Tani's Destiny (Hearts of ICARUS Book 2) (26 page)

“Are you sure?” Steel asked.

“If we move him as he is, he’ll die, Steel.”

“All right, do it,” Steel said.  “Just heal what you have to though, all right?  Then we can get off this mountain and take him home.”

“Yes, all right,” Tani agreed.  She gently lifted the once white t-shirt so that she could place her hands directly on Dirk’s poor, bruised abdomen.  She had small hands, but couldn’t help but notice that they covered Dirk’s little stomach completely.  She closed her eyes, all doubts about her ability to heal gone in the face of her determination to heal this child no matter what the cost to herself.

A few very long minutes later, Tani opened her eyes and smiled tiredly.  “I’ve healed his internal injuries, cleaned up the bruising and blood.”

“I adore you, Tani Dracon,” Steel said hoarsely, tears in his eyes.  “You’re the most amazing, most beautiful woman in the Thousand Worlds, and you’ve got the biggest, purest heart in all of Creation.”

Tani was so startled that for a long moment she couldn’t speak.  “Thank you, Steel,” she said.  “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” 

“Then I’m doubly glad that I’m the one who said it,” Steel said, smiling.  Then his eyes fell on Dirk, and he sobered.  “Let’s get this little guy to the clinic,
Khalute
.”

“Yes, let’s,” Tani agreed.  “My concern now is his left leg.  See here, where this big lump is?” she asked, pointing at a large knot in the middle of Dirk’s shin.  “That’s the bone pressing against the skin.  I don’t want it to be moved at all, but without something to make a splint from, I don’t know how to avoid it.”

“What’s a splint?”

“Something hard and straight that we can tie to his leg above and below the break.  That will prevent the leg from moving.”

“Will this work?” Steel asked, removing the large knife he always wore.

“Yes, I think it will,” she said, taking the knife from him and measuring it against Dirk’s leg.  It was long enough, barely.  “I need something to tie it on with,” she said, then smiled as she slipped the thong attached to Wily’s pouch off of her neck and untied it.  She cut it in half using Steel’s knife, then paused.  “Can we put the knife in the sheath first, please?” she asked.  “This blade is very sharp, and I’d rather not add to his injuries if I can help it.”

“Of course,” Steel said, reaching for his belt.  A few minutes later they had Dirk’s leg splinted and were ready to move him.  Tani stood up and waited while Steel carefully lifted Dirk up, then placed him in her arms.  Wily leapt up, flapping his wings until he landed on Tani’s shoulder.  Then he jumped down on top of Dirk and laid his head on his front feet, watching the child with sad eyes. 

“If you’re going to ride there, Wily, hang on tightly, all right?” Tani said.  Wily nodded and she watched as his tiny claws gripped the fabric of Dirk’s shirt.

Steel shifted, then picked Tani up, for the first time in his life truly grateful for his
mahrac’s
strength and power because it allowed him to carry the precious burden in his arms.  He took off, flying straight up the side of the mountain, over the peak, and down toward the mesa on the other side.  A short time later, he landed on the ledge outside the clinic and set Tani down.  Then he shifted, called loudly for Astra and Drya, then took Dirk from Tani’s arms and followed her into the clinic.  He placed Dirk’s limp body on the medi-cot, then stepped back, not knowing what else he could do.

Tani went straight to the scanner control panel and began tapping in commands, so he watched and waited quietly.  When he heard Drya and Astra enter the connecting cave he went to meet them, stopping them both just before they entered the clinic.

“Tani and I found Dirk,” he said using his calmest voice.  “She healed the worst injuries before we moved him, but he’s still badly hurt, and there’s a lot more she needs to do, so let’s not distract her, all right?”

“Of course, Steel,” Astra said.  “We just want to help.”

“Where was he?” Drya asked. 

Steel turned to go back into the room with the women behind him, explaining how and where they’d found him.  Drya’s eyes were tear filled, but she didn’t break down when she saw her barely recognizable grandson lying on the medi-cot, covered with dirt and blood, with a knife tied to one leg.  She went to the sink and wet a sponge with warm water, then began trying to clean Dirk’s face.  Astra looked at the rest of Dirk’s body and knew they’d need more than a sponge or two.  She found a small basin, filled it with soapy water, carried it to the bed and began helping Drya give Dirk a sponge bath. 

