The Sage Seed Chronicles: The Unraveling (23 page)

Raz put his hand on her shoulder and said,
“You saved my horse’s lives, or at least from serious injury and
you saved Kennet’s life as well as his horses. You have my trust
and I will be careful how I find out. Those two do good work but
they are not to be messed with. Tell me, is Robse well?”

She waited a moment as the unexpected lump in
her throat subsided. “He’s dead. I need any information you can get
as soon as you have it.” she gave him a solemn nod goodbye and
returned to Lor’s wagon.

Even though there were many people working on
the bridge repair miles away, they expected the gather to be very
well attended. Guild members were busily setting up their booths.
Erin returned to help Lor do the final arranging. When he was
finished she assisted Alliz then made her way to Kennet. She joked
with him about how to have easy access to his hides and at the same
time having them secure against quakes.

“Well, lad, if they slide to the ground there
isn’t any permanent harm. I just have to clean them off. We have
had lovely dry weather, for the most part. It’s when it is muddy
that it would be bloomin’ troublesome. Thanks for the help. Be off
with you now and enjoy the gather!”

She bought a fruit blintz from Cob and opened
her ‘door’. Erin caught a feeling of anticipation about a half hour
later. It had the sort of sour flavor that she was associating with
Targ. She started to weave through the gather trying to locate him.
As she came abreast of the tinker wagon Erin heard Raz call out and
wave. She slowed down and waited. There was a customer just leaving
his wagon with a parcel in his hand.

Raz motioned her over. “I found out what you
wanted to know. I chatted, briefly, with Jarrel, our local guild
member. I asked him if he had seen Robse. He said that Robse had
come in the day his mother-in-law was very sick with a sudden
fever. She had been a wise old lady and was a gifted herbalist. He
had left his shop in the care of Targ just for the day. His
brother, Bure, was in town and said he would help Targ in the shop
during the crisis. Jarrel’s mother-in-law, Thera, passed away that
afternoon. When he returned to the shop he saw Robse’s name on a
list of customers and purchases for the day he was gone.”

Erin nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate the
information. I wonder where Wras was. Those three are so often
together.” she said thoughtfully.

Raz scratched his ear thoughtfully. “Well,
now, you didn’t ask that but it was something I was curious about
myself. Apparently we all think that way because Jarrel asked. Bure
had just laughed and told him that he was gathering herbs way back
in the mountains north of the city. Jarrel remembers that because
he couldn’t figure how that would be funny.” Raz studied her face.
“You will tell me when you can. I don’t have a good feeling about
this. Stay clear of those three. Together or separate, they can be
trouble. Haven’t seen Bure but the other two are around. Saw them
come in just before I spotted you.”

“Targ and Wras are here?” Erin asked
urgently.

“Yep” he answered, “You take care of
yourself, lad”. He gave her a concerned look and turned to speak to
some new customers that just arrived.

Erin couldn’t run as it would draw attention
to her as well as Raz but she spun on her foot and walked quickly
back to Lor’s wagon. She gave him a sign and he stepped back from
some customers and leaned down to hear her whisper. “Wras and Targ
are here! I‘m going to try to find them.”

Lor gave her a look full of alertness. “You
be careful. I’ll watch for you”, he said softly.

She opened her mind to Tempo and Keir. ‘Keir
keep a watch out for those two. Tempo I might need you, soon, for
the paste.’

She rapidly walked the gather, trying hard to
look the part of an excited kid enjoying the action. Her ‘door’ was
open and she was totally focused on their emotional signals. Wras
was gleefully impatient and Targ, trying to suppress his emotion,
had a arrogant pleasure leaking out. Erin finally spotted dusty
hatted Wras leaning against the side of the entrance to the city.
He was alone but appeared to be waiting. There was no way Erin
could not be seen but it was critical that she get by him and check
on Bas. She quickly bought a cheese blintz from Cob, all but
tossing him the mark. She turned and walked right up the steps and
into the city chewing on the food. Apparently she was nonchalant
enough because Wras didn’t pay her any mind. Once inside she kept
up the casualness as she made her way to the second lane on the
left. As she was approaching and preparing to turn into the lane,
weaving around some strolling people, she saw Targ emerging into
the city’s inner courtyard. He was oozing pleased emotions with a
mean feel. He didn’t pay any attention to her as he walked by. Her
heart was in her throat as she almost ran into the lane. Bas had
just taken a quick step out his door. He looked pale. “Bas! Have
you touched anything from Targ?”

