Page 98 of Of Scale and Blood

The guard near the Blacknut suite saluted as I approached. “Is the Prioress in?”

“Yes, Lady Bryn.”

“Thanks.” I stopped in front of her door and knocked loudly. The sound echoed and, after a few seconds, steps approached. The door opened to reveal the Prioress in a loose brown gown, eating a slab of cheese on bread, looking much fuller in the face than the last time I’d seen her.

“Bryn,” she said, seeming surprised to see me. “You’re awake. Obviously. Do you wish to come in?”

“No, thanks. I’ve reports that both Rua and Hannity are overheating. I was wondering if you could come down to the military section and check Hannity for me.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not sure what I could do, given I’m a blood witch, not a healer?—”

“What if her natural ability to control her inner flame has been disrupted by the spell?” I cut in. “What if the spell didn’t fully transfer?”

“If it didn’t, she will die. There is no spell that can prevent that. If sheisrunning hot, then perhaps your best option would be to get a healer to her and get her core temperature down until her body and mind have had time to adjust.”

I swore and thrust a hand through my still-wet hair, snaring several strands from the plait. “Where did Damon go? Did he take Gayl with him?”

“You know I will not?—”

I raised my wrist and shoved up the coat’s sleeve, showing her the bracelet he’d given me. “He said this was designed to protect me from Gayl’s thoughts, but does it also prevent Aric from reading them? Because he’s on his way here, and he’s the only reason you could be so afraid of sharing Damon’s current location.”

“The gift runs through her mother’s line, not Aric’s. He cannot read minds, for which we are eternally grateful.” She bit into her bread and contemplated me while she chewed. “Now, young woman, you had best go see to your friend. You will need their help with what comes.”

“For Vahree’s sake, will you lot stop speaking in riddles and just tell me the?—”

I stopped, because the witch stepped back and slammed the door in my face. It was tempting, so damn tempting, to order the guard to batter it down, or, better yet, slice through the thing with my sword, but I resisted the urge to do either.

Mainly because her words had deepened the sense of doom gathering within.

I swore again, then spun on my heel and raced down the hall, taking the steps two at a time and racing out the doors. The wind clubbed me sideways, forcing me to slow to catch my balance. The air felt thick and heavy, and overhead, lightning flashed. I softly counted and barely reached three before thunder rumbled.

The storm was close, and it was big.

And that doom I sensed... it was as close as that storm. So close I could almost taste it.

I started toward the hospital, then stopped. Harnesses... I might have geared up the drakkons, but ours were still hanging on the hooks in the cavern. I swore yet again and ran for the store, quickly searching the shelves for the older-style climbing harnesses and eventually finding them stashed at the very back. I grabbed three, then continued on to the hospital, my heart beating so fast my chest ached. The day nurse looked up as I all but slammed into the reception area, her expression alarmed. “Is there a problem, Captain?”

“I need the services of a healer who can deal with a deep fever whose source may or may not be strega based.”

She hesitated. “I think Riki might be the?—”

“Summon him, now.”

“Her,” the nurse snapped, but nevertheless made the call.

I paced the floor as I waited, my body cold, still empty of the flames that generally kept me warm. The barrier remained in place, though at least pain no longer accompanied it.

“Captain Silva?” a cool voice behind me said. “There’s a problem?”

I swung around. The woman was tall and blonde, with pale skin that suggested either she or her parents were not Arleeon born. “Yes, I have a soldier with a deep fever?—”

“Was she caught in the recent downpour by chance?” Riki cut in. “Because we’ve a number of infantry personnel come down with hectic fevers over the last twenty-four hours, but the military hospital is far from overrun and more than capable of dealing with it.”

Hectic fever was an unpleasant ague that came with wild swings in temperature along with chills and sweats. I’d had it once, and that was more than enough. “Yes, but what afflicts Hannity is likely linked to her strega fire ability. I need you to gather your kit and come with me.”

It was an order, not a request, and she acknowledged it with a nod. “I’ll be two minutes.”

She disappeared back through the door, and I resumed my pacing. Riki returned on time, and, without a word, I spun and led the way out. It was a long journey down through the various tiers, one made longer by the growing depth of my inner anxiety. The guards at the entry point into the military section opened the gates as we neared; a third soldier waited on the other side and saluted as we entered.

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