I reached for a pile of cloth, and handed him some ban-dages. Epor muttered something under his breath, flipped the man over, and hit him in the jaw. The man collapsed, moaning.

“Epor.”

“Sorry.” His eyes crinkled in a smile that proved he wasn’t. “He may be sick, Lara, but he’s strong. As well for me that he’s no warrior, eh?” Teeth flashing, Epor heaved the man over his shoulder. “Let’s get him bound to the bed before he wakes.”

As we crossed the square, a warble rose from outside the walls. Even I knew that Joden was asking our status. Epor tilted his head, and warbled what I assumed were reassurances. He looked at me with a question in his eyes, and I knew I had to make a decision. “Tell them to send the message that it is the Sweat.”

Even as he raised his voice, I prayed that I was doing the right thing.

It was no problem to secure him, the man was still unconscious from Epor’s blow. The bite had just broken the skin on Epor’s arm, but I insisted that I clean and bandage the wound. Isdra made a few pointed comments about the difference between helping and hurting my patient. Epor protested his innocence, asking if anyone was concerned about his welfare. They bickered a bit as they carried out the body of the archer.

The new patient was still sweating heavily, rank with the stench. For the first time, I was considering drugging a patient into cooperating with me. If the lotus kept him asleep, perhaps I could get water into him to replace the fluid he’d lost. Re-balance the elements in his body, as Keir had told me once. I flushed at the memory. But to give lotus to someone could also cause the deep sleep I was trying to avoid.

Deep in those thoughts, I checked on Rahel. She was still unresponsive, but I managed to get her to swallow some broth. Not much, but it was something. With that faint hope, I turned back to the man. Maybe a very small dose would aid him.

Epor and Isdra returned. They obviously washed before coming in. Isdra shook her head. “He’s still out?”

“Yes.” They started to settle by the fire, and I frowned. “Aren’t you going to finish the search?”

“I don’t want to leave you alone with that one.” Epor responded.

“From what Epor says he could awaken and break his bonds.” Isdra replied. “Best we stay here.”

“No, you need to finish the search.” I reached for my bag, digging for the lotus. “I will scream if he looks like he is breaking free.”

Epor shrugged. “I’m too tired to fight you, Lara. We’ll be as fast as we can.”

Isdra stood as well. “We’ll scrounge for breakfast as well.”

I looked up with a guilty start, and Epor laughed. “See? Does the Warprize consider my empty belly?”

“I didn’t think—”

“Don’t let him tease you, Lara.” Isdra rolled her eyes. “Like he doesn’t have a pouch of gurt on his belt?”

“If it were up to the Warprize, I’d starve to death!” Epor led the way from the room. “Nothing but skin and bones, yes?”

Isdra made a comment that I couldn’t hear, but I heard Epor’s laughter ring out in response. It made me smile.

But that faded when I turned back to my patients.

The lotus helped, but not as much as I’d hoped. He woke eventually, but he remained crazed, yelling and crying out. He fought the bonds until the skin on his wrists was rubbed raw with the effort. I could get no medicine or water into him, for he’d spew out anything I poured into his mouth. I talked until I was hoarse, but all he could do was curse me, in anger and fear, and for the most part his words were past understanding.

Epor and Isdra returned before the worst of it. There was no one with them, and their faces told me the horrible truth. Rahel, the babe, and the man were all that were left of a thriving village. My eyes filled as I turned back to my work.

For hours, we worked together in the cramped room, trying to rouse Rahel and break the fever of the man she had called Kred. Despite our struggles they were both slipping through my fingers like sand, and faded with each breath. Kred lapsed into the lassitude just as Rahel breathed her last quiet breath. I pulled the blanket over her face, and settled back on my heels by her bedside. All her knowledge gone, all these people gone. I’d risked our lives for nothing. Tired, I lifted my hands to rub at the ache in my temples, knowing that I had failed these people.

The babe chose that moment to cry out, unhappy about something. Isdra was there in an instant, but Epor scowled. “Can’t you keep her quiet?”

The irritation in his voice cause both of us to look at him in surprise but Epor already had a hand up in apology. “Sorry. Tired, I guess.”

Isdra accepted it, and turned back to the babe. But I fo-cused on Epor and really looked at him. At the furrow between his eyes, and the stiff way he held his head. “Epor?”

He straightened, empty buckets in his hands, and gave me a weak smile. I took a step closer to see the sweat on his forehead.

Goddess, no…

cHAPTER 6

“So. I will be the first of the Plains to face this enemy.”

Epor put his warclub on the bed, his movements slow and deliberate. He began to fumble with the buckles of his armor, but his hands were shaking badly. Isdra stepped close, reaching out to help him. He was already sweating heavily, and I could see the pain in his eyes from the headache. I ground a dose of lotus as fast as I could. Isdra was grim as she released the straps, and helped him off with the heavy leather. Epor used his finger to lift her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. “You fear this.”

Isdra moved her head aside. “I fear nothing.” She tugged his tunic up and over his head.

“You fear this, Isdra.” Epor spoke again, his voice soft and insistent.

Isdra stopped what she was doing, and looked at him. “I am Isdra of the Fox, warrior of the Plains. I fear nothing.”

Epor put his hands on her hips to pull her close. “But you fear this.”

Isdra sighed, and her hands grew still. “Epor—”

He put his finger over her mouth and gently rubbed it on her lower lip. It was a private moment but I could not look away. Finally, Isdra let out a puff of air against his finger. “I fear this,” she admitted.

Epor nodded, and sat down heavily on the bed. “Is that so hard to say?” Epor looked at her calmly. “A true warrior faces the very thing he fears, yes?”

Isdra growled. Epor pulled her close, laying his head on her breast. “I will defeat this enemy, and Joden will craft a song to my glory.”

“You’d best. Or Joden will sing only of our deaths. That will please Iften no end, and hurt our tribes and our Warlord.”

“How so?” I asked.

Isdra hesitated for just a moment. “We are bonded, and as such are valued by the tribes. We spoke of this before. For Keir to lose us in less than honorable combat would shame him.”

“Truth.” Epor hung his head down, as if gathering strength. He lifted his head, and looked at Isdra. “But all will be well, fire of my heart.”

“Shut up, and help me get these clothes off of you.” Isdra snapped.

Epor chuckled. “Heyla, Lara. Would you hear a tale of the strength of my bonded?”

Isdra flushed as she knelt at his feet to unlace his boots.

Curious, I paused in preparing the doses. “Tell me, Epor.”

“Well, this one, she says to me that we’re to bond. Being a wise man, I agreed to her demands, not eager to face her anger.”

Epor grabbed the bottom of his tunic, but got it stuck trying to pull it off. Isdra rose to help him. “So, on the day of bonding, Isdra sat first for the spiral to be woven in her ear. All had gathered, and my Isdra sat, so beautiful and so determined not to utter a sound.”

Epor’s head disappeared as Isdra pulled off his under tunic. His voice was muffled by the shirt.

“Does it hurt, Epor? The weaving?” I asked as I mixed the lotus in water.