However, the two largest most powerfully-built males in the community were standing right there in the room. Considering the tension between Khon’Tor and Adia, Nadiwani did not trust him for a second when it came to anything to do with Adia’s welfare, nor could she expect him to suspend his duties as Leader of the People to stay there overnight. The obvious choice was Acaraho.
“Khon’Tor, Acaraho is already assigned to protecting Adia most of the time. And I cannot have just anyone in the Healer’s Quarters. I also cannot have just any male do this—it has to be someone above reproach. There is no one more honorable than Acaraho.”
The idea of a male lying in bed with a female with whom he was not paired was unthinkable, but this was a medical emergency. When it came to the Healer’s practices, they were considered above reproach, and their orders were executed without question. Luckily, among the People, there had been no unscrupulous Healers who would take advantage of such blind trust.
Panicked by the seriousness of Adia’s condition, Nadiwani snapped, “Khon’Tor, I do not have time to debate this!”
Khon’Tor could ill afford to appear uncaring, so he turned to Acaraho and said, “Do whatever has to be done. With the lock-down completed and nearly everyone inside, I will take care of whatever else comes up. I will also send Mapiya and Haiwee to help with the Waschini’s care.” He then turned and went, leaving Acaraho with his assignment.
Acaraho, who normally stood perfectly still, shifted his weight and looked over at Is’Taqa.
“Nadiwani, could not a female be more appropriately provided?” asked Is’Taqa.
“I know this is unconventional by all the normal standards of our people. But Adia is going to die if we do not get her body temperature up, and fast. A female does not have the muscle mass of a man, not even among our people. And muscle mass is what produces body heat. And right now, body heat, as much as we can get, is what she needs. I understand what I am asking of Acaraho. If there were any other way, I would not put him in this position.” And with that, all concerns about protocol and propriety were taken off the table.
Is’Taqa sighed and looked apologetically at Acaraho.
“I will go, and I will return with Ithua. Adia is too important to both our tribe and yours. You will not have to handle this alone, Nadiwani,” said Is’Taqa. “I will be back as soon as I can.”
“Thank you, Is’Taqa. But please be mindful of the Waschini riders,” she warned.
“The Waschini riders?” Is’Taqa was confused.
“Were you not there today when Akule arrived with the message from Khon’Tor?” she asked.
“No, I must already have been on the way here with the wrappings and furs.”
“Khon’Tor despatched Akule to warn you and Chief Ogima,” explained Acaraho. “We received word from the High Council that there is a complement of Waschini riders passing through during the next few days. Khon’Tor ordered a lock-down, and everyone was brought inside.”
“Thank you. I will be careful returning home, and Ithua and I will stay undercover and take an indirect path,” replied Is’Taqa, and he left the room.
Despite Nadiwani’s speech, Acaraho was confident she had no real understanding of his rising discomfort over what she was asking him to do. She signaled him to come over to where he had laid Adia on her sleeping mat.
“I need you to lie down next to her, up against her back, as close as you can get,” she directed.
Acaraho lowered himself and stretched out on the sleeping mat behind Adia.
“Closer,” directed Nadiwani. “Now, carefully pull her over and partially onto you until as much of her body surface is resting on yours as possible.”
Acaraho did as he was told. He looked up at Nadiwani when he felt how cold Adia was. She needed him—needed his body heat at least—and he was now grateful he had been chosen and not some other male.
Nadiwani suggested a few adjustments, then when Adia was in as much contact with him as possible, pulled the wraps up over them. She went to the bundle Acaraho’s guard had been carrying and had set down in the corner. She found the fur blankets Is’Taqa had brought and piled them on top too.
Though Nadiwani had given her explanation of this procedure matter-of-factly and had executed her directions to Acaraho in an utterly professional manner, he was finding nothing clinical about this experience whatsoever.
