by Narro, B. T.
“And if any of those things happen?”
“Then the wound is getting infected and needs to be cleaned. That’s really all you can do. Hurry to Kyrro City as quickly as you can. He’s going to need medicine.”
“How am I supposed to clean the wound without soap?”
“We’ll give you some. Just make sure to only use water that’s been boiled.” Bencer sighed as he turned and looked out toward the ocean. “We lost someone. He was shot in the leg as we ambushed a group of Krepps. The arrow went through his calf. We all thought he was lucky that his bone hadn’t been hit, but it turned out he wasn’t lucky after all. For two days he seemed to be getting better, but then something must’ve gotten into the wound. His leg got infected. He lasted another couple days, but it just kept getting worse. We didn’t have a horse like you do. There was no way of getting him to Kyrro. At least you can do that.”
“I’m sorry about your comrade.”
Bencer nodded sullenly. “I wouldn’t want the same thing happening to Rek.”
Cleve’s thoughts turned to Reela. How would she react if he had to tell her that Rek was killed?
What if he dies and it’s my fault because I couldn’t stop the infection?
All of Cleve’s life, Terren had been the only person he cared for as much as his parents. But everything had changed. Losing Rek would be too much to bear. And Cleve didn’t know if he could stand seeing Reela’s face after delivering the news.
“You look angry,” Bencer said.
“I’m frustrated,” Cleve replied. “Welson isn’t the man you think he is.”
“You act as if your own king is the enemy here,” Bencer said indignantly. “He’s not the one driven to kill us all. The Krepps are.” Bencer pointed toward the Krepp encampment. “Those creatures are so vile, they’d tear Kyrro apart just to feed on Slugari. Worst of all, the one leading them toward this goal is a Slugari as well. The King is trying to win this war. He saw something in you and the Elf that led him to send you out here, and I can see it too. You may be bitter, but your resolve is infectious. Don’t let these ugly thoughts about your king change you, understand?”
Cleve nodded.
Rek’s screams turned Cleve around.
“Give him your belt to chew on.” Evon pointed to one of the men.
Bencer put his hand on Cleve’s back. “It looks like the removal has begun. Let’s make sure your friend has everything he needs.”
Chapter 13:
CLEVE
It had to have been more than an hour from the time of Rek’s first screams to his last. He’d finally passed out. Evon assured Cleve the Elf wasn’t dead. Then he held up the bloody arrowhead and asked, “Think he’ll want to keep this?”
“No.” Cleve was confident. “He already has a scar on his face from an incident that brings misery with its memory. Although he won’t be able to see the scar on his shoulder, he won’t need a souvenir to remember it’s there.”
Evon was cleaning Rek’s shoulder with water. Blood ran thick into the dirt. “I hope he doesn’t wake when I cauterize the wound. Is the knife ready? Let me see.”
“It’s not red yet,” Bencer said.
“It shouldn’t be. It’s hot enough. Hand it to me.”
Without so much as blinking, Evon pressed the blade against Rek’s shoulder for the span of a heartbeat. Rek’s eyes burst open and he uttered a scream with his teeth clamped onto the belt stuffed into his mouth.
“A couple more times,” Evon said. “Need to stop the bleeding.”
Cleve knelt down and let Rek squeeze his hand. “I’m going to get you back safely.”
“Tell me about Reela,” Rek whimpered. “Distract me.”
For a moment, Cleve was lost. “What about her?”
“What do you like about her?” Rek screamed just after finishing his sentence. Evon had pressed the blade against his shoulder once more.
“It’s the way I feel when I’m around her,” Cleve said. He could feel his face becoming red because the men around him were listening. But if Rek wanted to know, he deserved the distraction. “It was so unusual when we first met that it frightened me. I thought it was psyche.”
Cleve stopped. Rek’s eyes had closed.
“Keep talking,” Rek said, exhausted.
