Page 89 of Fire in Stone

“Interesting philosophy,” Elex muttered under his breath. “Rather counterproductive, though, don’t you think?”

Warriors who fought for their king, risking their lives, deserved the best care the kingdom could provide. Besides, didn’t the king realize that by neglecting his wounded warriors, he was willingly reducing the size of his army?

The hag shrugged. “No one cares what I think. My job is to look after the king, make sure he stays alive and healthy until he chooses to set me free.”

So, the king’s own rules of “fighting to the death” didn’t apply to him. Unlike his warriors, the king had been kept alive and healthy. And not just by any healer. King Edkhar somehow managed to entrap a hag into his service.

“How did he make you do his bidding? Why are you serving him?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I could ask you the same question, dragon. Didn’t you just give the king a vow to serve him too?”

There hadn’t been a vow. He hadn’t worded or sealed a promise. But it felt just the same.

He winced. “I have my reasons.”

“So do I.”

She looked ancient, but she could be much younger than him. It was impossible to tell their age by the hags’ appearance. Maybe her inexperience allowed King Edkhar to trap her into giving him a vow to serve? Either way, they both had the right to keep their secrets.

She rummaged in her basket, taking out a glass jar and a bundle of herbs.

“Now take off those hideous pants of yours, my lord. I should send you to the water caves to bathe first, but I don’t think you’d even make it there in this state. I’ll clean your wounds myself. The one on your thigh looks big, but it’ll be easier to heal than the elbow.”

He sat up, touching the waistband of his gray pants. With only one hand fully functioning, taking them off was tricky.

“Let me help you.” The hag slid her gnarly fingers under his waistband. He stiffened at her touch, and she cackled. “Don’t you worry your pretty head, my lord. I’ve seen my share of cocks. To me, they’re nothing but another appendage, maybe just the least appealing of them all.”

Hags didn’t marry, didn’t bear children, and it appeared they had no interest in sex either.

She helped him take his pants off, then cleaned and treated the wound on his thigh as well as the many other scratches and bruises on his legs.

When she moved on to his elbow, he asked, “Can you look at my wing, too, please?”

“What’s wrong with your wing?”

“It’s broken.”

“Just one?” she asked with sarcasm. “How did you even manage to keep anything unharmed?”

His other wing wasn’t entirely unharmed, either. Both his wings had been hurt and torn in places. But only his right wing was broken to the point that it impeded his flight.

“I need to know how long it’ll take before I can fly.”

To his dismay, she shook her head resolutely. “Not for a while yet, my lord. Even without seeing your wing, I can tell it’ll take you a while to recover. It takes time to mend broken bones.”

“How much time? When can I fly again? It wouldn’t be that far. I need to visit a friend in theSalamandraSanctuary.”

“In the Sanctuary?” Her snow-white eyebrows rose in shock. “Did the king order you to fly there?”

“No. But—”

She leaned closer. “Then stay away from that place, my lord. Forget your ‘friend’ and never fancy asalamandrafrom the Sanctuary.”

“Why?” he asked, genuinely confused.

The hag huffed. “Are you that dense, or did you injure your head along with your leg and your elbow? The women of the Sanctuary belong to the king. He may not use all of them himself, but he’s sure not going to let a man sneak around his back to visit one. If you really insist on flying there, I shouldn’t even bother with fixing you up. Go the way you are, you’ll be dead, anyway.”

“Wait. What do you mean they belong to the king? Isn’t the Sanctuary a home to those who wish to dedicate their lives to serve MotherSalamandra? Isn’t it a refuge for those who have nowhere else to go?”

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