Michael Stackpole Omnibus by Michael A. Stackpole

Author:Michael A. Stackpole
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Science Fiction, General
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 23

Alexia shivered as she looked at Will. The flame of a half-burned candle flickered and shifted the shadows on the youth's face and chest. He lay very still in the bed, with his hands crossed over his stomach, the sheets and blankets pulled down to his waist and folded neatly. Peri had seen to that, and now lurked back in the shadows between Dranae in the corner and Resolute's brooding presence in the chair beside the door.

The wan candlelight did nothing to disguise the seriousness of Will's condition. His flesh had an alabaster hue to it that brought into sharp relief the network of angry red veins that radiated out and up from the wound. Bandages swathed his neck, though the bleeding from the punctures had mostly stopped. Sweat dappled his brow and gathered in the small hollow at the base of his throat.

Worse than how he looked was how he sounded. His breath came ragged and wet. He would breathe in, then silence would reign for a moment before a labored exhalation. She feared each breath would be followed by silence unbroken.

Qwc sat on Will's pillow, carefully plaiting a temple lock. The small Spritha beat his wings to cool the boy, and kept murmuring things in his ear. Alexia could catch none of the words, but she hoped they brought Will some peace. She even imagined seeing his mouth twitch in an effort to smile, and refused to admit she was just deceiving herself.

A gentle knocking came at the door and she opened it. "You came, Highness."

King Augustus nodded. "Thank you for sending for me. No progress?"

"None. He lives but we don't know for how long." Alexia closed the door behind Alcida's monarch and waved him to the chair beside the bed. "We've sent word out to healers, but without elven magick, we have little hope."

At her comment, Resolute growled, "This is my fault."

"How, Resolute?" Augustus regarded him with a serious expression. "You could not have anticipated this turn of events."

The Vorquelf's silver eyes became cold crescents. "But I could have. I heard him rush into the corridor. I was here, resting, right there in that bed. I knew his tread. I heard him hesitate and assumed he was playing some game. By the time he burst into the room and shouted at the arachnomorph, I should have been on my feet with Syverce in hand. I was late, seconds late. He'd been bitten before I could act."

Dranae growled from the corner. "You did what you could, Resolute. I was in the common room below, warming myself with ale and fire. I saw him rush in, but thought him up to childishness, too. Not only did we mistake him, but we remained unaware of the theft."

Augustus raised an eyebrow. "Theft? I had assumed the attack had been an assassination attempt."

Alexia shook her head. "The Draconis Baron entrusted a portion of the DragonCrown to Kerrigan. Kerrigan told no one but Crow and me - though later he must have entrusted Will with the information.

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