Warlord (19 page)

Tant was hovering over us. "I couldn't risk it, Warprize. Not after—"

"You were right, Tant." I gave him an approving glance, and he relaxed. "We can take no risks when it comes to the plague." I placed my hand against Sako's forehead. "But I doubt this is the sweat."

There was a noise outside. Before we could do more than look up, Wild Winds swept into the tent. "What is this?"

Tant and the women had lowered their heads, their eyes down. So I spoke up. "A sick child, Eldest Warrior-Priest. They feared that it might be the plague, and asked me to see the child."

Wild Winds's eye narrowed, and he took a step closer. Tant pressed himself to the canvas to allow the man to pass. "Is it?" he demanded, the skulls hanging from his staff rattling against one another.

"No. It isn't." I answered firmly.

Tant sagged with relief, muttering a soft prayer to the earth.

"How so?" Wild Winds demanded.

"Do you hurt, Sako?" I asked softly. "Can you show me where?"

The boy nodded, and rubbed his throat and ears.

"Open your mouth," I asked, and sure enough, his throat was raw. "Does it hurt to swallow?"

He nodded again, his large brown eyes darting between myself and the warrior-priest.

"This is common for children among my people." I glanced at Inde and got a quick confirming nod. "It is not the plague."

Wild Winds turned, saying something soft to one of the guards outside. I heard running feet as Wild Winds turned back and folded his arms over his chest. "And how would you heal this, Xyian?"

Startled, I looked up into that tattooed face, but all I saw was honest curiosity.

"I would have the child rest and sleep. I would have his thea give him a dose of the fever's foe." I caught a flash of fear over Tant's face. "Out of the jar that I have given them." I reached for it, and scooped out some on my finger. "This much, every two hours." I showed it to Wild Winds, then turned back to Sako. "Open up. The taste is bad, but you are a warrior, eh?"

The boy bravely opened his mouth, and I scraped the fever's foe on his tongue. He made no protest to the taste, warrior that he was. But that didn't stop him from screwing up his face in disgust.

"How do you know this is not the plague?" Wild Winds demanded.

"The plague strikes fast, and is very deadly. The fever is hot and fierce. Any who take ill tend to lose their wits, and sweat much more than this child." I looked at the theas. "There is also an odor with the plague, a very rank smell. Almost as bad as ehat musk."

"So if the child had the plague, he would already be dead," Wild Winds stated.

I nodded, even as the woman sucked in a breath in horror. But Inde was made of sterner stuff. She'd followed our conversation intently, and now spoke. "Warprize. I would ask for your token."

Caught off guard, it took me a moment to hand her the jar of fever's foe. "You have my token, Inde."

Inde took the jar, and cradled it in her hands. "Warprize, I would tell you a truth. The skills of the Warprize are spoken of with praise, and you are known to be a 'healer', with fabulous powers over life and death." She kept her eyes averted, but turned her head toward Wild Winds. "I would not offend, but I would ask the warrior-priest to cast his spells of healing as well." She shifted the jar in her hands. "The health of the child is the most important thing."

Sako's eyes got even bigger, and he swallowed hard, with obvious pain.

Magic. I might get to see magical healing. I kept my face calm but my heart jumped at the chance. But when I cast a look up at Wild Winds's face, he returned my look with a neutral glance. I shifted my eyes away, but the silence continued to grow. Was he really going to refuse to heal a child?

I reached for my satchel, and shifted away from the boy's side. The theas were startled by my movement, but I ignored them. I tried to make my voice sound normal. "I am not offended, Inde. You are right. What matters is the boy's well-being."

I stood then, and stepped away, as if making room. As I brushed close to Wild Winds, I challenged him with a look, but said nothing.

Wild Winds arched an eyebrow in response, but also remained silent. I thought he would refuse, but then he let his cloak drop to the floor, and plunged his staff into the ground. With one step he moved to stand at the boy's side.

With wide eyes, the theas moved as well, Inde moving to Sako's head, the other woman to his feet. Tant was summoned with a flick of Wild Winds' finger, and placed opposite him.

Wild Winds took something from a belt pouch, and added it to the small brazier. Then he sank to his knees beside the boy. The others sank as well. Out of courtesy I sat down too, but with much less grace. The staff wasn't far from me, and those human skulls seemed to move on their own, dangling from the end of braided leather strips.

Wild Winds began to chant, calling the elements to him and asking for their aid. His voice was deep and strong. The others took up the chant as well, their heads down, their voices a soft undertone. Sako was perfectly still, his breathing deep and slow, his eyes closed.

Smoke puffed from the coals, and, to my surprise, spilled down over the sides of the brazier, a lovely, deep purple. It flowed down, covering the floor of the tent, and then started to rise slowly around us. It made me uneasy, but the others didn't seem to mind. I realized that their eyes were closed, and they were swaying slightly to the beat of the chant.

Wild Winds was an imposing figure, with those matted braids, and the tattoos that covered his body. The dim light made it seem as if they moved, intertwining, dancing over his skin to the sound of Wild Winds's voice. The skulls seemed to tremble with the sound, turning to grin at me.

I blinked a bit, sat up straighter, and tried not to breathe so deeply.

"We are of the elements," Wild Winds spoke as the others continued the chant. "Flesh, breath, soul, and blood." He reached and pressed his right hand down on Sako's left hand. "The soul is made of fire, and sits within the left hand."

