Eddings, David - The Redemption of Althalus by Eddings David

Author:Eddings, David
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

We've got work to do," Althalus told the others in a no-nonsense tone as he entered the tent. "Emmy's got some instructions for you, so pay attention."

Then Dweia shouldered him aside. "Are you getting any glimmers of light at all, Eliar?" she asked.

"Nothing, Emmy," he replied in a hopeless voice. "It's still as black as the bottom of a well. I don't know how a bang on the back of the head shut down my eyes, but I can't see a thing."

"The most primitive part of the brain's back there, Eliar. The senses are there-sight, hearing, smell, and so on. A bug can't think, but he can see. The front of your brain thinks; the back of it does the simpler things."

"What can we do?" Andine demanded tearfully. "I don't think I've ever heard of a blind man recovering his sight."

"When there's been an injury to the eyes, there isn't much chance, dear," Dweia explained. "Eliar's eyes are perfectly all right, though. His brain was bruised when Gelta hit him with that ax, and it was bleeding. We took care of the dangerous bleeding by drilling holes in the back of his head. It's possible that the bruising that almost killed him is what's interfering with his sight. If it's only bruising, it'll heal itself in time. Once it's healed, he'll be able to see again, and once he can see, he'll be able to use the doors again. Right now, though, he can't, and I have to get him here so that I can have a closer look to determine how serious the injury is."

/You aren't telling them everything, are you, Em?/ Althalus asked silently.

/Not quite,/ her voice admitted. /If the damage to that part of his brain's too extensive, he'll probably be permanently blind. Keep that to yourself, Althalus./ Then she pushed him aside and took his voice again. "We must get Eliar here to the House," she told the others, "but he's the only one who can use the doors. That's where Leitha comes in."

"How am I supposed to help him see the door to the House?" Leitha asked in a puzzled tone.

"You'll lend him your eyes, Leitha."

"They don't come out, Divinity."

"I know-and he wouldn't be able to use them anyway-any more than he can use his own."

"I don't quite understand, Emmy," Eliar said, raising his head slightly from the pillow.

"Don't jiggle," Andine commanded, gently pushing his head back down onto the pillow. "You'll start the bleeding again."

"What exactly is Eliar thinking right now, Leitha?" Dweia asked.

"Didn't you tell me not to do that?" Leitha asked.

"It's an emergency, dear, so it's all right this time."

"Well," Leitha said, her eyes going distant, "he's very unhappy.

He's sure that he'll be blind for the rest of his life, and he wishes that the blow had killed him."

"Well," Eliar objected, "I suppose I am, I guess. I'm not going to be much good to anybody if I'm blind, am I?"

"You stop that right now!" Andine flared, throwing her arms about him and breaking into tears.

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.