Page 35 of Shadows in Bloom

I had never been so far south before. Even though the snow had been horrendous, the temperature here was already growing too hot for what I was used to. My clothes were clinging to my skin with sweat as we walked. With each step, my boots were sticking into the mushy swampland, making horrid sloshing noises. We had to be on the outskirts of the Azog Bog.

As we walked, I looked down at my hands for the first time. They were completely black, as though covered in a thick layer of soot, the usual tendrils slowly fading from where they’d creptup my biceps. Though I couldn’t see the rest of me, I was certain they were elsewhere. I felt them like a raw, fresh burn across my body. I poked at the afflicted skin and winced. Touch only worsened the throbbing pain.

Hiding the effects my magic had on my body from Kallistra would no longer be an option with these obvious marks. No doubt, the moment things calmed down, I would get the lecture of a lifetime. In fact, there would likely be a line of those who wished to lecture me. Alandris’ guilt would have subsided, so he’d be ready to scold me for forgetting my training and acting reckless. Zorinna might let it slip how she never wanted to partner up with Kallistra and me to begin with. Kaz—Kaz might spare me, at least.

The turmoil of my mind kept me distracted enough that I wasn’t acutely aware of my pain as we came upon the town Zorinna had mentioned. Farmland, surrounded by wood and stone houses, dominated most of the land. At the far end of the town, we could see a large dock where people swarmed, unloading fish from their boats and dragging them over to nearby market stalls. At the center of it all stood a large stone building, decorated with navy blue flags.

It was a good thing my marks faded on their own, because I didn’t anticipate being able to get medical attention here. There didn’t appear to be an inn for us to take a night’s rest in. Seemingly, they didn’t get many outsiders.

Eyes of farmers, mostly human, out on the field were already upon us as we drew closer to the village. Alandris had the goodsense to rush ahead to speak with them before our heavily armed and slightly battered group had them sounding an alarm. We paused to wait for him to return before we crossed the boundaries of their land.

He sprinted back moments later. “We can meet with the village headman at the centermost building. They weren’t keen to share any more information than that.”

It was difficult not to be perturbed by the fearful stares of all the villagers as we walked down their dirt roads. I found myself pulling the hood of my cloak over my head for the first time in quite a while. With the purple-black blood and putrid stench of the Visumena splattered across our clothes, there was little we could do to appear less frightening.

The headman met us at his property line. A human male with short-cropped copper hair sprinkled with strands of silver. He rubbed at his wiry beard as we approached, a healthy dose of mistrust hanging in his hazel eyes. The strength of his posture, his unwavering stare at the sight of us, and the way his hand curved lazily around the hilt of the sword at his side, was admirable. He was proud of his lands. He would protect them.

“Welcome to Esvilde,” he greeted in a rich baritone voice. “I am the headman of this village. You may call me Theomund.” He pointed to me, noting the grip I had on my arms. “I presume you seek refuge while you nurse your wounds?”

“We would call upon your hospitality.” Alandris stepped forward. “For payment, of course.”

The males held each other’s gaze for a moment of silence, a dance occurring just between the two of them.

Theomund was the first to break, turning to the rest of us. “I only have two empty rooms at the manor, and we don’t have any medicinal herbs to spare. You will have to make do. Those of you who are uninjured will work our fields. That will be payment enough.”

“You have our thanks.” Alandris bowed his head.

“No more than four nights. The people here are not used to outside visitors, and I don’t intend to have them disturbed.” A hint of warning lined his statement.

“That is plenty.”

Theomund guided us into the manor and promptly introduced us to his servant, an elderly man whom he informed us to refer to as Marius. There was a warmth and respect between the two beyond servitude, and I had a feeling Marius had been with the household for some time. If Theomund had any family, which I presumed he did based on the feminine touch of the carefully decorated interior, we were not introduced to them.

Marius led us to the two side-by-side rooms on the lower west level of the manor. They were no larger than an inn room and possessed little more than a small bed, a sitting chair, and an end table. Only one could fit in the bed comfortably, which left a minuscule amount of floor space for one or two more to sleep, depending on how we split up the rooms. It wouldn’t be comfortable, but it was a step up from the ground. We at least had a roof over our heads.

“There is a bath just down the hall, though you will need to heat it yourself,” Marius explained. “I’m sure it’s not what you are used to, but I do hope you can be comfortable here.” He gave a small nod before leaving us to ourselves.

Kaz wasted no time assisting me to the bed of the first room. “Down you go.”

I knew they would not subject me to the floor. Even if I wasn’t injured, I was surrounded by doting mother hens who felt the incessant need to baby me. I had half a mind to remind them all that I was a grown woman, but I was in such pain I didn’t have the energy to fight their coddling.

“You, too. Into the other room’s bed,” Kaz said, poking a finger into Alandris’ shoulder, who was leaning against the doorway watching me settle. “Think I missed that, did ya?”

I watched as Alandris failed to hide a wince. “It’s nothing. Let Zorinna or Kallistra take the other bed. I will be fine on the floor.”

“Oh, Alandris.” Zorinna shook her head. “What have you done?”

“Nothing. I said it’s nothing.”

She ignored him and tugged the neck of his shirt to the side just enough to expose the deep, red gash just below his left collarbone. “Are they venomous? These Visumena?” The annoyance in her tone quickly faded to worry.

I sat up straight in the bed to get a better look at the wound. Although agitated, the wound was not actively bleeding. It appeared as though one of the pincer-like arms of the Visumenahad sliced the skin. Alandris had apparently staunched the bleeding during our walk here, but not discreetly enough to go unnoticed by Kaz.

“No, I don’t believe so,” he mumbled, stepping back out of her grasp and shifting his shirt back in place. He looked as irritated as I was to be fussed over.

“Take the bed,” Kallistra spoke up, much to my surprise. “I’d prefer to share the room with Nairu. Zorinna can stay with us as well, and you and Kaz can share the other room.”

Alandris grumbled something incoherent before conceding and making his way to the other room.

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