Freeing Nivaka by Leslie E Heath

Author:Leslie E Heath
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781386645412
Published: 2018-06-12T16:00:00+00:00

10

Enough

Once Alija had recovered enough to stand, he staggered over to Kai. The injured man hadn’t moved from his position, slumped over the barrel. The flail had cut strips from his back, and blood flowed in rivulets to the floor. Unsure where to put his hands without causing his friend more pain, Alija hovered inches from Kai’s face. He didn’t move, didn’t open his eyes.

Alija tapped Kai’s cheek with his fingertips. “Kai? Are you all right?”

He groaned and turned his head away, and relief nearly knocked Alija’s trembling legs out from under him.

Dalan and Wayra stumbled to Kai’s other side.

“We have to get him to my father,” Dalan said, his voice brittle as a reed in a summer wind.

“How do we move him?” Wayra asked. His voice was stronger, but sweat dripped from his face and hair, soaking his shirt.

Alija knelt in front of the barrel and nudged an uninjured spot on Kai’s shoulder. “Hey, Kai. We have to move you. Do you think you can walk a bit if we support most of your weight?”

With another groan, Kai nodded and lowered his arms to his sides. Alija scooted close to Kai’s side, searching for a place to put his hands. He draped Kai’s arm across his shoulders and used his other hand to grab Kai’s pants. Wayra took the same position on Kai’s other side.

“On three,” Alija said through gritted teeth. They lifted Kai off the barrel, the movement awkward and halting. When he found his feet and could support some of his own weight, they moved forward together. The watching crowd parted to allow them to pass, though no one stepped forward to help them.

The cold spring breeze blew through the Square, unfettered by the surrounding trees, and cut through Alija’s sweat-soaked clothes. Brilliant oranges and pinks painted the sky by the time they made it across the Square to the Gadonu’s home. When they drew near, Dalan rushed ahead and held open the door. Barely a breath had passed before Valasa’s broad form appeared in the doorway, blocking Alija’s view of the welcoming interior.

A few more halting, trudging steps later, they made it through the door and into the warmth of the healer’s home. Valasa had apparently been waiting for them since a cot lay across two chairs just inside the door. Alija and Wayra helped Kai onto the stretcher, and he collapsed face-down onto it as soon as they released him.

Alija longed to drop into one of the plush chairs or onto the overstuffed couch across from them, but he didn’t want to ruin them with the sweat and blood that soaked his clothes.

“Help me carry him to my study.”

Valasa’s booming voice startled Alija, and he jumped to take one end of the stretcher. Wayra stepped up beside him, and they lifted the light wooden frame together. Valasa took the other end, leading the way into a brightly-lit study. Normally, the room would have elicited a great deal of interest, since no one was ever allowed

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.