The People had not been involved in a serious battle in generations, but they still passed down and practiced what would be called military disciplines. Fortunately, Acaraho had been trained in several techniques on how to sever his thoughts from what his body was experiencing, and he employed every one he could remember, ordered as he had been to lie here with the People’s Healer pressed up against him. The mind-body practices were meant to manage fear and overwhelming pain, but Acaraho was grateful they worked with other body signals as well.
As Acaraho lay tortured next to Adia, Nadiwani prepared everything she could think of that might help boost Adia’s natural healing responses. The next day would be critical.
Acaraho was also grateful that Nadiwani never left the room. Had she started to do so, he would have spoken up and demanded that she not. Only Nadiwani’s current, uninterrupted presence in the room could protect him from any later accusations of impropriety. He was deeply grateful to the Great Spirit that Khon’Tor and Is’Taqa both knew what Nadiwani had asked him to do, and that the two females who had been allowed to assist Adia in caring for Oh'Dar would be coming and going as well.
Over the next few hours, Acaraho was away from Adia only for the briefest periods necessary. Despite his discomfiting role, at least he could feel her breathing and occasionally stirring, which told him she was still alive.
He prayed to the Great Spirit for Adia to recover, but he also prayed she would not wake up while he was still pressed up against her, his arms wrapped around her, keeping her tight against his body.
Is’Taqa made it back to his village in record time. He found his sister, and with both reluctance and difficulty told her what he had witnessed.
“I believe you, brother, but at the same time I can not believe it!”
“I understand. I am repulsed by what he did, and his crimes would be unforgivable to the People. If I had not seen it with my own eyes— And that is the problem, Ithua. If Adia survives, I will come forward. But if she does not, then accusing Khon’Tor would be to risk the generations of peace between our tribes.”
Ithua agreed with him. “You are right. Every scenario, other than the one where Adia lives to come forward, would create a rift that might never be closed. More than likely, it would grow wider and wider until it turned into a serious separation of ways—maybe even confrontation.”
And they both knew that in a war between his people and the Sasquatch, the Brothers would not survive.
Is’Taqa returned before first light, bringing his sister, Medicine Woman of the Brothers. Ithua brought a basket of various tinctures and medicines, and Nadiwani nearly burst into tears of relief at seeing her. They greeted each other as one Healer to another, but also as friend to friend.
Ithua asked Nadiwani to tell her everything about Adia’s injuries, leaving out no detail, no matter how inconsequential she thought it might be. While the she explained, Ithua was relieved to hear Nadiwani had so far only attended to the head injuries.
After she was done, Ithua asked to see Adia.
Nadiwani brought her over to the sleeping area in the back of the room and pointed to where Adia lay, nestled up snugly against Acaraho, under a pile of all the covers they could find.
Is’Taqa had brought the largest wolf skin Nadiwani had ever seen in her life, and he laid it down, significantly adding to the insulating properties of the pile already covering them.
Ithua looked down at the arrangement with Adia cradled up against the muscular figure of Acaraho. She nodded and turned to Nadiwani with approval, “Good. You did well. If she lives, it will be because of what you did to bring up he
r core temperature.” Ithua, too, saw this purely as a medical procedure and was oblivious to the indelicate position in which Nadiwani had put Acaraho.
“How long has she been on her back?” the Medicine Woman asked. “I think we should turn her over; that will bring more of her body in contact with Acaraho,” she added, matter-of-factly.
They rolled Adia over, so she was lying front to front against Acaraho with her head resting on his chest, and replaced the covers. The two males looked at each other. Is’Taqa almost chuckled at the look of desperation in Acaraho’s eyes.
Satisfied that this was a better position for Adia, Nadiwani and Ithua returned to their conversation. By the way in which they were openly discussing the Healer’s injuries, it seemed to Is‘Taqa that Nadiwani did not know what Khon’Tor had done to Adia. He knew Ithua would tend to Adia’s needs and wounds in private and ensure they were not discovered if they had not already been.
