Warrior Blind (14 page)

The knife twisted. “You lie.”

“That I do not. Come with me. See for yourself. Eaudne awaits within the city walls. She is helping guide the healers. Come, I will let her determine if you are her son.”

“If you are lying of this I will kill you. Healer vow or not. I will see you dead.”

“How is it that you live?” And how was it that Eaudne did not know it? He had paid so little attention to the deities that his female worshipped. They had mattered little to a powerful demon such as himself. Perhaps he should have learned a bit more. “You are the healer that all Dardaptoans are fashioned after, are you not?”

“Dardaptoans? The only Dardaptoans that I knew were those who shared the blood of my ancestors. And all of them are dead as well.”

“That is not the truth. Two bands survived. Two bands have reformed. There are now close to four hundred thousand or more of your Kind. And the Healers of those four hundred thousand worship an unnamed Great Healer. Rumor is they possess a portion of his soul. But if you stand here before me, how is that possible?”

“Because a healer’s soul can never truly die while those he healed still live. My damned soul regrew itself while I was a mere slug in the ground of my Evelanedea. Finally, after years in the soil I was able to pull my way up and into this world. I have lived here ever since.”

It explained a few questions he had. But not all. By no means, all. “Then what is this place called?”

“I never named it.”

“Then I name it...Bronwen. The thirteenth world. And the capitol seat is Dekimos City, Place of the Great Healers.” Koios knew it was arrogant of him.

But he was the damned king, was he not?

The male looked at him. He pulled the knife free of Koios’ flesh. “Whatever. Your people will not be here long enough for a name such as that to ever stay. Come. I wish to see this Eaudne you speak of for myself.”

“So be it. But be warned...if you attempt harm upon her, I will see that you are beheaded. And the parts of your soul will be buried in separate worlds. I will find a way.”

“If that were possible, Warrior, I would have already tried it for myself. I have searched the eighteen worlds for the answers to that eternal question. And I have yet to find the solution.”

“And what is that question.”

“Simple. What it would take to end my very existence.”

BRONWEN
was speaking with the healer Eralyna, determining how many beds they would need in the main chamber when she heard calls from the intake area.

She wrapped her hand around the woman’s arm. “Eral, help me. I need to know what is happening.”

“Of course, my lady. This way.” Eralyna was a demon healer of many years. She’d established herself over the past four days as someone who was always calm in any situation. And she was fast becoming Bronwen’s second-in-command.

The two women hurried down the stone stairs to the first chamber. It was there that the wounded would first be processed by the Healer Hall’s staff. “Tell me what you see.” She hated having to use someone else as her eyes, but if that was what she had to do, then she would do it.

Eralyna hesitated. “The warrior King Koios has returned. And he has injured.”

“Is he hurt?” Panic had her words shrill even to her own ears.

“There is demon blood, my lady. But he walks on his own legs. But they bring back two bodies. And they are burned.”

She heard the clear horror in the other woman’s words. Bronwen’s mind returned quickly to the words Eaudne had said back in Thrun. No one escaped the fires of the dark sorcerer. “Send for Thadd. He should be in his office. Have the injured taken back to his examination bay. I will speak to the king myself.”

“Yes. Of course. There is another with him, my lady. A dark male I have never seen before. I do not think him warrior, though he feels familiar to me in some ways.”

“Thank you.”

She was at the bottom of the stairs now, wasn’t she? There were thirteen, and she’d counted them out of habit as she and Eralyna had descended.

Hard hands wrapped around her arms and stopped her. “Bronwen...”

“Koios?” She surprised herself by yanking her arms free and running her hands down his body, checking for injuries. She sent a bit of her healer’s soul into his body to check. There were injuries. Some she had never seen before. How in the name of the goddess was he even standing, let alone walking? “You need to be lying down. We need to get this blood stopped.” There were several lacerations, and one deep stab wound along his side that concerned her.

“In time. I am semi-mortal, female. I will not die from these minor scrapes. Tell me, where is the Laquazzeana Eaudne? I expected to find her at your side this day.”

She didn’t miss the chiding tone. “She cannot be at my side all day, Koios. That is unrealistic. She heads her own troupe of healers to lead. I’ll have someone fetch her, if you are more comfortable with her healing you than me.”

“Nonsense. If anyone’s hands need to be upon my flesh, it is yours. But someone seeks Eaudne. He claims to be her son.”

“And you believe him? It’s not Jushua, is it?” Jushua had been around Nalik a time or two in the past several months. He had taken great joy in teasing Bronwen; much the way her own brother Thadd had so often. He was also particularly protective of Cassandra, and whenever Nalik had had to leave Cass for whatever reason, Jushua often remained at her side.

“No. It is not Jushua.”

“Then are you sure it’s safe?”

“I do not know any other way of determining if it is this Dekimos or if he is the sorcerer in disguise.”

“That’s very coincidental that he’d show up here at the city named after him?”

“Or it was done on purpose by someone we just do not know much about. Where is Phaenna?”

Bronwen caught on to what he was thinking almost immediately. “You think she knew he was nearby?  Where did you find him? How many injured did you bring back? Eralyna said there were some who were burned.”

Someone touched her shoulder from the left. She turned. “They are burned and dead. But with your help, I can restore them to their lives. Their souls still exist in this world, though they are leaving us quickly.”

