
bring him to me.”
Kyne’s gaze searched her face, then he directed three men
to carefully lift Graham’s blanket-draped body. Graham
stiffened and screamed, then went limp. The men carried him
into the small chamber, placed him on the bed, and departed.
Kyne stepped into the room and stood behind Sianna as she
pulled away the blanket. She couldn’t contain her gasp of horror.
Feeling Graham’s pain had not prepared her for the sight of his
injuries.
One leg was broken in three places, the thigh and twice
below the knee, the limb twisted and bulging. The other leg
was broken above his knee, ragged bone protruding through
skin and cloth. Blood still seeped from the torn flesh and soaked
his trousers.
“The price for the captured caravan was too steep.” Kyne’s
hoarse whisper made Sianna turn to him. He rubbed the ache
at his neck, but she knew nothing could ease the pain in his
heart. “You’ll need at least four men to hold him while you
amputate.”
“No!” Graham surged up on his elbows. “You’ll not take
Sianna circled his tense shoulders with her arms and tried
to ease him back. “No one will do anything you don’t want us
to. I promise.”
Kyne’s fingers dug painfully into her arm. “Don’t promise
him what you can’t deliver, woman!”
She tried to shake him off. “Please leave. You’re upsetting
him needlessly. I’ll decide the course of his treatment.” Beneath
her hands, Graham’s muscles started to relax.
“If you don’t amputate quickly, infection will set in, and
he’ll die. There’s no choice to be made. It’s your legs or your
life,” Kyne told Graham.
Graham glared at Kyne and struggled against Sianna’s hold.
“Then let me die. I’ll not go through life half a man.”
Patience gone, Sianna shouted, “Enough! Would you two
fight all the way to the gates of eternity?”
Eyes closed, Graham collapsed onto the bed, his strength
spent. “Oblivion’s gates more likely,” he murmured in a feeble
flash of his normal humor.
Kyne snapped his mouth into a tight line which promised
retribution.
“How does he fare?” Laila stood in the doorway.
“Not well,” Kyne answered. “The fool has decided to die.”
“Are his injuries so severe?”
“Not fatal, but crippling. His legs were crushed when his
quinar rolled over him during the battle. He refuses to consider
amputation.” Kyne spoke to Laila but looked at Sianna.
She avoided his gaze and worked at cutting away Graham’s
dirty, blood-soaked trousers. Though his eyes were closed, she
knew Graham was aware of what went on. Pain sapped his
strength, but not his will.
“Perhaps it’s better he die.”
Laila’s seemingly callous disregard for Graham’s life spurred
Kyne’s vehemence. “He’ll not die. I’ll not permit him to. Graham
is strong enough to survive. He must. Our people need him.”
I need him.
As clearly as if he had spoken, Sianna heard his thought.
Startled by the unexpected connection between them, she
glanced up. But already he masked his emotions.
“Give him a reason to live, or he will die. Help him find
something to replace the use of his legs—if you can.” Laila’s
strained whisper hinted at things lost and motives found for
living. Still dressed in the same stained clothing, fresh blood and
dirt layered over old, she had a fevered, haunted look in her
red-rimmed eyes. Her loss allowed her no respite.
“Graham!” Katya’s yell pierced the unnatural silence of
the great hall. “Let me through. Where is he?”
Sianna turned aside the jumble of conflicting emotions
preceding Katya as she pushed past Laila and stumbled into
the chamber. Kyne caught her by the
shoulders before she
barreled into Sianna who leaned protectively over Graham.
“Let me go! I must see him!”
Kyne held tight, blocking her view of Graham. “No, Katya.
He doesn’t want you to see him like this. Allow him that dignity.”
“Let me go to him. Please, Kyne. We parted with angry
words. I have to tell him...I’m sorry...I didn’t mean what I
said...please, I love him...I didn’t know... didn’t realize...” Her
voice trailed off into broken sobs, and her body sagged into his.
“Let her in.” Sianna covered Graham’s lower body with
the blanket. Other than his drawn and too pale face, Graham
looked unchanged. Katya needed to see him, and soon he would
need her strength. Would her love be enough to instill him with
the will to live? Sianna prayed it would. Her skill alone would
not suffice.
Kyne’s gaze met Sianna’s. At her silent nod, he loosened
his hold on Katya. Cheeks wet with tears, she stumbled forward
and sank to her knees beside the bed. Tenderly she clasped
Graham’s limp fingers.
“Graham,” she whispered. “I’m here. Don’t leave me.”
Kyne tensed as Sianna stepped away from the bed. In the
chamber’s small confines, her side pressed into his back. Her
heat and the subtle scent of herbs and wild flowers that clung
to her hair and skin distracted him from Graham and Katya.
Try as he did, even in the midst of crisis, Kyne couldn’t banish
his desire for this woman. Her tremor told him she was not
unaffected by the contact.
Since the death of his parents at DiSanti’s hand six annum
before, Kyne had fought to contain his clawing need for
vengeance. Aubin’s foul murder had released the beast lurking
in Kyne’s heart. Was he so blinded he’d condemn the innocent
along with the guilty? Was she innocent? His heart said yes.
“Katya?” Graham’s eyes flickered open. Eyes glazed and
unfocused, he stared up at Katya. “Don’t cry for me, Little
Kat. This is the end all warriors pray for. Death in battle.”
“You’re not going to die, you old fool! You can’t. Dramon
needs you. Kyne needs you. I need you.” Her voice broke on a
sob.
“Like this...I’m of no use to my country, my Rul or...to a
woman. Leave me.” With a sudden surge of strength, Graham
pulled his hand from Katya’s grasp, closed his eyes and turned
his head to the wall.
She started to grab his arm, but Sianna gripped her shoulders
and pulled her gently away. “Let him be for now.”