Is’Taqa shook his head, feeling nothing but sympathy for the High Protector’s suffering. After a while, he left Acaraho to his agony, certain that if the male could have left his body, he would have.
In the Healer’s Quarters, Ithua was taking charge. “Nadiwani, let me tend to Adia for a while. You need to rest. I promise I will call you if anything changes,” she said.
Nadiwani nodded and slipped away to her quarters. Her exhaustion overrode her worry for her friend, and she was asleep within moments.
Chapter 14
That morning, after all the activity had slowed down, Akule headed back to his sleeping area, lost in thought with his head down and his brows furrowed.
It was improper that Khon’Tor told me to tell no one, not even the High Protector. He left alone to look for the Healer when he should have taken a guard with him. And he had me relieve the guard outside the Great Entrance, which means I am the only one who knows he went after her. Maybe I am the only one who knows she left Kthama.
Akule did not want to believe Khon’Tor had caused Adia’s injuries. He wanted to believe that at worst there had been a misunderstanding. Everyone knew there was tension between them. Those who had witnessed Khon’Tor initiate the Rah-hora had seen the angry looks, the bristling challenging postures, had heard Adia unnecessarily slam her palm up against his to seal the agreement.
And then there was the matter of the agreement itself. The Rah-hora was reserved for the most severe issues, and the stakes were high for the parties on each side. The fact that Khon’Tor had initiated Rah-hora and Adia had accepted it underscored the serious problems between them, though no one knew what these were.
Perhaps there was a disagreement, and she accidentally fell and hit her head on the rocks.
And he left her there to die.
Or perhaps they had an argument that ended in a tussle, and she fell and accidentally hit her head.
And he left her there to die.
No matter how I try to explain it, there is no acceptable explanation that excuses Khon’Tor’s behavior. At best Khon’Tor is a coward for leaving her there knowing she was hurt. At worst? At worst he is a monster, no better than the Waschini.
The only way Khon’Tor can be innocent is if there was a series of unbelievable circumstances which make it seem he was involved when he truly had nothing to do with it. If Adia slipped and fell all by herself and was too injured or sick to return for help. And if no one left her there to die, so it is nobody’s fault, just a tragic accident.
Then Akule went over the other facts of the evening.
I was the one who reported to Khon’Tor that Adia had left the cave. I was the one who told Khon’Tor where to look for her. I was the one Khon’Tor ordered to relieve the guard at the entrance. I am the only one who knows Khon’Tor went after Adia. And I am only the one who knows Khon’Tor returned just before Is‘Taqa came for help.
Was it an accident, and that will be the end of it? I do not believe that, and I doubt anyone else would either if they knew what I do.
If Khon’Tor was innocent, Akule had nothing to fear. If the Leader was to any extent guilty, there were three possible outcomes. Khon’Tor would come to him and try to explain, hoping for Akule’s forgiveness and voluntary silence. Or Khon’Tor would come to him and make a deal for his silence. Or Khon’Tor would find a way to dispose of him entirely. If his thinking was right, one of these would happen fairly soon.
Akule was worried for his life.
At the other end of Kthama, Khon’Tor paced back and forth, running similar scenarios through his head. Not having any idea if Hakani was still in their quarters, and with everything on his mind, he was not going there. Instead, he went to one of the smaller chambers used as meeting rooms and holed up. He needed time and privacy.
Only two people know I am responsible for Adia’s injuries—Adia and I. My problem becomes serious only if Adia survives. And it is too early to tell that.
As for the other events of that evening, Akule, of everyone, knows the most. Akule was the one who told me Adia had left Kthama, Akule was the one who told me where to find her, Akule knows I left Kthama. He knows I returned just before Is’Taqa arrived to say he had found Adia and she was injured. None of it confirms my guilt, but none of it would help my case either, should his suspicions be raised.