“Astra, if you can find a pair of scissors to cut that shirt off of him that would help,” Tani said, turning to watch them for a moment. 

“What about the shorts?” Astra asked.

“Yes, those too,” Tani said, already studying the view screen again.  Something was troubling her about Dirk’s injuries, but she didn’t want to say anything until she was sure.  Or at least, more sure than she was.  Finally she turned away from the scanner and looked at Steel, then Astra and Drya, considering.

“Whatever it is you’re thinking, Tani, you can trust all three of us to keep it to ourselves,” Steel said quietly. 

“Can you put a guard on the entrance so that no one else can come close enough to overhear us?”

“Yes, of course,” Steel said.  He turned to leave and Tani went back to studying the scans.  By the time Steel returned she was certain she was right.

“For Dirk’s sake, this has to stay between us, for now at least,” she said, then waited for all three of them to agree. 

“Before I say what’s on my mind, I’d like to ask you a question, Drya.”

“Of course.”

“What was your first thought when Steel said that Dirk had climbed that mountain and fallen down the far side of it?”

“I don’t believe it,” Drya said without hesitation.  “He’s only four.  How could he have climbed to the peak of that mountain, alone, in less than an hour?  Besides, he’s not allowed to go up to the mesa by himself, and he knows that.  Dirk is a bright and inquisitive boy, but he does not break Grandma’s rules.”

“Children break rules all the time, Drya,” Steel said gently.  “But I agree that the mountain is too high, too steep, and too rugged for a four year old to climb to the peak at all, let alone in less than an hour.  Is that your concern, Tani?”

“No, not precisely, but it does tend to corroborate my suspicions,” she said. 

“Which are?” Steel asked.

Tani took a deep breath.  She didn’t want to say this, but it had to be done.  “I think someone hit Dirk on the back of the head, twice, knocking him unconscious, and then took him to the top of the mountain and tossed him down the other side.”

“Bless the Creators,” Drya said in a shocked whisper.  “But, why would anyone do such a thing?”

“That, I don’t know,” Tani said.

“Why do you think this?” Steel asked, his brows lowered over his black eyes.

“Firstly, he has two nearly identical injuries on the back of his head, the second right over the top of the first.  I don’t see how that could have happened while he was sliding uncontrollably down the mountain.  I won’t declare it impossible, but it is questionable.”

Steel nodded when she looked up at him.  “Agreed,” he said with some reluctance.

“Secondly, his hands are relatively unmarked.  There’s no dirt beneath his nails, no sign that he grabbed at the dirt or anything else in an attempt to stop his fall.  Thirdly, his right shoulder isn’t broken as I thought at first.  It’s dislocated, and look here, at his arm.”  She pointed to Dirk’s right upper arm where a set of dark bruises wrapped around it in the shape of a hand were clearly visible.  “When I heal him, those bruises will fade, but I wanted you all to see them first.”

“I cannot imagine anyone harming a child like this,” Drya said hoarsely.

“Whoever did this isn’t right in the head,” Astra said.

“I agree,” Tani said.  “Hopefully Dirk will be able to tell us what happened when he wakes up.  But whether he does or not, I think it’s safest for Dirk if everyone thinks we believe he climbed the mountain and fell.”

“Do you think a Nomen could have done this?” Steel asked.

“I don’t know, Steel,” Tani said.  “I don’t know what sort of security you have around here, or how easy, or difficult, it would be for a Nomen or anyone else to do something like this in broad daylight without being seen.”

“It would be easy enough for one of our own people, much as I hate to admit it,” Steel said reluctantly.  “There aren’t enough personal Blind Sights to go around, but there are about forty of us who have one.”

“And the moment someone with a Blind Sight got within wingspan range of Dirk, he’d be invisible too.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Steel said, then shook his head firmly.  “No, it can’t be one of our people.  It makes no sense.  It has to be someone else.”