Like a lost child, Katya turned into Sianna’s embrace.
“He can’t die,” she wailed. “I love him! Don’t let him
die.”
“Shhh, save your strength, Katya. Graham is going to need
it. Rest now. I’ll call you when he wakes. Betha,” Sianna called.
The small, plump woman hurried forward, squeezing her
way into the already crowded chamber. Warmth flooded Kyne
as Sianna’s backside pressed more firmly against his.
“Would you take Katya to her chamber and settle her in
bed with a hot drink?” Sianna asked.
“Of course. Come along now.” Betha deftly took charge
of the subdued Katya and led her away.
Kyne felt a pang of regret as Sianna stepped away from
him.
She faced him and Lisha, who still hovered in the doorway,
and dismissed them. “Hold your meetings elsewhere and leave
me to my work.” Her tone of command brooked no argument.
Lisha stepped back. Hesitating, Kyne searched Sianna’s
face for any sign of treachery. Trust no longer came easy to
him. DiSanti’s betrayal of his family and his country had seen
to Kyne’s education. She met his gaze without flinching, her
eyes wide and innocent, her soft lips slightly parted. What choice
did he have? He wanted to trust her. He had to. For the moment.
Kyne turned and left the chamber. The door closed with a
firm thud behind him.
A small smile touched Lisha’s lips. “If love alone is enough,
perhaps your Graham will live. I came to tell you farewell.
Your healer has worked miracles with my injured men. They
are ready to leave. Allot us our share of the goods captured,
and we will be on our way.” She turned to leave.
“Where will you go? Your band is too small to challenge
DiSanti’s troops. With what we captured there is more than
enough to feed you and your men through the winter. Stay. Our
cause is better served if we join forces.”
A small tremor shook Lisha’s shoulders, but he couldn’t
see her face or eyes.
“My men may make their own choice. But there is much
you don’t know of me. I....”
“Your past is of no concern. You fight DiSanti. That is
enough. Join me. I have need of leaders and warriors. Lend
your arm to freeing our country from an oppressive tyrant.”
She faced him, her lips curled in a pensive smile. “Your
plea is eloquent. I will stay. For now. I only pray you never
regret your offer,” she added softly.
Kyne stretched out his sword arm. After a moment’s
hesitation, Lisha stepped forward and clasped his arm below
the elbow, as he grasped hers.
“Live hard. Die well, Warrior.”
“Live well. Die hard,” she spoke the response which bonded
them as comrades in arms.
The touch of her strong fingers sent a jolt through Kyne.
For a brief instant he felt her soul-deep torment as if it were his
own.
Or perhaps it was.
EIGHT
Her back to the door, Sianna took a deep breath to slow
her racing heart. She must be calm. Graham needed her
strength. With another breath, she pushed away from the door.
Three steps brought her to his side.
Blood now saturated the blanket covering him. Thick and
salty, the smell permeated the air of the small room. He groaned
as she lifted the blanket and began cutting away his trousers.
“Are you awake?”
Graham’s eyes opened and met hers. “Do not trouble
yourself with me. I am beyond hope. Let me die with my dignity
intact.”
“Katya is right. You are an old fool.” She let disdain creep
into her voice. “And a coward as well.”
Surprise warred with anger in his eyes. He stirred against
the bed, his fists clenching. “I am not afraid to die.”
“Dying is easy. It takes courage to live. Instead you roll
over and surrender at the first sign of trouble.” In a quick move
she stripped the bloody tatters of material off his legs. A small
cloth preserved his modesty as she cleaned the area around
the gaping wound. Blood seeped through the ragged opening,
the bone white against crimson. Though the amount of blood
looked prodigious, no major vessels were cut. He would not
bleed to death.
A grimace crossed his features, but he made no move. “I
will not be a burden. A legless man is half a man.”
“You deceive only yourself. Kyne and Katya have need of
more than your
body. They need your heart and mind. Don’t
abandon them. If you won’t fight for yourself, will you fight for
them?”
Eyes closed, he did not answer.
She leaned close and placed her palm against his rough
cheek. Heat scorched her hand. “Don’t shut out those who
love you. If you allow me I can help you, but you must want to
live. You must be strong and brave enough to face the pain. If
you surrender to despair, you are defeated before you begin,
and all my skill will be for naught.”
He opened his eyes and grabbed her wrist. Pain from his
strong grip shot up her arm. “Can you save my legs? Can you
promise I’ll walk again? Will I be as I was?”
Sianna opened herself to Graham’s heart and knew without
her promise he would die in spite of her efforts. In time she
could convince him he was a man with or without the use of his
legs, but he didn’t have time. Every minute he fought her
treatment lessened his chances of survival. She could save his
life, but she couldn’t guarantee what he asked.
She steeled herself to his desperate glare. Graham wanted
to live, but would rather die than live as a cripple.
“Yes, I promise.” Strong and sure, the lie slid through her
lips.
For a seemingly endless moment he searched her eyes.
She fought to keep the fear and doubt that crowded her
mind from her face. Was she strong enough? Skilled enough?
Satisfied with what he found, Graham eased the pressure
on her wrist. His body went lax, and his eyelids drooped again.
“Then get on with it. I will live. But be warned, if you fail me in
this I will personally escort you to the gates of Oblivion.”
***
Sianna closed the door behind her and sagged. Graham
slept, the bleeding finally stopped, but there was much yet to
do. She stretched and stepped out into the great hall. Warda
rose from where he waited outside the small chamber and
followed.
Across the hall, directing the disbursement of the caravan’s
contents, Kyne towered over the crowd. Determination drove
off exhaustion as she pushed her way through the crowd toward
him.
“Rul Cathor, a word with you.” Loud and a bit shrill, her
voice cut through the babble.
A puzzled silence fell over the people as they looked at her.