The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice

by Melissa Collins

  In his desperation he threw the chunks of ice in every direction, not caring where they landed, as long as they were away from the place where Gadiel indicated. Occasionally, Gadiel braced himself against the woozy sensation that had overcome him, his hand reaching in to help Edric lift the snow before collapsing against the boulder for support once again.

  It didn’t take long for them to make progress, Edric’s heart beating wildly. With a final heave he lifted a large portion of the debris, crying out at the sight of a pale, slender wrist appearing under where the object had been. “No,” he breathed, his fingers running along the veins to feel for a pulse. Relieved to sense it, however faint it was, he resumed his digging with greater fervency. Seeing Neomi’s arm take shape among the rubble, Gadiel twisted against the boulder, squinting, struggling to keep his strength while calling for the others. Edric paid no attention to the shouting. He wasn’t aware anyone had even responded to the calls until another pair of hands appeared at his side, then another, the familiar voices of Callum and Moinie breaking through his wild thoughts.

  “Be careful,” Callum warned. “If we go too quickly we run the risk of shifting the base too much and causing more to fall.”

  Heeding Callum’s direction Edric slowed his frantic motions, staring down at Neomi’s cold, motionless body, agonized by the ashen pallor of her complexion. She looked like a corpse. Had he not felt the pulse in her wrist, he might have been convinced that the life had already left her. But there was still hope. He just needed to get her free and back to Nahedu where they would have the supplies necessary to tend her properly.

  When the last of the rubble was removed Callum knelt over Neomi’s still form, staring down at his injured arm in frustration. “Edric, can you carry her? We are going to have to pick up our pace toward Nahedu, but I know you’re injured. Will it be too much of a strain?”

  “I will endure,” Edric exhaled, oblivious to the discomfort of his own body. None of it mattered if there was a chance he could help her. Careful not to jostle her too much, fearful of the injuries she sustained, Edric slid his hands underneath her, lifting her easily into his arms to hold her tightly against his chest. “Callum, Gadiel will need help getting back. He used his energy to help find her. We’ll have to keep a close watch to make sure he doesn’t fall ill. He is already showing signs of adverse effects.”

  “Go,” Callum waved Edric forward. “Tell Enapo to get the men moving. Moinie and I will take care of Gadiel and catch up.”

  Clutching Neomi to him Edric nodded, hurrying toward where the others were starting to gather. He ignored the murmurs from the Ovatai warriors as he moved past, slowing only when he caught sight of Enapo, deep in conversation with several other men. Hearing Edric’s approach Enapo looked up, eyes opening wide to find Neomi’s limp figure dangling from Edric’s arms. “By the grace of Sarhik, does she live?” he questioned, stepping forward to check for a pulse.

  Adjusting his hold Edric gave a slight nod of affirmation. “We need to get to Nahedu without further delay. Can you lead us there without requiring pause when the sun sets?”

  “If you think you can keep up without rest then I will see us there straightaway.”

  “Let us go, then.” Rest wasn’t important. There would be plenty of opportunity to catch up on sleep once they had Neomi safely in the care of her people. With a grimace he gazed down upon her pale features, her delicate lips somewhat parted, a faint blue hue having settled over them. Stay with me, Neomi; he prayed silently, tightening his hold on her as Enapo called for the men to walk. If she died, he would never forgive himself for having let her slip through his fingers in Isavo. In that moment he no longer held any lingering doubt of his true feelings the way he had before. There was no question. He loved this woman. And he was willing to do whatever it took to make sure she never suffered this way again.

  As the watch towers outside of Nahedu came into view Edric’s steps quickened, hastening toward the entrance of the camp. He could hear men shouting from their posts. Announcing their arrival. Edric didn’t hear any of it. All he could think about was getting Neomi inside. She remained unconscious, barely breathing, pulse faint. They didn’t have time for formalities in greeting the warriors at the gate.

