“Have a room readied,” said Gennen.
“Best have him in a private chamber, you think?” The stout woman didn’t wait for a nod from Gennen before hurrying back into the common hall. Inside, a cluster of cook fires lit the expansive interior. A multitude of fire pits, each ringed by disheveled bedding and sleeping mats, filled the space and had long since blackened the vaulted ceiling.
Wynne and Oda wandered away while Gennen and Inen carried Kyen towards the back. A grass mat hung like a curtain from a stone door frame. As they neared, the Veleda marm emerged from inside.
She held open the mat while they carried Kyen inside. As Adeya passed through, she stopped her by taking her hands and pressing them warmly.
“I’m Nellalain, dear. Call me Nella, if you’d like.” She said before smiling Adeya the rest of the way inside.
In the small stone chamber beyond, a stream of light beamed through a hole in the corner of the ceiling. Several grass mats lay piled on the floor. Nella hurried to spread a sheet over these and plumped a pillow at one end.
Inen, lifting Kyen from his shoulder, let his limp form flop down onto the bed.
“Gently! Gently!” Nella cried, then muttered under her breath. “Ruffians.”
Adeya sat on her knees next to Kyen and pulled up his tunic. “Can you bring wash water? Fresh bandages and any herbs for fever?”
“Right away,” said Nella.
Gennen and Inen followed Nellalain out without another glance at them.
Adeya had begun to strip off the blood-encrusted bandages when Nella returned with a stack of bowls, a steaming kettle, and a pouch. Getting on her knees opposite Kyen, she poured out the steaming water, sprinkled in Ihnasah flowers from the pouch, and handed it to Adeya.
He lay quiet as she set to bathing the stitched-up wounds. His skin burned hot with fever and sweat soaked his hair, but delirium had exhausted him into stillness. He looked as gray as the floor stones next to his face.
Nella gazed on him. “Poor dear. Whatever happened?”
“Ennyen attacked him.”
She clucked her disapproval. “That Ennyen! He’s the only one Gennen hasn’t been able to rein in. Almost took my Gennen’s head off when he tried. What else do you need, dear? How can I help?”
“Can you hold him up? I can’t dress the wound near his neck with him half-laying on it.”
“Certainly.”
Together, they cleaned and redressed Kyen’s chest, shoulder and hand. As Adeya tugged the last knot tight, Nella rose to her feet.
“Let me go get some more blankets, and some broth, and more bandages, too. And I wonder where I put that other pouch of Ihnasah…” Nella’s mumbling followed her out the door when she left.
Adeya covered Kyen with the blanket, not bothering to replace his tunic. She poured a fresh bowl of water. Dipping a clean length of bandage in it, she wrung it out, flapped it until it cooled, then folded it neatly on Kyen’s forehead. She sat back on her heels with a sigh.
Nella hustled back with her arms laden anew, this time with blankets, more bandages and pouches, and a bowl of broth. Kneeling beside Adeya, she set all these items down.
“Are you unhurt?” She put a hand on Adeya’s shoulder. “You look exhausted.”
“I’ll be fine.” She managed a smile.
“Why don’t you get some rest? I can look after him.”
Adeya shook her head. “I’d rather stay. At least until the fever breaks. “
“You must take care of yourself, too, dear.”
“I’ll be alright. Really.”
“Rest will put him right, you’ll see. Sitting here won’t hurry that along.”
“I don’t want to leave him.”
“Really, wearing yourself out—”
“I won’t!” Adeya’s shout rang through the room, silencing her and making Nella draw back.
“I won’t leave him,” She repeated, her voice shaking despite her attempt to seem calm.
Nella said nothing, looking on with concern.
“I’m sorry.” She rubbed her forehead with the palm of her hand. “I didn’t mean to raise my voice at you.”
The Veleda marm patted her shoulder. “No need for it. Let me get you a blanket and a cup of tea in the least.”
“Thank you,” said Adeya, but Nella was already bustling out the doorway. A murmur of “poor dear” floated in her wake.
Adeya sighed to herself. When she turned back to Kyen, she started to find his eyes half-open. He was looking up at her out of a tired daze.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so loud.” She tugged at his blanket. “You should drink something. It’ll give you some strength back.”
His eyes closed a fraction.
“You stay awake!” Adeya snapped at him. “Don’t you drop out until you drink something!”
His opened his eyes all the way, staring at her, shock breaking through the weight of his exhaustion.
Adeya, all puffed up, glared back with hands clenched in her lap.
“Is it…” His voice was hoarse, soft. “...as bad ... as the last two?”
She deflated, smiling a little. “No. This is food, not medicine.”
He nodded.
Taking up the broth, she helped him hold up his head to drink it. Nella walked back in as Adeya laid him down. He closed his eyes again.
“I’ll bring another bowl for when he wakes next. A bowl of broth can do a kingdom of good.” Nella draped a blanket over Adeya’s shoulders. “Is there anything else you need?”
Adeya shook her head. She tugged the blanket around her. “No, thank you, Nella.”
“Men of Avanna are all steel and spitfire.” Nella smiled down at Kyen’s sleeping face. “It’ll take more than this to undo him. You’ll see.”
A clamor of shouting broke out from beyond the doorway, echoing around the cavernous space outside. Wynne’s high-pitched tones cut above all the rest.
“Arguing again.” Nella sighed. “I better see to that. Get me if you need anything. I’ll be by the cook fires.” She hastened away.
Adeya stared as the grass mat flapped shut behind the Veleda marm. Clashing steel joined the shouting. Gripping the pendant at her neck, she edged a little closer to Kyen and looked down at him.
He was still so pale, the color of the sheets. It made his black, sweat-soaked hair stand out in sharp contrast against his forehead. His breathing came slow, shallow, weak in his sleep.
Tears brightened Adeya’s eyes. She hunched into her blanket, whispering, “You’ve got to keep alive.”
More angry voices joined the shouting and clamor beyond the mat.
Adeya buried her face in her hands as silent sobs shook her shoulders.