“She’s the only one who makes me feel this…I don’t know how to describe it.” He lowered his voice. “I can’t stop thinking about her, and everything reminds me of her. I’d never met anyone else like that. It makes me nervous.” Weak, Cleve didn’t say aloud.
Evon silently inspected Rek’s wound. He dabbed it with his cloth.
“Why nervous?” Rek asked.
“It’s not the same type of nervousness I get from this war. I don’t feel as if something bad is about to happen with her. It’s more like I’m afraid of losing something good. Do you know when you’re coming out of a good dream and you can feel it slipping away? That’s how I feel with Reela every time I’m with her.”
“I know she feels the same way.”
“She must be furious with us.”
Rek half-smiled. “Definitely. But she’ll forgive.”
“I’m sorry, Rek,” Evon said. “I need to use the blade once more. Last one, I promise.”
Rek moved his other hand so he could use both to squeeze Cleve’s firmly. He turned his head to look into Cleve’s eyes. Cleve could feel the Elf’s psyche at work. A warm rush of comfort swam through Cleve’s body. He figured Rek’s main goal was to comfort himself and that he was getting a side benefit.
Evon pressed the blade against him. Rek screamed and passed out a blink later.
Cleve didn’t sleep much that night. He was constantly waking from nightmares of Rek being shot. Each time he awoke, he checked on his friend, who was often groaning, clearly in severe pain yet so exhausted he couldn’t remain conscious for long.
Rek slept most of the next day as well. The other men went about their business of scouting the land for Krepp movement. Cleve remained by Rek’s side. It was an effort to make him drink water, and having him eat was hopeless. But Evon reassured Cleve that Rek would awaken with an appetite eventually.
By midday, the Krepps retreating from Kyrro had made it back to the encampment. Bencer assumed the lizard-men would spend the next few days preparing to march right back and attack with their full strength.
“Because they’re not giving up,” he reasoned. “Not when they’ve just acquired two giants…what did Rek call them again?”
“Dajriks,” Cleve answered.
“Two Dajriks. And with Tenred on their side...” he finished his sentence by letting out a slow breath instead of words.
“Is Rek really as strong as Vithos?” Evon asked.
“I’m sure he is. Whoever or whatever comes to Kyrro, we’ll win.”
“We’ll be there too,” Bencer said, straightening his back. “We’ll release the pigeon when the Krepps start to march, but we should be able to stay a day ahead of them. Although, I can’t say I have the same confidence as you after seeing those Dajriks. Add in the army of Tenred and we’ll be outnumbered two to one.”
Cleve looked to where he knew Kyrro to be, not that he could see it with the Fjallejon Mountains stretching around the territory like a shield.
“The next battle could be our last if we don’t win the fight against Tenred,” Cleve said.
Bencer was suddenly alarmed. “What battle?”
“The King sent his army to Tenred shortly after I left Kyrro with Rek. In fact, the battle has probably begun by now. Vithos might be there.” But then Reela probably would’ve gone with him. Panic caused Cleve to pace. “Rek and I should go as soon as we can.”
“If the battle has begun like you said, then there’s no way you’ll make it there in time. Just worry about keeping Rek healthy and bringing him to Kyrro City. Cleve, are you listening to me?”
Although Cleve was pacing while Bencer spoke, he did hear every word and grunted, “Yes.”
“He�
�s awake,” Evon said.
Cleve rushed to Rek’s side and knelt down. “Rek, can you hear me?”
“Of course, I could hear everything you’ve said. I just didn’t have the strength to reply. And Evon was right. I’m starving.”
“We’ll get a fire going,” the chemist said. “I’ll wake you when the food is ready.”
“Thank you. Then we’ll leave.” Rek turned to Cleve. “You may have to put me up onto Nulya’s back. I’ve barely the strength to lift my head. How does my ankle look?”
Cleve checked and said, “Just as bad as yesterday.”
Rek sighed.
Evon peered down at Rek’s ankle. “The chemists in Kyrro City can give you something for the swelling that should help it heal faster.”
“If we make it there,” Rek grumbled, already half asleep.
