Deptonu’s eyebrows rose. “You should be dead.”
“Yes, I know.”
Deptonu snorted, then called for more tea. “Why do you wish to go to Selnozi?”
“We don’t. We want to get back to Tsikiugui but we couldn’t walk so far. If we can contact the barracks there, we hope they’ll help us get home.”
Deptonu nodded. “Three days to Selnozi. Much longer to Tsikiugui. We can go the day after tomorrow. Can you ride?”
“Probably not,” Romi said regretfully. “But I will stay here—Kepi, it’s all right,” as his friend began to protest, “if you have no cart or you can’t use the travois.”
“We have carts,” Deptonu said scornfully. “We’re not as primitive as you think, man of Darshian.”
“I meant no offence, friend Deptonu.”
Deptonu’s wife returned with another woman, and behind her, to Romi’s immense relief, was Karik, still looking rather pale but with an expression of unmistakeable hauteur on his face. He sank gracefully to the furs as he was asked to sit, and gave Romi a brief nod as if it had been of no consequence that he’d been seized and imprisoned, though his hand shook as he accepted a mug of tea.
“Tell me, little Prij, why do you like our plants so much?”
“Because like the people of this land, their spiky defences protect a valuable core,” Karik said in impeccable Andonese—his accent had really improved, Romi noticed. “The Darshianese have much to learn from your healers. Your medicines helped me save Romi’s life.”
“He says you did.”
“He’s too kind,” Karik said dismissively, not looking at Romi at all. “Has someone looked at him? He’s still very ill.”
“Give me a chance, little Prij,” the new arrival said, kneeling beside Romi. “I am Hanike, the healer.”
“I am Romi. Do you have a cure for the bite of the marsh bug?”
“Tertri,” Karik murmured. “They call them ‘tertri’.”
Hanike’s eyes widened. “You were bitten by a tertri? Why aren’t you dead?” Romi pointed silently at Karik. She turned to him. “You cured a tertri bite? How?”
“I didn’t,” Karik protested. “I had nothing to offer—only lichens and gezin root.”
“Gezin root?”
“Well, yes.” He frowned. “The tertri poison affects the heart, the circulation. Two healers in the low countries said gezin root was good in heart trouble.”
“Tell me what you did. Everything you did.”
Deptonu thrust Karik’s diary at him. “Here, tell her.”
So as Hanike examined him, Romi had to listen to Karik’s precise detailing of the desperate fight for Romi’s life. No mention was made of Karik’s private despair, or other feelings—Romi vowed he would never mention that he had seen those entries. If Karik had thought Romi would read them, he would never have written them.
Hanike listened intently—indeed, the entire assembly maintained a respectful silence as Karik spoke. At last, she bowed to him. “You are a learned healer, Karik of Darshian. Your friend is very lucky.”
“No, Hanike, I am very lucky in my friend. My friends, all of them. Can you help Romi at all?”
She shook her head. “No—we have no treatment for this. I’ve never had a patient survive this long—they usually die in two days. I would suggest much rest until you are well,” she said to Romi.
Not much chance of that until we get home. “Thank you, healer Hanike. Karik, Deptonu says we can get to Selnozi in three days.”
For the first time since he’d come into the hut, Karik smiled. “That’s very good news.” He bowed to the headman. “Thank you, my friend. The benevolent god guided us well today.”
Deptonu grunted. “You seem to know a lot about our religion, little Prij.”
“I’ve a lot of friends from your land. I even have a friend from Selnozi. Tiremza—he’s an engineer now. He was studying at the academy when I first came to Darshek.”
“Tiremza?” Deptonu looked at his wife. “There was a lad, Tiremza, from Kozan’s settlement.”
“Kozan is his father,” Karik said.
“And he’s a friend, you say?”
“Yes—I haven’t seen him in three years, but we write occasionally. He’s a very nice fellow. Very clever at mathematics.”
Romi was as surprised as Deptonu was. Their ‘little Prij’ certainly got around. “Amazing,” Deptonu muttered. “So—you will rest, and then we will get you to Selnozi. Hanike, is it safe to carry this man in a cart so far? I don’t want the trouble of burying him.”