  The guards positioned near the front of camp moved out of Edric’s way at the sight of Neomi in his arms. He cursed his lack of familiarity with the layout of their base. Where was the physician? Or did they not have one? Moinie had spoken of their people having a lack of interest in tending severe wounds. It was more likely that someone in Neomi’s condition would have been left behind on the battlefield to die. He could only hope there would be someone who could help. Onuric had to be there. Or the Chief. They wouldn’t have left the warriors unattended in Neomi’s absence.

  He moved deeper into the camp, eyes darting from one side to the other, searching each icy structure for some indication of a doctor. There was nothing. Damn them. What did they do with their wounded? They couldn’t leave them all to die. Not every wound was worthy of such punishment by their own people.

  “Edric?”

  He jumped at the sound of the voice speaking his name. Was he imagining things? It sounded like the General… but Cadell remained in Tanispa. It was impossible. Lifting his eyes to where the voice had come, he felt a burst of relief course over him. He wasn’t convinced it was really Cadell standing there, the fine, golden cord edging the dark fabric of his military uniform. Ignoring the possibility that he was hallucinating Edric pushed onward, desperate to discover the General to be more than a mere apparition. Cadell would be able to help. Whatever his purpose was in coming there, Edric was convinced his presence was Neomi’s only chance at survival.

  Another figure moved to stand at Cadell’s side, intimidating, the way his pure white skin blended with the surroundings, his long snowy hair hanging loose over his shoulders, blowing gently around his face in the cool breeze. Okivra. Edric had never seen him outside of the more formal attire typically donned by him for the celebrations he attended in Tanispa. It was strange to see him with a sword at his waist, the solid tip of a bow strapped to his back, visible from over his shoulders. His face contorted into an expression of disbelief, moving swiftly toward Edric to take Neomi’s limp form from his arms. “What has happened? What has done this to my daughter?”

  He sounded concerned. Good. At least someone amongst their people might be willing to put forth the effort necessary to help her rather than consider her a lost cause. “We don’t know exactly,” Edric tried to explain, winded from the long journey. “She was separated from us for a few days. When we came upon her, she was already injured and what Enapo described as a veswar had killed several of her men. She needs help or she is going to die. Please.”

  Okivra said nothing. In a blur of white he turned away, moving with ease along the snow, light on his feet, moving quickly toward the back of the camp. Edric followed, aware of Cadell at his side. Silent. Despite the questions Edric had for why he was there, now wasn’t the time to ask them; and Cadell knew it. His explanation would come once they had cared for Neomi.

  They continued deeper into the camp until the small ice-formed structures of the temporary base became more scarce. Larger buildings could be seen in the distance, sturdier, intended for more permanent living arrangements. Nahedu. Okivra was leading them to the village proper. A moment of excitement filled Edric at the thought. This was considered the grandest settlement in all of Ethrysta. The home of the Chief. One of the oldest villages known to their people, occupied for generations by the powerful Komoa tribe. The streets winding through the village were more populated than Edric expected, the people gasping at the sight of the Chief carrying his daughter, rushing toward a large structure situated near the center of the town. Edric gave little thought to whether it was appropriate for him to follow Okivra through the door, but he didn’t care. He wanted to be there by Neomi’s side.

  Inside, the building was impressive, resembling many of the elegant homes
of the upper class in Tanispa, though the walls were constructed of heavy snow and ice, cut into the ground rather than protruding above as was customary of the southern regions. Every hall they entered Edric could feel the claustrophobic sensation of being deep under the surface, winding further and further until they came to stop in a large, open room. At the center was a table formed of what looked to be a heavy wood, covered by layers of fur to soften the surface. Laying Neomi out on the table, Okivra began to inspect her injuries, the tips of his long, slender fingers running along her neck, feeling for a pulse.

  Cadell reached Neomi’s side with Edric, a deep frown creasing his face in concentration. “She is in bad shape,” he shook his head, laying a hand gently over Neomi’s left arm. “Edric, what did you say caused this? She looks to have been nearly crushed to death.”