Cleve caught himself sighing next.
It was evening by the time Rek had the strength to stand on his own. The sun was blocked by a wall of clouds, and the air was moist. Rain was threatening.
As several men helped Rek hobble over to Nulya, Evon whispered to Cleve, “If rain comes, you must keep him dry.”
“How?”
“However you can, but it’s not worth stopping. Keep riding.”
“Thank you for everything.”
“It’s what I was trained for.”
Cleve swung his leg over Nulya’s back. Bencer and the others helped Rek gingerly onto the saddle as Cleve gripped his hand to pull him up.
“We’ll see you on the battlefield,” Bencer said.
“Stay safe out here.” Cleve turned Nulya north, looking over his shoulder one last time at Bencer and his men. They already were going back to their business.
Although Cleve was weary, at least Nulya was well-rested. She seemed eager to climb the hills ahead of them. Cleve wondered if she knew that she would never see Hope again. Could she feel anything close to the remorse that Cleve knew Rek was going through?
Rek was silent, his left arm wrapped around Cleve’s stomach in a firm grasp. Cleve felt it was better if Rek didn’t speak. It was important for him to keep his strength and rest if he could.
Night seemed to come quickly, and Cleve was thankful the rain was holding off. He had little idea how to prevent Rek from getting wet.
While there was still light, Cleve steered Nulya into a huddle of trees and helped Rek off the saddle. The process was more troublesome than Cleve thought it would be. Rek still couldn’t put any weight on his right foot, and he couldn’t use his right arm. It turned out the easiest method was scooping Rek off the saddle by sliding one arm under his knees and the other around his back. Then Cleve set him gently on the grass.
Rek laughed. “I can’t say I’ve ever been carried like that.”
“Better get used to it unless you come up with something else.”
“I don’t believe I can do either of those things.”
“Let me check your wound.” The only garment covering Rek’s upper body was Cleve’s coat. The Elf’s shirt and coat had been cut off his body. Cleve carefully removed the coat to check the bandage.
“So far, just a little bleeding. Evon did well. I’ll clean it and change the dressing in the morning. Will you be able to sleep?”
“I believe so. I’m still tired somehow.”
Cold air coming through the trees woke Cleve during the night. He turned to his side to find Rek shivering slightly. Alarm tightened his chest and set him upright in a hurry. He felt Rek’s forehead and asked himself in a whisper, “Is it a fever?”
Rek pushed away Cleve’s hand. “I’m just cold.”
Luckily, Rek’s forehead wasn’t hot.
“If you think me lifting you off the horse was uncomfortable, you’re not going to like this at all,” Cleve warned him.
“What are you doing?”
Cleve grabbed his blanket and lay down beside Rek, pushing himself close. He wrapped his arm around Rek’s stomach and covered them both with the blanket so that Rek now had two on him.
He was careful not to push against Rek’s shoulder. But the Elf’s long hair was still tickling his face. Cleve tried to brush it out of the way until Rek flipped it over his shoulder.
“This feels very awkward.” Rek laughed.
“Just go to sleep, and let’s not speak of it.”
In the morning, Cleve checked Rek’s wound again, this time removing the bandage so he could flush the hole in Rek’s shoulder with water and soap before putting on a new covering. Rek groaned and shivered the entire time.
“How I wish you were a mage right now,” Rek said. “You could warm the water first.”
“We’re near River’s End. We should drink the rest of the water we have and refill our pouches. Then I’ll have to find a way to clean your wound without so much water the next morning, otherwise we won’t have enough.”
“Did Evon tell you to clean it every morning?”
“Yes, if we have enough water.”
“I see.”
Cleve lifted Rek onto the saddle with the same method he used to take him off. But then, with Rek already on Nulya’s back, Cleve didn’t have the leverage to swing his leg over to get on in front of the Elf.
“Move forward,” Cleve instructed. “I’m getting on behind you.”
Rek grumbled but obeyed. When Cleve was up, he started reaching for the reins through Rek’s arms.