“With rests, and a good night’s sleep each night, I think so. Besides, he will have his own healer with him,” she said, smiling at Karik, who acknowledged her words with a bow.
Romi couldn’t help being astonished at the transformation in the tribal people’s attitude in just a few minutes, even though he’d seen Karik work his magic before. It was a wonder the man wasn’t ruling Darshian with that skill. In the situation they were in, it had probably literally saved all their lives.
Now they had been accepted as what they were, and Karik’s Prijian origins counted as less important than his Andonese connections (and his knowledge), the hospitality was now unforced. Food was brought and eagerly consumed, as they were questioned closely about their journey, and their mission.
“Sounds a foolish waste of time,” Geifeinu finally opined.
Deptonu’s wife gave the man a scornful look. “Idiot, all you’re interested in is hunting. I will want to use these new medicines when they come, and then we’ll see how foolish you think it, Geifeinu, son of Feinu.” She got to her feet. “I am Serkani. I’m sure you would like to use the steam room, get clean.”
“You guessed right about that,” Kepi said eagerly.
“Uh, Serkani,” Karik said, raising his hand, “I think it will be too much for Romi. But a wash would be wonderful.”
“Come with me.”
The steam room was powered by fire, not underground springs, but the principle was the same. Romi gave Karik a rueful look—he would love to sit and sweat out this miserable illness and this everlasting chill, but Karik shook his head. “Not yet,” he said. “Soon, I hope.”
Kepi and Taz washed first, then headed into the steam room proper. Karik helped Romi undress, and their clothes were removed by a young boy whom Serkani had set to assist them. “I’ll bring you some clean ones,” he announced in a piping voice, then ran off.
Romi sat on the low wooden bench, and began to soap himself—he was so tired, even that small task was an enormous effort. “Oh, sit still,” Karik snapped, taking the cloth out of his hand. “I don’t want you in here all day—it’s no better for you than the steam room.”
Romi raised an eyebrow at his temper, but the hut wasn’t that private—there wasn’t a proper door, and the window was wide open—so he didn’t ask. He could guess at the reason. Karik was still rather subdued after the events of the morning, and though he’d handled it well, it had been the last thing any of them would have wanted for him.
Karik washed his hair and body with brisk efficiency, with no more emotion than he would have shown a jombeker. Romi knew him too well by now to think it meant Karik was devoid of feelings concerning the task—rather the opposite. Romi also knew Karik too well by now to think the man would welcome him commenting, so he didn’t.
He roughly rebraided his hair, left with only a leather drying cloth to cover his nakedness while Karik quickly washed himself. It gave Romi more than enough opportunity to assess how much condition Karik had lost. “When we get to Selnozi, I suggest you do nothing but eat for a week,” he said dryly.
“At least I won’t have to worry about some kind friend doping it with gerot, will I?”
“Karik—”
Karik cut him off with a wave of his hand. “Forget it, it was a stupid comment. Are you as exhausted as you look?”
“Almost certainly.”
“Wait here,” Karik ordered, and left in search of Hanike
. Romi leaned against the wall, trying to recover a little strength. Would he ever feel normal again?
Hanike returned with Serkani and the young boy who was bearing changes of clothes for them both. Karik helped Romi dress, then as they emerged, Serkani beckoned them. “Come, we have a place we keep for traders. You can rest there,” she said, taking Romi’s arm. “Karik, Hanike wishes to learn more from you. Go with her.”
Romi saw Karik stiffen ever so slightly. “Ah, Serkani, I’m sorry—it’s very embarrassing, but ever since my illness, I’ve been unable to sleep on my own. Karik has been kind enough to help me rest—could you spare him, Hanike? I know I’m being very weak, but....” He gave Serkani his most pathetic look. “Of course, I understand you wanting to learn from him.”
She made an impatient gesture. “Whatever is needed. Karik, come with me too. Burying your friend would only be a waste of a shroud, so we better keep him alive.” Karik managed a smile at that, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Hanike, you can speak to him tomorrow.”