  “Moinie might be more suited to answer questions in any detail. When Gadiel alerted me to where she was, I found Neomi buried under a collapsed outcropping. How she got there remains a mystery to me.” Edric grimaced, reminded of the way her wrist had laid there, limp and lifeless under the snow. “From what I was able to deduce of Moinie’s story, there was a blizzard which came upon them, similar to one which we experienced while in Isavo just before the Avaern appeared. She did not see the beast, but the snow brought the veswar with it. Judging by the devastation it caused to the men under Neomi’s command, there must have been a significant number of these creatures. Moinie rejoined us on our journey to Nahedu with only a handful of the men they initially set out with.”

  Seeing Neomi lying there in the light of the room caused Edric’s fear of her condition to worsen. For the first time he took note of several injuries which were apparent without a medically trained eye. Through the fabric of her left sleeve the bone protruded from her arm, blood soaked into the material from the wound. Scrapes and scratches marred her usually smooth skin along the face, bruises already forming around her jaw and eyes. Okivra looked absolutely wretched standing over her, staring at Cadell in misery. “We are not familiar with treating wounds of this nature,” he stated, seeming embarrassed by the admission. “Our warriors do not tend to suffer anything this severe.”

  “And those who do get left behind.” Edric chided himself for the remark. It was true, while at the same time he knew it was inappropriate to let the disdain he felt toward their practices become so obvious in the company of Okivra. “General, are you able to do something for her?”

  “Where is Callum? Was he not able to help?”

  Edric’s heart sank deeper into his chest. Cadell didn’t know about the injuries his son had sustained during their trip. And Gadiel… the two best men of the Royal Army. Shaking his head Edric tried to think of a way to get Cadell’s focus back on Neomi. If Cadell let himself become distracted by the thought of his son’s injuries, he would be little help to the one person who needed him right now. “I will explain about Callum later. Please, General. Can you help her?” A brief flash of what looked to be fear pulsed in Cadell’s eyes at Edric’s words. His heart ached at the pain he saw there, reminded of the grief the General had suffered those years ago when they travelled to Luquarr. Upon first meeting with him and the King on the shores of Luquarr, it had been left in Edric’s hands to inform him of Callum’s possible death. He didn’t want to put the General through such torture again. “Don’t worry about Callum. I assure you, he will be alright.”

  Somewhat eased by Edric’s assurances Cadell nodded, returning his attention to Neomi. “Regrettably, I am limited in my ability to help. We discovered on our way here that the use of our energy in Ethrysta is about as dangerous as attempting to utilize it in the desert. It cost the life of one of my men to make that known to us.”

  “I will offer any assistance I can,” Okivra’s hardened gaze settled on Cadell. “If I provide my hand in place of your energy, is it possible to save my daughter?”

  “There is a chance,” Cadell nodded. “Edric, I am going to need your help as well.”

  With practiced ease Cadell tore the rest of the fabric away from Neomi’s broken arm, the sight of the bone bringing a wave of nausea over Edric. It took him a moment to regain his composure before finding his voice. “What do you need me to do?”

  “If my son is not available then I must give you a hands-on lesson in field medicine. Do you think you can handle it?”

  Edric wanted to laugh. He had been in over his head where hands-on lessons were concerned since they departed Tanispa. Between stitches and tending dislocated shoulders, he was beginning to feel like an expert. “I don’t have much of a choice,” he stated calmly, moving closer to Cadell’s side, ready to do what was asked of him. Neomi was worth doing whatever gruesome tasks were required. Regardless of how unsettled the blood might make him, Edric was ready. Their time was limited. And he didn’t want to waste any more of it.

  Edric lost track of the hours while Cadell directed them over Neomi’s wounds, working to stabilize her condition. It was a challenge for Edric. In Isavo he had only watched while Sahra and Callum set Gadiel’s broken bone. Here, he had been unable to avoid participating in the procedure. Tending the external lacerations were simple enough in comparison while Cadell explained to Okivra how to manipulate the energy to assist with the internal injuries. After what felt like days Cadell finally announced that they had done everything in their power… and all they could do now was wait.