“Then I will help you.”

“No!” 

“Koios, if I can save their lives it is my duty as the Chief Healer of this place to do all that I can.” On that she would never budge. Healing was her calling, and she would deny it never again. No matter what condition she found herself in, when someone needed her, she would be there. Her own honor demanded that.  “You will not stand in the way of me answering the call of my station, of my gift. It is who I am and it is what I will do. Healer, I am blinded. I cannot see to assist you, but you will have the strength of my gift.”

“Then we shall work together. For I am blinded of heart, and the healing art is almost dead within me. I am Dekimos.”

“And I am Bronwen.”

She held out a hand to him.

“The one for whom this world has been named. I take it you are of some import to the one who calls himself king?”

“He thinks I am his queen.”

“And you have yet to deny it. Come. We have men to heal.”

His fingers wrapped around hers.

For the quickest flash of a half second, Bronwen’s vision was returned to her.

She gasped and dropped his hand.

Koios cursed, and grabbed her. He yanked her away from the other male. “Did he harm you?”

“Koios...I saw him. With my eyes. He did not harm me. Let me go. We don’t have time for this.” She reached out with her hand, something in her knowing that the other healer would take it.

She stepped away from Koios and toward the other man. “I am sorry. Sometimes Koios reacts before he thinks. It’s kind of been the main theme of our association.”

“Yes. He is rather hot-headed, is he not?” The fingers wrapped around her own again. This time she was ready for the return of her sight.

It was clearer than she had seen since she’d been a teenager. Bronwen had never had the best of vision to begin with.

Why had she forgotten that? Not all of her vision loss had occurred because of Ramorakin, had it?

No, it hadn’t.

She looked at the people surrounding her. She didn’t recognize half of them—at least not by sight.

But he was there.

And she looked at him. Koios. Big, strong, tan, and hair of almost black. He didn’t look like anyone from her world of Gaia. But he was so handsome.

She could look at him forever.

But there were injured needing her tending. And it was there she turned her attention next.

DELL
would live. As would Phan. Koios was well aware of the miracle that was. Both men had been nearly consumed by the fires the sorcerer had wielded.

That they had lived was due only to the man Dekimos and to his Bronwen.

She had looked so beautiful with the power of her gift flowing through her and into the two injured men. He had been awed by it, for a moment.

And he was convinced beyond doubt that she was a Laquazzeana now.

It humbled him.

How was he to care for her? To provide and protect the way a gamata should?

The crowd surrounding them felt the same awe. He could see it on the faces of those that watched.

Her brother Thadd had tears unashamedly on the face that was very much like Bronwen’s. The man’s unabashed emotion bothered Koios for some reason.

Was the Dardaptoan Healer that much aware of his feelings? Comfortable enough to show such weakness in front of anyone who watched?

He was Dardaptoan, and he was Warrior for all that he was Healer, wasn’t he?

Yet he openly wept as he watched the beautiful spirit that was his sister.

Koios did not understand.

Until he looked back at his female. Saw the connection between her and the man she healed. Dell, one he had trusted some eight hundred years.

His friend.

In that instant Koios got it. He understood.

And he went down on one knee. Those around him immediately mimicked the move.

There was something there, between the girl healer and the stranger. Between them and the Warrior they tended.

The trees stopped rustling, the birds and beasts of this new world were silent, even the waters of the river nearby did not intrude.

How could they? What was happening was the rebirth of a lost life.

There was true power in that. Healing, giving, birth, and pain. Loss and sacrifice, because it was evident that the pain the dead had felt was now shared between the two who would seek to reverse it. 

Was she even aware of what was happening around her?

He did not think she was.

Was she even aware of how her pain showed upon her face and body?

His heart hurt for her, and if he could he would take every moment of pain from her.

But he did not step over to her, because he knew in that instant that it was not his place or his right to interfere with her ever again.

If she was with him from this moment on it would be because she wished it. Because she chose to let him be a part of her life, her world, and her future.

He could do no other but offer her that respect.

She was his
gamata
.

And he was beginning to love her.

BRONWEN
had never felt such a rush of emotion as she did when she healed in the presence of the Great One. Had she ever doubted who he was that doubt was gone now.

He was Dekimos. The part of her soul that had originated with him knew and recognized him. But if he was alive how did she receive his soul as her gift?

That question rested at front of her mind while they finished with the two warriors. Finally she pulled away from Dell.

From Dekimos.

Her sight immediately clouded over. Though not quite as darkly as before.

“That is something you will be facing forever. But when you heal, you will use more and more of my soul,” Dekimos said. “You will see when you need to.”

“How is this so?” She beckoned to the healers she could still faintly see. Thadd was one of them. “Please see them inside. I have many questions for Dekimos that must be answered soon.”

Her brother shocked the crud out of her when he bowed.

Thadd bowed to her.

“Of course, my dear sister. Queen of the Great Healers City.” He smiled at her, and she could just barely make out the expression.

She would treasure this rare look at the brother she loved so much.

She hugged him. “Thank you, Thadd. For loving me and being here when I need you so much. I love you.”

His arms wrapped around her. “I love you, kid. And I have from the moment you were born. So has Theo. Don’t ever doubt or forget that. We love you. I think someone else does, too. Your
Rajni
awaits, as well.”