A Stranger to Command by Sherwood Smith

Author:Sherwood Smith
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy, cookie429, Extratorrents, Kat
ISBN: 9781611380729
Publisher: Book View Cafe
Published: 2008-07-31T22:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-NINE

Shevraeth was aware of Marec entering their tent only when something warm bumped his hand, and Marec murmured in a low, cheery voice, “Looks to me like a prime headache on you. Of course you forgot the first rule of summer games—”

Yes, he had. He’d come straight off the game into his supervising duties, without stopping at the stream for a drink. Even though he’d had a desperate thirst, and a vile-tasting mouth, ever since... whenever it was.

He forced himself to sit up, despite the heave of his stomach and the renewed hammer in his head. First sips then gulps of hot, bitter willow-steep burned his mouth without really satisfying the thirst, but he drank it all anyway, then, gasping for breath, he lay back down.

He was not aware of Marec vanishing and reappearing until the cup, cold and wet this time, nudged his fingers. It was full of water, fresh from the stream. Another effort, though this time slightly easier as he sat up and drank. As he lay down again his overheated body burst out in sweat at last, leaving him shivering for a short time, but that, too, diminished, and gradually the pain lessened to a mere candle compared to its previous sun.

When Marec returned for the third time, he heard the muted crunch of heels on dirt, the sough of the tent-flap lifting, and the rustle of Marec’s clothes as he sat on his bedroll. “Here’s a bread-and-cheese,” he said.

Shevraeth eased himself up. He was going to live after all.

Too bad.

“Thanks.” He took the sandwich and braced for questions.

Marec yawned. “Pereth gave you advance to the point where our second defense broke your regroup. Said to tell you to get shut-eye now, because he’s going to plant the flags the moment he’s got some sun, so we can get at it early, maybe finish by noon, before the heat gets too bad.”

“Right,” Shevraeth said around his sandwich. And because he was not a coward, “Marec, I hit that boy as hard as I could.”

“Yep. You did.”

“Should I report myself to Keriam? I don’t want to leave that to Pereth.”

“Pereth has to anyway. My advice is, let it be.”

“But I hit him with all my strength. That’s not right.”

“No. But you only did it once, and every single person here knows why. I think most were hoping you’d go berserk and lambaste him. Everyone except Pereth—only because he’d have to stop it—and Van’s particular friends. This is nothing new, and there are enough witnesses to the cause. You may’s well let it be. Concentrate on how you’re going to fight me tomorrow, or we’re going to grind you into the dust. I still have Stad, and we wounded Evrec.”

Marec grinned and got up to leave.

Shevraeth said, “Is there a night watch?”

“Not for you. Pereth had specific orders for you to rack out, since you probably made the night easier for us. It being a star night.”

Star night—oh, yes. Shevraeth’s overnights so far had mostly been cloudy or rainy nights, except for a couple his first year.

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