Page 69 of Of Steel and Scale

I opened my eyes and met my father’s again. He knew the decision had already been made. That was evident in the brief flicker of guilt and understanding through his gaze. But all he did was nod. “Until then, get some rest, Captain. You look dead on your feet. Oh, and tonight’s celebrations have been canceled.”

Because it was wrong to celebrate when so much death had happened recently. Again, he didn’t say it, but we were all thinking it.

“And what of my impending move to Zephrine?”

“Postponed. Until this problem has been resolved, I will not lose one of my better captains.” Or indeed risk his daughter on the long sea journey to Zephrine’s warmer shores.

He didn’t say that, of course, but I could nevertheless see it in his eyes.

I ignored the thick surge of relief, stepped back, and with a salute that wasn’t as crisp as normal, turned and made my way out of the administration building and across to the hospital quarters. Maree—a rotund woman with thick blonde hair and ruddy cheeks—greeted me as I walked in the door and led me without question into the nearest curtained booth.

“Strip off and let’s have a look at that shoulder of yours,” she said, as I perched on the edge of the bed.

I obeyed. “Did my father contact you?”

“No.” Amusement danced in her blue eyes. “Your husband did. And he’s a rather gorgeous specimen of manhood, if you don’t mind me saying.”

“Nothing wrong with the truth.” I winced a little as she lightly ran her fingers across my shoulder and then down my back. She wasn’t a healer as such; her skill lay more in divining what was happening within the body, thereby providing a clearer picture for those who healed or repaired with magic or knife. But she also was a skilled herbalist, and her numbing potions were second to none. “Was that all he came here for?”

She cackled. “Indeed not. I ended up giving the lad a revitalization potion. It’ll stave off the tiredness long enough for you two to have some fun. Because, girl, that man is made for fun.”

“Indeed, he is.” Even though we hadn’t yet gotten that far. Hopefully, tonight, we’d remedy that. “Which is why I need something to stave off the shoulder pain.”

“Easy enough to do. Good job on the shoulder, by the way. Ain’t sensing any sign of infection, and the beasties that bit you didn’t tear anything vital.”

“I was lucky.”

“You’ve made a habit of that, I would say. Túxn obviously favors you.” She moved across to the glass-fronted cabinets that lined the rear wall and were filled with all manner of tubs, jars, and herbs, pulled out a squat bowl of what looked like pale clay, then returned. “This will numb the pain for eight hours, and it’s also waterproof. Apparently he has seduction plans involving a bath.”

My head snapped around, and she laughed, a deep and bawdy sound.

“Hetoldyou that?”

“Not in so many words, but I’ve been around a long time, and I’ve learned to read between the lines.” She scooped the muck onto my skin and rubbed it in, her movements quick but sure. The slow throbbing ache quickly eased. “Better?”

I nodded and then hesitated. “I’ve got to head over to Jakarra tomorrow?—”

“Heard about the attack on the islands,” she cut in. “Any news as to how bad it is?”

“Not yet—the communication lines are down. I’ll be traveling light, but I was wondering—do you have anything transportable that I could take with me? Painkillers, numbing lotion, stuff to battle infection? I’ll be taking the bone straps and sealer, of course, but that might not be enough.”

“If it’s bad over there, whatever you can carry will not be enough.”

“I know, but it’s a start, and it’ll be better than arriving with nothing.”

She nodded. “What time are you leaving?”

“Dawn?”

“I’ll have a bag ready and waiting for you then.”

“Thanks, Maree.”

“No problem at all.” She shuffled over to another cabinet and retrieved a small vial of greenish goop. “Now drink this, then go have fun with that sexy man of yours.”

“Oh, I very much intend to.” I accepted the vial a little dubiously but nevertheless uncorked it and gulped it down. A shudder ran through me. “That tastes horrible.”

“But it’ll work miracles on your stamina, trust me on that,” she said, with another bawdy laugh that followed me out the doors.

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