For a moment, Khon’Tor thought seriously about killing Akule. But two traumatic events so close together would be entirely too suspicious. It would not be long before news of Adia’s injury spread all over the community, and Hakani had been in their quarters when Akule pounded on the door in a state of extreme distress. She knew Khon’Tor and Akule had left together. Akule had relieved the guard scheduled to be at the entrance and was, therefore, guarding it when Is’Taqa arrived and led them to Adia. Akule did not have the authority to give orders to another guard, so the command had to come from either Acaraho or Khon’Tor, and it would not take long for someone to learn it had not come from Acaraho.
As more and more pieces started to surface, someone was bound to put them together. Khon’Tor and Akule, Akule and Khon’Tor. There were too many incidents tying them together.
No, it would be just too convenient if something happened to Akule. So if I am not going to kill him, I need to find out if he suspects I harmed Adia or if he believes it was an accident.
If Akule suspected him, then Khon’Tor had to determine whether Akule could be persuaded to cover it up, or if he was one of those who would feel the need to clear his conscience by telling others what had happened.
Some people can keep a secret; some cannot. Which one is Akule? Khon’Tor would not be able to sleep until he found out.
Akule had two things going for him. One was that he had also not slept the previous night and had used the time to go over every possible strategy should Khon’Tor approach him. The second was that he knew how to think things through logically.
Akule decided that innocent people would not worry about the coincidences. An innocent male, knowing his innocence, would not try to find out if others thought he was innocent. He would assume they knew he was innocent because there was no thought of guilt in his own mind.
A guilty male, on the other hand, knowing his guilt would be looking anxiously over his shoulder to see if others were uncovering the signs of that guilt—signs he knew were there to be found because he had been present when they happened.
If Khon’Tor came to him, Akule would know the Leader had played some part in Adia’s injury. How much of a role Khon’Tor had played—whether he simply knew about it and had kept quiet, or whether he had been actively involved—was what Akule would then have to figure out.
Akule was right—it did not take long for Khon’Tor to make a move.
While Akule was trudging along the cool rock floor to his assigned post, Khon’Tor appeared and began walking alongside him.
As they approached the meeting room where the Leader had spent the night, Khon’Tor asked Akule to step in for a moment.
Once in the rock-walled room, never one to be bothered with
niceties, Khon’Tor got right to the point.
“The People are going to be in an uproar today when they find out what happened to Adia. And before all the commotion starts, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your help last night.”
“You do not have to thank me, Adoeete, I was just fulfilling my duties,” Akule replied.
Other than the respectful term the guard used instead of addressing him by name, Khon‘Tor found Akule’s response noncommittal.
“No, you went above and beyond when you came to my quarters to tell me the Healer had left. Though I was not successful in finding her, I appreciate that you came to me so promptly. Who knows, perhaps if I could have found her myself, I could have stopped her from getting hurt. I am just sorry I was not successful,” Khon’Tor said.
“I do not mean to be indelicate, Adoeete, but it was obvious when I came to your door that I interrupted something important between you and your mate,” said Akule.
Important? Akule thinks he interrupted a passionate exchange between Hakani and me. I did not think the enraged state I was in might be interpreted as arousal. Or that I was angry with him for interrupting us at an inconvenient moment. He did glance past me. She was lying on my bed. I can see how he might have taken it that way—
Akule was continuing. “You gave up your plans for the evening and went to try and find the Healer. No one would ask for more than that from a Leader, to sacrifice his personal interests for one of his people who might be in need.”
Again, Akule’s euphemisms were not lost on Khon’Tor. It appeared the watcher had dismissed his actions as those of a dedicated Leader going beyond the call of duty.
“Have you heard anything more about the Healer’s condition, Adoeete?” asked Akule.
“No, I have not,” said Khon’Tor. “I was on my way there next. Thank you, Akule. Last night was very taxing for everyone. I hope you got some rest for yourself.”
Khon'Tor's Wrath Page 17