He brushed by her, saying over his shoulder.
“I’m not stupid! But it wasn’t me. It’s Holm!” She was right on his
heels as he rushed into the jewelry shop. The old man had one hand
on his counter and was semi crouched as if he were picking
something up off of the floor. He looked up at them sort of dazed
and slowly collapsed onto the floor. Erin could see a dropped
scriber on the floor that had slipped out of his right hand.

“Bas, get to the mayor! Have him call those
two into his office about a job.. anything. Just stop them from
leaving without causing undue attention. We don’t want to alert
Bure.”

“I can be discrete! You get Ree’s paste!” he
said over his shoulder as he ran out.

Erin turned to the cree. ‘Vaca, I’ll be right
back. I need to get something to help him. Stay with him!’ She ran
to the entrance and then tried to slow down enough not to alarm the
cousins who were casually walking the gather. She slipped up to the
back of Lor’s wagon. Tempo had managed to get Ree’s earthen jar out
of the pack and had rolled it within Erin’s reach. She opened her
jerkin and slipped Tempo inside. He had grown some but she scooped
up some rags that Lor wrapped the stones in and piled them against
her to camouflage the bulge, then grabbed the jar. She crossed in
front of Lor’s booth. She caught his eye, nodded and held up the
jar. Then headed back to the city archway.

Erin was about two yards from the steps when
she was spotted by Targ. From the look on his face he apparently
remembered her and wanted to to do some bullying. Retreat would
have drawn him to her in a heartbeat so she decided to brazen it
out and keep right on moving. Cob was coming down the steps with a
few rolls on his tray. He also saw Targ setting up to do mischief,
and walked right across his path. The man ran into Cob and the
rolls went flying. The baker’s boy fell into Targ and banged the
man’s forearm with his tray. He bought Erin an enough of a
distraction that she was able to slip into the inner courtyard and
rush back to Holm. She could hear Targ shouting and some commotion
outside. Just as she turned into the lane Erin saw the mayor headed
outside with a few big timber men. Bas was running in her
direction.

She got to Holm’s shop and knelt beside him
long enough to drop the rags and free Tempo. She slipped on her
gloves and grabbing a rag picked up the scriber. Laying it
carefully aside she grabbed a small bowl and a slender jewelry
spatula from his work bench. She shook out some of Ree’s powder
into the bowl and snatching a cup of water from the counter top
poured a little into the powder. Tempo was nearby and had carefully
sniffed the scriber, wanting to know the scent of the poison. He
walked over to where Erin was working and looked up at her. ‘Now?’
he asked.

‘Yes, little one.’ and he, sort of, spit into
the bowl. She stirred until she had an even consistency of the
paste then she gently stretched out Holm’s hand. ‘Tempo can you
tell how much of his hand touched the tool? Be careful that you
don’t get any on your whiskers!’

Tempo carefully sniffed and said ‘Fingertips
and thumb. Outside edge and the top of the palm.’

“Okay”, she said to Bas who was kneeling
beside her. “Let’s see what we can do.” She started smearing the
poultice in those areas first. Making sure that part of the hand
was well treated she mixed some more and coated more of the hand.
The difficult part was that the hand, at rest, curls up and as the
paste started to dry it wanted to fall off his skin. She worked as
quickly as she could, mixing more and reapplying. Not knowing how
lethal the poison may be they were very careful to put the dried
paste on the same rag as the toxic scriber.

Holm had a fever but he was following what
they were doing with his eyes. Erin counted that as a positive
because when she started working on him he had been unconscious.
She finally sat back. “Holm, are you okay where you are for a bit?
I don’t want to chance moving you and shaking any of the paste
off.” Holm nodded in understanding. She looked over at Bas. “I
found out, today, that it was Targ and Bure who gave Robse the
shovel. The effects took longer, because of a sage’s resistance to
disease and his relatively young age. Also it is my guess they they
didn’t put it on heavily so he wouldn’t surcome until he was away
from the city. Holm surcomed right away because he didn’t have
those two things. We can charge them with attempted murder of Holm
and based on the evidence we can possibly make the rest stick. It
would be useful if they could give us Bure and any other
conspirators.”

Bas gave her his cocky look, “I am ahead of
you on the attempted murder and trying to get a confession. The
mayor has them confined and they are being questioned. I will go
add your information about Robse and Shamra to give them more
leverage. After I see the mayor I’ll get the healer.” and he was
out the door.

