| Chapter 23: Sarangrave Flat |
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Cail appeared to be both well and ill. He seemed to have recovered from the Sunbane sickness, regained his native solidity and composure. But his injury was still hotly infected; voure had no efficacy against the poison of the Courser's spur.
Linden glared at the wound as if it wrung her nerves, then demanded fire and boiling water. Hergrom and Ceer obeyed without comment. While the water heated, she borrowed Hollian's dirk, burned it clean in the flames, then used it to lance Cail's infection. He bore the pain stoically; only a slight tension between his brows betrayed what he felt. Blood and yellow fluid splashed a stain onto the sand. Her hands were precise in spite of her weakness. She knew exactly where and how deeply to cut. When the water ws ready, she obtained a blanket from Brinn. Slashing the material into strips, she used some of them to wash out the wound; with others, she made a crude bandage. Fine beads of sweat mirrored the firelight from Cail's forehead; but he did not wince. He did not appear to be breathing. You'll be all right as soon as we stop the infection." Her voice sounded impersonal, as if she were reading from some medical tome. "You're healthy enough for any five people." Then her severity frayed. "This is going to hurt. If I could think of any way to kill the pain, I'd do it. But I can't. I left everything in my bag." "Have no concern, Linden Avery," Cail replied evenly. "I am well. I will serve you." "Serve yourself!" she grated at once. "Take care of that arm." As she spoke, she made sure that his bandage was secure. Then she poured boiling water over the fabric. |