Dawnthief by James Barclay

Author:James Barclay [Barclay, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Fantasy, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781591027799
Publisher: Pyr
Published: 2001-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

‘Me or him?’ Ilkar gritted.

‘Isn’t it one and the same thing?’ Denser’s voice was appallingly

tired.

‘Not quite. He’s got less than an hour. It’s his kidneys.’ And then,

so suddenly that Ilkar had to think to maintain his flow to the

barbarian, a new, strong anaesthetising warmth moved through him and he knew she had come. The warmth travelled on into Hirad,

following his mana trails.

‘You’re being generous.’ A woman’s voice sounded very close to

his ear. ‘He has little more than half an hour. You are unaware of the

gravity of your own state.’

As suddenly as it had come, the warmth was gone and pain

engulfed Ilkar once more.

‘Well?’ asked Denser.

‘It can be done.’ The woman’s voice again.

‘Both of them?’

‘If you can hold on to the Julatsan. If that’s what you want.’ ‘That’s what I want.’

‘There will be a price.’

‘I understand.’

‘I hope that you do.’

Ilkar shook his head. A price between a Dordovan and a Xeteskian. Still. As Denser had said earlier, there was a wider purpose. The

warmth returned, tracing into Hirad’s body.

‘Release him to me, Ilkar,’ said Erienne.

‘I—’

‘You must,’ she urged. ‘Or Denser may not be able to save you.’ Ilkar knew she was right. With one last pulse, he withdrew from

Hirad, taking his hands from the barbarian’s stomach and focusing

inside at the ruins of his own body.

He shut off the pain, feeling Denser put a hand on his forehead.

Slowly, the world dimmed to peace and he was adrift.

Erienne scanned Hirad’s body and sighed. She should let the man

die. In front of her was one of the reasons her sons were dead. The

leader of The Raven. It would be fitting for him to die too. It would

redress the balance just a little.

But Denser had seen into her when he had asked for her help.

Knew she would be too fascinated by the prospect of Dawnthief to

refuse him. And knew she could not refuse her calling. But her

healer’s code did not stop her striking bargains for the lives of those

she was asked to save. And this time, the bargain might just give her

a reason to carry on herself. Same goal, new subject, and Denser’s

seed would be ideal. It would, of course, be all for nothing should

Hirad and Ilkar die. She bent her mind to the immediate problem. For Hirad, a BodyCast was his only hope. It would take more than twenty minutes to prepare. As she began, she prayed he would last that long.

From the well of his agony, Hirad fought to rise. Somewhere, far above, the heat was calling him. He didn’t realise he’d fallen so deep and he didn’t think he could climb back. Try, Hirad, try. A voice penetrated his unconscious. A woman. He tried.

Chapter 17

The next thing that assaulted Ilkar’s senses was a smell, cloying, with a sweet aftertaste. Pipe smoke.

He was lying down, still in the big room, and the view afforded him when he opened his eyes revealed nothing but a ceiling lit by bright sunlight. It was a fuzzy view and he lay listening to the quiet while his eyes found their focus.

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