Erin looked down at Holm. He was still
feverish but was lucid and had followed the conversation. “I think
I might make it.” and he smiled. The healer ran in and Erin told
her what had happened and about Ree’s treatment. Ree’s skills were
respected and the healer made no attempt to change the poultice.
She had some special tea for Holm to drink to ease the fever and
helped him gently to sit up. It looked like, and Erin hoped it was
true, that Holm was going to make it. She carefully wrapped up the
scriber and put it in a small basket with the jar from Ree. She
took off her gloves and washed her hands thoroughly. Then she
scrubbed down his counter and the the door, anything he could have
touched. She took a clean rag and with soap and water carefully
cleaned each of Tempo’s whiskers then tucked him into her jerkin.
Vaca was standing on Holm’s leg as he sat on the floor. The healer,
Holm and Vaca had followed her every movement. “I will clean your
tool completely and get it back to you. You are in good hands.” and
she smiled at the healer.

Erin knew that the critical activity was
happening behind closed doors in the mayor’s office but she had
some things to finish herself. She had to find Bas and give him the
rest of the information to provide the mayor with the tactical
leverage he may need. As she emerged from the city and into the
afternoon light she paused. So very much had happened but no one
knew about it. Everything looked so normal.

She spotted Cob across the commons and made
her way to him. Tempo did not stir inside her jerkin and she,
again, had the skunks bulge camouflaged with rags and the basket.
He had a full tray as she stopped him and bought a small cheese
blintz. He was also carrying himself a little stiffly. “Thank you,
Cob, for what you did. You didn’t need to but I am very grateful
for you stepping between us. I was on an extremely important
errand, getting some medicine to an ill man and I was afraid Targ
would break it and delay me. You helped save a life and I
appreciate it. Were you hurt?”

Cob appeared startled by what she said but
answered her question. “Targ was pretty mad with my ‘clumsiness’ of
getting in his way. It isn’t hard for him to get angry. He hit me
in the ribs and I’m sore. My uncle wants to stay out of their
attention as they are relations to my aunt and hard enough to live
with. So he wasn’t happy with me for spilling the rolls and causing
a scene. But he didn’t hit me. I just saw the look on Targ’s face
and I knew you were going to get smacked around. I am glad you were
able to finish your errand. Boy! It sounds pretty important.
Who?”

“I can’t go into it now but I’ll fill you in
later. Thanks for the blintz!” she waved as she left for Flar’s
wagon.

Flar had just finished up with a customer as
Erin approached. “Hi Flar, I didn’t tell you before because it
didn’t seem important.” Flar cocked her head at Erin, at full
attention. “I am a friend of Ree’s. She made a special extra
strength ‘drawing powder’ and gave me some when I saw her at
Terresville. At that time she gave you the recipe for it.” Flar
gave a little bob of her head but remained silent, listening.
“Today it became necessary to use it and I would like to replenish
my my supply. Could I get more from you?”

Flar made a rapid hand gesture that indicated
that it would be easy.” Sure. No problem, lad, I made some up the
afternoon she brought me the recipe. I have some here.” She was
getting out a leather bag as she spoke. “Who was treated? Do I need
to assist Mari, the healer here?” Erin took out her jar and Flar
filled it up.

“Holm needed the poultice. Mari is with him,
now and the paste probably saved his life. How much do I owe
you?”

Flar capped off the jar. “Oh my! Ree’s very
good. Just give me a quarter mark to cover the price of the herbs,
Terran. In an hour when the gather ends I’ll run in and see if I
can be any help.”

Erin made her way back to Lor’s wagon. He had
been watching for her and just about jumped over the table to get
the news. She smiled and gave an okay sign the lifted her finger to
say ‘one minute’ and went around back to put Tempo into the wagon.
She unloaded the rags and set the basket aside. Tempo popped out
and onto the floor of the wagon. Erin put the jar away and reached
over and stroked the skunk down the back. “We did a good job little
one. The danger is not over because we haven’t stopped Bure. We
don’t know where he is. Don’t get into the basket. I have to
destroy anything contaminated with the poison and find away to
clean off Holm’s tool. I have an idea that I need to think on for a
bit longer but as soon as it starts to get dark I want you to see
if you can find some skunks as long as you are guarded. Gyan said
there were some in the area. I’ll be back’.