The Dawn Star by Catherine Asaro

Author:Catherine Asaro
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LUNA
Published: 2006-11-27T05:00:00+00:00

Jade knew she should stay away from Drummer. He had lain in bed for three days, delirious or unconscious, fighting a fever that raged. She wanted to sit at his side every moment. If she did, though, everyone would see the truth. Baz didn’t believe nothing had happened between her and Drummer, but he had so far had enough sense not to kill Drummer and start a war. Fieldson didn’t trust her, and the guards she had posted at Drummer’s suite made the general more suspicious. If she neglected her duties to attend their hostage like a love-addled girl, it would only inflame the situation. It surely violated some law of the spheres that Drummer mattered so much to her. But he did. She felt starved for him.

Jade spent the morning with her planners going over the upkeep of roads, bridges, footpaths, caravans, fire league, city jails, and the temples, where the people worshipped the Dragon-Sun and the spirits of the sky and sunset. Personally, Jade would have rather honored the sunrise, a more optimistic proposition, she thought. But the pantheon was what it was regardless of her preferences.

She met with Fieldson over a meal of spiced pastries and shrimp imported from the Misted Cliffs. The sumptuous food did nothing to pacify the taciturn sphere-general, who waited with impatience for Drummer to recover.

Finally Jade could take no more. After her midday meal, she slipped over to the Sunset Wing. Captain Javelin and grumpy Kaj were on guard at Drummer’s suite. Going inside, she recalled the time she had found Drummer here, standing on his head with his legs scissored in the air as if that feat of athleticism were the most natural thing in the world. Beautiful, limber, dulcet-voiced Drummer, who sang like ambrosia. Now he was dying. If only he had stayed put. Javelin had told her of Drummer’s resourceful trip across Taka Mal and his courage. Her minstrel had depths she doubted even he knew, and if he died, it would be a crime.

Jade found Mica in the parlor, at a table tiled with gold-wing mosaics. The healer was intent on a scroll that listed medicines they were using in Drummer’s treatment.

“How is he?” Jade asked, standing next to her.

Mica looked up, her face drawn, and started to stand, until Jade lay a hand on her shoulder, implicit permission to dispense with formalities.

Mica settled wearily back into her chair. “We’ve given him malo herbs and cold compresses for the fever. Nothing helps.”

Jade’s heart felt as if it stuttered. “Is he eating?”

“We’ve roused him enough to take liquids. Water. Broth.”

The room pressed in on Jade. She did her best to hide her intense reaction, for Drummer’s sake. For his life. As she thanked Mica and headed to the bedroom, it was all she could do to keep from running.

Inside Drummer’s room, Doctor Quarry was sitting by the bed, blocking her view of Drummer. Quarry was an older man, heavier than most, with gray-streaked black hair. He dipped a cloth into a basin on the lacquered nightstand, then wrung it out and applied it to Drummer’s forehead.

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