“I suppose it’s possible that the Nomen have personal Blind Sights too,” Tani said, but she knew it wasn’t likely.  This was the second time he’d displayed a reluctance to think badly of his own people, and this was neither the time nor the place to attempt convincing him otherwise.  “Right now, I need to put this baby back together.”

“How can we help?” Drya asked. 

“I’ll need the bone annealer, the steri-lamp, and another tub of soapy water to finish cleaning him with.  If you can handle that, I’ll start healing his head injuries.”

“Yes, of course,” Astra said, then led Drya to the supply cabinets. 

“What can I do,
Khalute
?” Steel asked.

“I’ll need your help in a few minutes with his shoulder, and then with his leg,” she said.  Steel nodded.  She took a breath before placing her hands on Dirk’s head and closing her eyes.  A few moments later she was very glad that she’d decided to start with the head injuries.  One was bad enough that the skull had a small crack in it, and Dirk’s brain was swelling alarmingly.  She took her time, removing the swelling first since it was the most dangerous symptom.  When she was satisfied that it was back to normal and there was no bleeding anywhere, she healed the skull and removed the surface swelling.  When she opened her eyes she swayed dizzily, relieved that Steel was there to help her to a chair.

“I need protein,” she said. 

“We have protein bars,” Astra said.  “You want some?”

“Yes, please,” she said, then leaned back in her chair.  She reached up to her pendant, realizing that it hadn’t gotten warm this time.  She didn’t understand it, but she knew that she’d healed Dirk’s head injuries, and his internal injuries.  A flash of something red flitted through her mind quickly, then was gone before she could decipher what it was.  She shook her head and released the pendant, deciding that, for the moment, the mystery would have to wait. 

“You can stop, you know,” Steel said after handing her a container of water which she accepted gratefully.  “You’ve done so much healing today already.  No one will think badly of you if you need to rest and finish this tomorrow.”

“No, I can’t,” Tani said.  “I’d never rest knowing this poor baby was lying here, hurt.  You know that.”

“Yes, I know that,” Steel said, smiling.  “I had to make the offer.  I’m so proud of you, Tani.”

“Thank you, Steel,” she said, reaching out to touch his hand lightly. 

“It took a long time to heal the head injuries,” he said, clasping her hand gently.  It was so tiny compared to his, but so strong.

“Yes, they were worse than I thought,” she agreed.  “Another half an hour and he would have died from the internal pressure caused by the swelling.  But they’re fully healed now.  I expect him to wake up soon.”

“Now
that
would be good news,” Steel said just as Astra returned with a box of protein bars. 

“Thank you, Astra,” Tani said, watching as Steel unwrapped one for her.  “A couple of these and I should be able to get Dirk fully healed.”

“You’ve done so much healing for us,” Astra said.  “And it takes such a toll on you.  We need to start keeping a supply of these in here for you.”

By the time Tani finished two protein bars and another glass of water, Drya had Dirk thoroughly washed, except for his injured leg which was still in the makeshift splint.  “Thanks, Drya,” Tani said.  “I’m sure that’ll make him feel a bit better when he wakes up.”

“He’s the only family I have left,” Drya said.  “My daughter, Dirk’s mother, and her husband were among those who didn’t survive the mine.”

“I’m sorry, Drya,” Tani said.  “But don’t you worry about this little guy.  We’ll have him up and running around in no time.”

“You are the greatest blessing the Khun have ever had, Gunji Tani,” Drya said.

“No, Drya, it’s children like Dirk that are the blessings,” Tani said, then got to work.  An hour later Dirk’s shoulder was healed, the leg was set with an initial adhesion, and Tani was studying the view screen again. 

“It’s perfect,” she said, turning to look at Steel with a big smile.

“Ith it all done now?” Dirk asked in a small voice.

Tani turned in surprise.  “How long has he been conscious?” she asked Drya.

“Twenty minutes or so,” Drya said.  “He never struggled or even whimpered.”

“Hello Dirk,” she said.  “I know that hurt, and I’m sorry, but you did very well.  I’m proud of you.”