  A pulse was more noticeable. Her complexion remained pale, though it was difficult to say if it was caused by the blood loss or if it was merely her natural coloration. The Ovatai always possessed such a ghostly pallor.

  Sitting by Neomi’s side, Edric stared at her, longing for her to open her eyes and talk to him. He wanted to hear her voice. To tell her he was sorry for having let her go. But he was limited in what he could do with Cadell standing in the room, pacing the floor in wait of word to come from Callum. Okivra had sent for him to be brought to the village. Edric wasn’t sure what was taking him so long to arrive.

  Footsteps outside the entrance pulled Edric from his thoughts, looking up in surprise to see another familiar face in the doorway that he wasn’t expecting. “Ehren?” he whispered, horrified to think of his little brother having made the perilous journey across Ethrysta. “By the gods, what are you doing here?”

  “I came with the General,” he replied calmly, moving into the room to reveal Callum and Gadiel behind him. “Herryk wanted to accompany the unit to verify your health and safety but our parents decided against it. I thought it might be good experience for me to come along in his stead.”

  At the sound of Ehren’s voice Cadell turned to face the door, jaw agape at the sight of Callum’s arm wrapped in its makeshift sling with Gadiel’s injured body propped against him for support. “What in Sarid’s name happened to you boys?” he exclaimed, covering the distance of the room at a remarkable speed. Edric remained silent, noticing the confused expression on Callum’s face to find his father there. He was stiff under Cadell’s embrace, staring blankly at him as if at a loss for what to say.

  “Father, what are you doing here?” he asked quietly. “Have I failed so soon that the King and Queen have sent you to take my place?”

  “You have not failed at anything. I am here because we never received word of your successful arrival to Nahedu. You know it is within etiquette to keep the royal family informed of your progress. When no courier arrived after a month’s time, I insisted that I come to make sure everything was well.”

  “There has been no time for a courier. You will have to forgive my lack of etiquette in that regard. Unfortunately, you will also have to forgive me for asking you to leave.”

  The room fell silent at Callum’s words. Edric could feel the tension building, everyone’s eyes shifting uncomfortably between one another, unsure of how the General would respond to such a statement. “You are asking me to leave? Under what grounds do you give such an insolent request? I know you were unhappy with me as your father when you left for Ethrysta bu
t I am still your superior officer. It is out of line for you to dismiss me in this manner.”

  “That is why I preceded it with a request for forgiveness.” Callum sighed, dejected, tilting his head back to gaze at the ceiling. “It is difficult for me to separate myself from being your son, so I am going to say this in as professional a way as I can; you and I cannot both be here. If I’m not able to gain acceptance with the Ovatai and help devise a means of destroying the Avaern, then we will fail in our mission, and that will leave the people of Tanispa at significant risk. It will be up to you to protect them and you cannot do so if you die here with me.”

  “Callum…”

  “No. I am not finished. That is my report as a Captain to his General. Now, please. As a son to his father, I must ask – how is my wife?”

  The sadness in Callum’s tone made Edric’s heart wrench with grief. Even Cadell was left with no further argument regarding his son’s strange greeting, reaching out to pull Callum to him in a warm embrace. Understanding of the pain he suffered. “She is stubborn, as always,” he replied quietly, cautious of Callum’s injured arm. “She worries about you. The lack of correspondence has had her in a rather depressed state. I must admit, her distress is a good part of why I argued to come here in search of you.”

  “And the baby?”

  “The physicians assure us that everything is well, for now. Aiva remains under orders for strict bed rest – which does nothing to ease her spirits; as I’m sure you can imagine.”

  “That is probably for the best,” Gadiel grinned, leaning against the wall to relieve the pressure from his broken ankle. “If not for the doctor’s orders, she might have taken it upon herself to travel here personally.”