“Just let me use psyche to steer the horse,” Rek said.
“Save your energy.” Cleve pulled the reins through and squeezed his legs to start the horse forward. “Lean back against me and relax.”
“You don’t need to coddle me like this.” But Rek leaned back anyway, twisting so his right shoulder didn’t touch. “I hope you don’t think you need to treat Reela this way either. She would hate it.”
“I’ve never coddled anyone, and I’m not coddling you now. If we both don’t make it back alive, I’ll never forgive myself.”
“Relax, Cleve. I’m feeling better than I was yesterday.”
“I’ll relax when we reach Kyrro City.”
“When we do, make sure you don’t say anything to Welson. If questioned, apologize profusely for disobeying his order and explain the dire circumstances. He’s ready to throw you back in prison the moment you show any sign of disobedience. I could feel it when I spoke with him before you arrived. He needed you for this task, but your skill with the bow can only get you so far.”
Cleve knew he couldn’t let Welson get away with murdering his parents, but he had no idea what course of revenge he would take and when.
“Cleve, do you understand me?”
“Yes,” he answered, annoyed.
“Heed my words,” Rek warned. “No matter what happens, hold your tongue.”
They slept beneath the trees again that night. Rain hadn’t come, but the sun barely could be seen through the clouds. The air was so wet, Cleve figured it was only a matter of time.
He slept beside Rek again so they could share their warmth and blankets.
“The attack on Tenred must be over by now,” Rek muttered. “I wish we could’ve fought.”
“What are the chances that Reela was there?”
Rek was silent, making Cleve believe perhaps he didn’t hear the question.
“Rek?”
“I…I don’t know. Your guess would be as good as mine.”
“I thought you said only the third-year students would go?”
“Only they would be required to go. I’ve never spoken to Reela about fighting before. I can’t say what she would choose.”
“Well, I’m still thankful she didn’t come with us. I don’t believe the three of us would’ve even made it this far.”
“That’s for certain.”
They tried to sleep, but Cleve couldn’t get his mind off of Reela being in danger.
“I just hope she’s safe.”
He wanted Rek to say she was. He wanted the Elf to tell him that he could use psyche to sense that she was
alive and well. Instead, Rek muttered, “Me as well.”
After changing Rek’s bandage, which was far bloodier than the day before, they rode south. They were to enter Kyrro from the east, the same way they’d left the territory. It was faster than riding through Corin Forest and then the Fjallejon Pathway. Although Rek did admit he was curious to see whether his cabin was still there.
The last time he was in it was months ago. Cleve was with him—sent there by the King to kill him. Cleve didn’t need to ask if Rek would’ve made the same decision to storm Welson’s castle after everything that had happened. Of course he would’ve.
They rode for hours. It was difficult to tell the time, for the sun was shrouded by thick clouds of gray. Rain eventually started to fall.
“Are you cold?” Cleve asked. Rek had on only Cleve’s coat, while Cleve wore a shirt with long sleeves. He was a bit chilled himself.
“I’m fine,” Rek lied.
“How are you feeling?”
“Good so far.”
“Make sure you eat plenty,” Cleve said. “And drink lots of water.”
“We don’t have enough food for ‘plenty’ to be an option.”
“Then take as much as you’d like. I’ll be fine.”
To Cleve’s surprise, Rek didn’t object, and he was thankful for that.
Nulya was able to gallop nearly as fast with two men on her back as she had with one. But Cleve was afraid to push her. With Rek’s ankle, there would be no hope of getting him to Kyrro if something happened to Nulya. Cleve could only carry the Elf so far.
They rode the entire day. As the sky darkened, Cleve had Nulya at a slow trot. He dared ask a question to which he didn’t want to hear the answer.
“How tired is she?”
Rek pressed his palm against the horse’s side. “Extremely…hungry as well.”
“We’ll stop at those trees ahead.”
When Cleve helped Rek dismount, he noticed the Elf was shivering. Cleve felt his forehead. It was hot.