They were taken to a small annex to the side of one of the larger huts, which held little more than a stove, bed, and behind a curtain, a dresser with a water jug, basin and a bucket for relieving oneself. Serkani explained that it was only used for a night or two every couple of months when visitors from other tribes stopped by and there wasn’t enough spare accommodation. It wasn’t exactly homey, though it was perfectly clean. Romi didn’t care—the pile of furs and the pillow were calling his name and he desperately needed to rest. Serkani told them to come to her hut when they woke, and were ready for a meal, then closed the door behind her.
Karik helped him lie down, and the relief that came from getting off his feet was instantaneous. “You didn’t have to lie for me,” Karik said, covering Romi with a blanket and avoiding his gaze.
“I wasn’t,” Romi said. “But if you want to be with Hanike, all you need to do is announce I’m asleep and you can go find her.”
Karik shook his head. “I don’t...I guess I’m not as over it as I thought I was.”
Romi patted the furs to invite Karik to at least sit beside him, and as he sat, touched his wrist. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” Karik said—Romi’s least favourite phrase out of his mouth. “So I’m just a brat, am I?”
Romi grinned. “You were being pretty bratty this morning. What on earth possessed you to be so rude to that man? He could have killed you without a moment’s hesitation.”
“He annoyed me,” Karik said dismissively. “After all we’ve been through, after surviving so much, to come up against all that shit again—well, I’d just had enough. Worked, didn’t it?”
“Yes, it did. Just a bit too much stress for my battered heart, that’s all.” He rolled over on his side to face Karik—gods, this was such a comfortable bed. “You look pretty tired too. I don’t suppose I can tempt you to have a nap with me? “
“You suppose entirely wrongly, captain Romi,” Karik said, sliding down beside him. Romi rested his head on Karik’s arm. “You really can’t sleep without me?” he murmured.
“Not right now,” Romi said honestly. “Do you mind?”
“No...I’m glad you trust me enough.”
Romi looked into Karik’s eyes. “There is no one I trust more,” he said, clasping Karik’s hand between them. “You saved my life. I am forever in your debt.”
“I didn’t,” Karik said, frowning. “You did it yourself.”
“You just keep telling yourself that. I know the truth. Did they hurt you?”
“Frightened me, that’s all.”
“I’m sorry.”
Karik shrugged. “They’re not bad people. We could have been spies, I guess.”
“Yes, I told them about your attack beetles.”
“My what?”
“Never mind. Tell you later. Need sleep now.” He closed his eyes, and Karik’s arm tightened around him. Nice, he thought drowsily. Feels like....
Staying Power: 33
Karik watched Romi drift off into oblivion, the lines around his mouth and eyes easing as he fell asleep. Only then could Karik relax, and let himself think about.... No, he really shouldn’t think about that. He hadn’t been hurt, just scared a little, and they hadn’t tried to do more than restrain him. In their position, he’d have done the same.
Better to concentrate on the fact they were safe, more or less. In a few days, Romi would be in what passed for a fair-sized town in this land, and surely there were healers there who could help him. In a city too, they wouldn’t be thrown so closely together, and the strange feelings that Romi aroused in him, might subside. It wasn’t the first time that a handsome man had excited Karik’s interest, but it was the first time since the rape—and the first time that the handsome man had become such a close friend. As Romi’s physician, he knew perfectly well he shouldn’t even be entertaining the notions which flitted across his mind from time to time. That didn’t stop them—or stop the unpleasant fears that rose on the back of them. He almost wished for the days when he’d loathed Romi—it had been much simpler.
He got a little more comfortable—Romi’s position wasn’t what Karik would have chosen, but he’d have cut his arm off before moving the man. It took so little to weary him now, when once he had been almost irritatingly tireless. Karik had been so disappointed that Hanike had no local remedy for the marsh bug poison—he still hoped that Selnozi, or Visiqe’s academy, would have an answer. He didn’t want to have to tell Romi that his army career was indeed over.
Gods, how this man moved him, and how he wanted to be close to him, even if it was only when Romi was asleep that he could relax and enjoy it. Just to hear him breathing normally, to see a natural colour in his cheeks and lips, was a reminder that Romi was not anywhere close to dying. Many a time Karik had woken gasping from a grief-filled dream, but the feel of Romi’s head against his cheek, or his hand around Karik’s, clasped tight, had anchored him to reality, and given him hope. Finally, that hope had been justified.
