Page 65 of Bloodguard

I turn and realize he’s talking to Caelen, who’s leaning over Pega’s bunk, looking into her cups. Some are filled with dirt and others with filthy water.“Yeah. Don’t touch them,” I warn.

“I wouldn’t,” Caelen says. He eyes me closely.“They’re maggots.”

“And leeches,” Pega adds, smiling proudly with what remains of her teeth.

“They’re not her pets,” Caelen says, stating the obvious. He sighs, weary.“This is what you use to clean your wounds?”

I keep quiet. He already stated the truth.

“What else do we have?” she asks. She looks back to Rye.“Come on. You need a good leeching if we’re gonna keep what’s left of your forehead.”

Rye takes a seat opposite Luther. Luther used to sleep on the floor, but a few weeks ago, a bunch of us removed two of the bunks and put them end to end so he could have a bed. It was Sullivan’s idea, even though he got mad when Luther thanked him.

“Um, before you use your little buddies over there,” Giselle says, appearing a little green,“take these.”

Luther’s small eyes widen to their fullest when Giselle pulls out several small vials from the pouch.“For…me?” he asks carefully.

Giselle nods and starts handing out Maeve’s treatments.“For all of Leith’s friends.”

Ioni laughs. “So, we’re friends now. Is that right, Leith?”

Maybe they are. Shared misery has a way of bonding people. Why not? I answer with a small nod.Ioni’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline, and then his mouth curves into a tremulous grin. Pega opens one of the vials and scrunches her wide nose.“How do we know these work?” She’s smart to whisper. We might be alone for now, but the walls are thin, and you never know who will pass by.

Luther holds out his leg. It’s not perfect, and neither is his health, but it’s a damn sight better than what it would’ve been.“It work,” he says.

The gladiators hurry forward. I help Luther, and Pega and Giselle alternate between Ioni and Rye. We try to keep quiet and move fast. Around here, these potions are worth more than gold. I can ask Maeve for more later, but for now, I want to help those closest to me.

Caelen ambles to my side, watching me rub the paste Maeve created onto Luther’s red and oozing knee.

“There’s supposed to be an infirmary,” Caelen says.“Was that a lie, too?”

“Nah,” Pega says.“That’s still there.”

“Why not go, then?” Caelen presses. His revulsion is as obvious as the damage to Luther’s leg. He’s not disgusted by the injuries. He’s disgusted by our situation.

“Why should we?” Ioni mumbles.“So they can drug us, cut off our limbs because it’s cheaper than healin’ ’em, and claim to have saved us? Nah, then we really wouldn’t survive, would we?”

Giselle shakes her head and hands out envelopes stuffed with mixtures of healing herbs.

“Make sure Ned gets some,” I add softly.

Luther nods.

“The ones with red ink treat burns,” Giselle explains, taking a cue from the gladiators to lower her voice.“The blues and greens fight infection. Yellow, mix with water and drink it slowly. That one’s for fever.”

Maeve wrote instructions on the envelopes, but Giselle is the one who recognizes that not everyone present can read.

There’s a shift in the wind and voices approaching. I don’t have to tell the gladiators to hide their stashes.

“Time to leave,” I say.

Giselle takes Pega’s wrist and pulls her along. I guess she’s going to take that sponsorship seriously.

“You remind me of my nephew,” Pega says, her tone gathering a sadness I haven’t seen before in her.“Always dragging me about, showing me something.”

Caelen turns before we leave.“The gladiator Pega will stay with me, but I shall return with whatever you need.”

Luther, Rye, and Ioni nod and smile their thanks, and for them, that’s a lot.

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