Lynn Flewelling - The White Road

“It’s not—not meant to be that way. It’s wrong.”

“But why wouldn’t you want to live if you could? Alec is no different than he was before.”

Rieser stared up at him with fever bright eyes and rasped, “Honor this request. That’s all I ask of you.”

Seregil touched the man’s hot hand. “You have my word, Rieser í Stellen.”

He wasn’t sure if Rieser heard him or not. Seregil sat with him for some time, pondering Rieser’s words. He’d never questioned whether it was right or wrong to bring Alec back from Bilairy’s gate. All he cared about was that Alec was still with him.

And let’s not wonder if a tayan’gil’s magic wears off, like Thero’s did on Sebrahn .

Was there something more than simple superstition behind Rieser’s request? He wondered if Rieser would tell him his dream. Of course, if the man died tonight, then he’d never know.

But Rieser did live through the night, though he remained unconscious as they set out for the Ebrados camp, rousing just often enough to take water to keep life in his body.

They approached the forest’s edge late that afternoon and spotted masked riders. Instead of coming to greet them, however, they turned and disappeared up the trail to the waterfall.

Micum reined Star to a halt. “I guess they can count at a distance.”

“Or they have a special welcome for us,” Seregil said with a frown.

“We should ride ahead and explain,” said Alec.

“Not you, Alec. Rhal, will you come with me?”

The captain drew his sword with a grin. “I’d be glad to.”

“You’d better have Rieser with you,” Micum advised.

“True. All right, you come with us. Alec, you and the rest stay well back from the trees for now. One of us will come back for you, or yell if we’re in trouble.”

Alec took an arrow from his quiver and set it to the string, resting the bow across the saddlebow. “We’ll be ready, but I’ll only wait an hour. It will be almost dark by then.”

“Good. See you soon!” Seregil took the lead ahead of the wagon, with Rhal in the rear.

“I don’t see any sign of archers,” Micum said in a low voice, scanning the forest on either side as they entered the trees.

“It’s the ones I don’t see that I worry about.”

No one challenged them until they reached the clearing at the waterfall.

Nowen and Sorengil came to meet them with swords drawn. Behind them Rane, Relian, Morai, and Allia had bows at the ready, and Turmay stood by the fire, oo’lu in hand. The other four were missing. Seregil wondered how many other bows were aimed in his direction. There was an air of tension here that seemed out of proportion with the situation.

“Who are those men you brought with you, and where is Captain Rieser?” Nowen demanded.

“Those men are our bodyguard,” Seregil replied. “We left them behind as a show of good faith, but I’d be happy to go and get them. As for Rieser, he’s here in the wagon and needs your healer badly.”

The archers he could see lowered their bows and followed Nowen to the side of the cart.

“Did they do this to you, Captain?” she asked, shocked.

“He’s beyond hearing you,” Seregil told her. “And if we had, we wouldn’t be bringing him back to you, would we?”

Hâzadriën and Sebrahn climbed into the cart while the youngster named Rane fetched a bowl of water and a knife.

Seregil and Rhal dismounted and watched with the others as Hâzadriën drew his knife and slit his finger. He made half a dozen yellow lotus flowers and arranged them in a ring on Rieser’s shoulder. Each one melted away in turn, and their sweet scent mixed with the rank odor of pus and proud flesh.

“By the Old Sailor!” Rhal exclaimed softly as he watched.

“But it’s not enough,” said Nowen.

Sebrahn reached for the knife, but before he could make his dark flowers, Seregil climbed in to stop him.

“No,” he said firmly, holding Sebrahn by the wrist.

“What’s this?” asked Nowen.

“Rieser told me he didn’t want any of Sebrahn’s healing. I gave my word. Let your tayan’gil go on.”

Nowen motioned for Hâzadriën to continue. At last the flowers began to take effect. The infection began to fade from the flesh, and the wound opened and oozed bloody yellow pus.

“You’re bringing those men here?” Nowen asked, still suspicious. “If you come in peace, then why do you need them?”

“They are my men,” Rhal told her. “We’re just here to ensure the safety of our friends. We mean you no harm.”

“Is Alec with them?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Go get your people and bring him with you.”

Rhal exchanged a quick, questioning look with Seregil.

“It’s time you went back.” The sun was nearly touching the tops of the peak now, and long shadows were stretching across the clearing. Rhal mounted Windrunner and galloped off down the track.

A few moments later Rieser came to with a sudden gasp and stared up at Sebrahn crouched beside him with a mix of awe and horror. “Nowen! Was I—Was I dead?”

“No, but as good as,” Seregil told him. “And don’t worry. It was your tayan’gil who healed you. How do you feel?”

Rieser flexed his shoulder. More pus streamed from the wound. Rane handed him a cloth and Rieser pressed it to the wound with a grimace of disgust. “Better than I was, except for this mess.”

Nowen felt his forehead. “The fever’s gone down a bit.”

Rieser smiled at Hâzadriën—the most genuine smile Seregil had ever seen on the man. “Thank you, old friend.”

Hâzadriën just looked at him and twitched his shoulders slightly. Seregil could see the outline of the wings press out against the back of the rhekaro’s tunic and wondered what kind of garment he normally wore.

“The small tayan’gil has great power,” Turmay replied, “but Seregil would not let the little one touch you. Why not, if it can heal, too?”

“I prefer the tayan’gil who is my friend,” Rieser told him. “Now let’s see if I can hold myself up.”

He climbed unsteadily from the back of the cart, then gripped it to stay on his feet.

“Good to have you back, Captain,” Nowen said, helping him over to a log seat by the fire. It was clear he was in no condition to fight.

“How are things here?”

“Not good. Some Retha’noi are massing on the heights. I don’t know how many, but more than we have, I’d say. They don’t want us here and we won’t get through without a fight. Kalien and the rest are on guard duty in the woods. That man Rhal has gone back for his men, and Alec. I hope I did right, letting him go?”

“You did. They only came to make certain of their friends’ safety, which I have sworn to.”

“Did you find the book?”

“We did, thanks to Seregil and Alec. Seregil, show them.”

Seregil pulled his share of the halved, salt-warped volumes from his pack.

“You have already tried to destroy them,” Turmay said with evident approval.

“Not quite. We’re splitting them,” Seregil replied. “No one will have a complete book. We take half and the Ebrados take half and they’ll never come together again.”

“No, they must be burned!”

“They won’t burn, thanks to the alchemist’s magic. It’s better this way,” Seregil explained.

“Then cast them into some deep, dark place!”

“That’s for our khirnari to say, Turmay. You know that,” Rieser said.

“But the small tayan’gil? You will destroy it?” asked Turmay.

“No! That was never our intent. You know we honor tayan’gils.”

“This is not like the others. You know what it can do. It’s already killed one of your people.”

“We’re taking him back with us, to protect him, like the books,” Rieser said firmly. “You’ve guided us well so far, but you have no say in this.” He gestured at the heights where watch fires were burning. “What is the meaning of all this?”