The boy gasped at his touch, his whole body jerking, his eyes flying open. Wild Winds reached over and brushed his hand over them, and Sako closed them in obedience.

"The breath is made of air, and sits within the right hand." Wild Winds pressed on Sako's right hand. The boy's breathing was slowing again, as his body relaxed. I watched carefully, trying to see a change in his condition.

"The blood is made of water, and sits within the left foot." Wild Winds reached for the boy's foot and I remembered where I'd heard these words before. That night, in Keir's tent, after he'd attacked Lord Durst in the heat of anger. He'd used the same phrases. I tried to use them on Keir when he'd been ill, but I'd gotten it wrong.

Wild Winds pressed the boy's right foot. "The flesh is made of earth and sits within the right foot." He leaned back on his heels. "The elements will heal you, warrior of the Plains."

The brazier had stopped smoking, and the air was beginning to clear. Wild Winds reached out, and pulled the boy's blanket higher, over his shoulders. "Sleep now."

Sako stirred, opened his eyes and smiled into that fearsome face. "My thanks, Eldest Warrior-Priest." He yawned, and blinked sleepily. "You have honored me."

"Sleep." Wild Winds rose. The others were rousing as well, lifting their heads, and looking about as if confused. He looked down at them sternly. "Air the tent, but keep him warm."

"Our thanks, Eldest Warrior-Priest," Inde spoke, even as she and the other woman moved to obey, but Tant paused before me.

"I'm sorry, Warprize. I feared that the plague was here."

"You did the right thing, Tant." I stood as well, and gathered up my satchel. "We can't take any chances."

Tant nodded his head, and moved to help the others.

"I will escort you to your tent," Wild Winds said, retrieving his cloak and pulling his staff from the ground. He held the flap open and I emerged into the fresh, cool air. A breeze had sprung up, and I wrapped my cloak around me, even as Wild Winds brought his own over his shoulders.

Apparently, even warrior-priests could feel cold.

Amyu and the guards were waiting, and they stepped back as Wild Winds walked past them. I fell into step beside him, and Amyu and the others followed behind, silent.

After a moment, I risked a question. "What was in the smoke?"

"What was in the jar?" Wild Winds fired back.

"Fever's foe," I answered, using the Xyian words. "You make it by—"

"You'd share that?" He stopped and stared at me. "With me?"

I stood, and stared right back at him, ignoring the tattoos and focused on his eyes. "Yes."

We stood there in silence. I refused to look away as he studied me. One of my curls chose that moment to work its way loose, and float down to dance in the breeze.

Wild Winds spun on his heel, and strode off.

I had to run a few paces to catch up, determined to walk beside him, and not behind. The way before us was crowded with people and horses, but it cleared, as all who saw Wild Winds coming yielded the way.

The silence between us continued until I broke it again. "I thought you were in senel with the Council."

"I was, until word came that your affliction had appeared." He spared me a glance. "We are not stupid, Xyian. Whether it is an affliction or your 'illness', we fear your unseen enemy."

"I never said you were stupid," I answered hotly, and would have said more but for the obstacle in our path. A jumble of children and wooden swords came crashing out of a nearby tent. Absorbed in their game, they attacked each other in a flurry of blows, causing them to trip and fall over each other, and sprawl at our feet.

"What is this?" Wild Winds demanded, glaring down at them.

Three heads, covered in red curls, popped up. Pale faces, covered in freckles, went even paler, as three pairs of green eyes widened in horror at the sight of the warrior-priest.

I gasped. Gils . . .

A woman's voice rose from a tent, seeking the three troublemakers. That set the boys scrambling away through the tents, disappearing as quick as their legs could carry them.

Wild Winds snorted, and continued on his way.

I hesitated, but Amyu and my guards pressed me, and we followed behind.

Wild Winds didn't speak until we arrived at my tent. He turned to face me, folding his arms over his chest. His glare didn't bother me in the slightest. I just stood there, and crossed my arms too. And narrowed my eyes for good measure. "I do not understand your healing," I said.

"I do not understand yours," he replied.

"You use no herbs."

"You do not invoke the elements."

I dropped my arms, and sighed. "I've been known to pray to my Goddess."

Wild Winds hesitated, then gave me a quick nod. "I've been known to use certain plants."

We regarded each other. This time Wild Winds broke the silence. "Keir of the Cat despises warrior-priests and all of our ways. He would see us destroyed. This is no secret." He lowered his brows, and looked at me intently. "And you?"

I thought for a moment. "Keir is my Warlord," I said. "But there was a time when I feared all Firelanders. I thought they were savage killers who breathed fire, and killed all living things."

Wild Winds's eyebrows shot up, but he simply nodded. "I will think on this."

I nodded as well. "So will I."

He turned and strode off without another word, and I watched him go, suddenly confused. Had I just made a friend? No, that was too strong a word. As was 'ally'. What did that mean?

"Wait," I called impulsively. Wild Winds paused and looked back at me over his shoulder. I took a few steps closer. "I want to know what is happening. What is going on before the Council?"

He scowled, the tattoos on his face moving to show his displeasure, but I took another step forward. "It's my life the Council is deciding and it's not right to keep me ignorant of—"

Wild Winds turned and walked away.

My mouth open, I watched as he strode off again.

"The warrior-priests keep their own counsel," Amyu spoke from behind me in condescending tones.