Despite his weariness, he hadn’t thought he would sleep—too many strangers, too much to think about—but he did, though he had no way of knowing how long for. Romi was still asleep when Karik awoke. His arm was now completely numb, and he could ruefully predict what it would feel like as it recovered. Romi was frowning in his sleep—without thinking, Karik raised his hand and brushed the lines on his forehead, and Romi’s eyes opened immediately. “Did I wake you?” Karik asked, quickly pulling his hand away.
“Don’t know,” Romi said sleepily, rolling a little and freeing Karik’s arm. “What’s the time? Did you sleep?”
“I don’t know, and yes. How do you feel?”
Romi yawned and rubbed his eyes, then struggled to sit up. “Uh...better. Gods, I could get used to a bed like this.”
“It would help you get well, I’m sure.” Karik began to surreptitiously rub his arm and tried not to wince at the returning blood. Ouch.
“Doesn’t look like there’s much else we can try. As they keep saying, I should be dead.”
Karik scowled. “I don’t care for their humour. Rest might be the only treatment, but don’t underestimate its power—even if we could just stop travelling, it would help.”
“I don’t care what happens to me so long as I don’t have to watch you and Kepi and Taz killing yourselves and trying to hide it.” Karik looked up guiltily. “You’re all lousy actors.”
“Don’t tell me you’d have done any different if any of us had been hurt. I know you.”
“No, I’d have left you behind, I swear.” But his grin gave the lie away. “All right, I probably wouldn’t have—but we nearly failed.”
“We didn’t. We haven’t. We’re going to get you home, and you’re going to get well.”
Romi shook his head, smiling. “Stubborn little shit. Are you hungry? I’m starving.”
Karik realised that yes, he was very hungry, and once they stepped out of the hut, it was obvious why, since it was close to s
unset—he and Romi had slept the afternoon away. He wondered if Kepi and Taz had done the same, and guiltily realised he had barely given them any thought since he’d last seen them. But then, it wasn’t like they would be in any danger—they weren’t Prijian or anything.
The fate of his friends became clear when he and Romi entered Deptonu’s hut—Kepi and Taz were lounging on the skins, eating and talking to one of the elders. They looked so much better even with just two meals they hadn’t had to forage for themselves, with the wash and the relief from stress. Romi had been right of course. They just could not have gone on pulling the travois in the shape they’d been in. Kepi smiled as he saw Karik and Romi. “Ho, the sleepyheads arrive.”
“Take a seat,” Deptonu said. “You’re well?” he asked Romi.
“Very well. Thank you.”
“Good. My wife thought you and your ‘close friend’ would appreciate the privacy of the hut.” Karik sat bolt upright, not daring to look in Romi’s direction. If the ambiguous term—one which could mean either companion or lover, depending on context—that Deptonu had used hadn’t been a big enough hint, his decided leer would have been. Was he that obvious?
“Karik is indeed my ‘close friend’,” Romi said, quite calmly. “As are Taz and Kepi. I hope you two found somewhere to have a rest?”
“Hanike has a spare room for her patients,” Taz said, apparently oblivious to Karik’s embarrassment. “Gods, it was good to sleep in a real bed.”
“Yes, it was. There is no end to our gratitude, friend Deptonu,” Romi said, bowing a little.
“Ah well, the entertainment’s repaid it a little,” Deptonu said, slapping his knee. “Now, you want something to eat, yes? Serkani!”
The food was good, and generous in its portions—Karik couldn’t help but wonder what kind of burden they were placing on a tribe so close to winter, but then it was no less than a traveller in Darshian would be offered. After supper, drinking drizu, the journey to Selnozi was discussed. It turned out Taz had miscalculated—they were more like eighty miles than a hundred from the town—and the doigs could make it easily in three days. Karik was mainly concerned about the strain on Romi, but the tribe was not unused to carrying sick or elderly people in carts on such journeys. “You worry too much, little Prij,” Deptonu said with a grin. “We’ll carry him as sweet as a newborn.”
Staying Power (Darshian Tales #3) Page 45