I rubbed my cheek. “So you said.”
“Well, you came up with a punishment for me, I fear.” He smiled ruefully. “Seems my newest patient wants me to read The Epic of Xyson to her on a daily basis. A fate worse than death.”
I sat up, surprised. “Is Atira here?”
“Just so. The Warlord sent her to me, with a pouch of gold. Asked that I see to her, since her healer is no longer available.” He held up a hand at my indignant expression. “His words, not mine.”
“Where?”
“I put her in the corner room. If you’re going back there, take this to her.” Eln handed me two mugs of tea. “She asked for kavage, but will have to make do with this for now.”
I took the mugs and headed for the corner room. It was one of the larger ones, with a big fireplace of its own. Behind me, I heard Eln call out the door for one of the guards to fetch water, and for the others to keep chopping. I had to smile as I ducked into the corner room.
Atira lay there, her leg suspended from one of Eln’s rigs, his weights pulling it straight. She blinked at me for a moment, then a smile covered her entire face. “Warprize!” She struggled to sit up. “No, no, that’s not right.” She narrowed her eyes in concentration. “Greetings, Your Majesty.” She spoke the words in Xyian. “Did I say it right?”
I set the mugs down and helped her sit up. “You did.” Once she was settled, I handed her one of the mugs.
She sipped it, and wrinkled her nose. “If I’d had time, I’d have asked for kavage before they hauled me here. But the Warlord hustled me right out of camp.”
“Maybe Simus will share his supply.”
She rolled her eyes. “Nay, he’ll hoard what he has and use the grounds twice, even if I had a headache that might kill me. Not that I blame him.” She looked at me over the rim of the mug. “I only got hints of what happened at the castle. The Warlord said that I was to be cared for here until the leg is healed, then join him on the Plains.” Her eyes were bright with curiosity.
I took the hint and summarized what had happened. She listened intently, shaking her head when I reached the end.
Heath stomped in, a load of wood in his arms. “Eln never changes, Lara. Always the task master.” He moved to the wood box and dumped his load. As he stood, he flashed a grin at Atira. “How’s the leg?”
She frowned, and answered carefully in Xyian. “It is well. Thank you.”
Heath laughed. “I don’t envy you, stuck here with Eln for the next few weeks.”
Atira smiled. “I have this.” She held up The Epic of Xyson and the reader that I had purchased.
Heath rolled his eyes. “That hoary old thing? There are better books to read.”
Atira’s eyes got big. “There is more than one?” She looked at me for confirmation.
Heath laughed. “I’ll bring you something from the castle that’s better than that one.” Eln’s voice raised from the still-room and Heath grimaced. “Back to work.” He gave me an imploring look as he walked to the door. “Please, don’t be long.”
I laughed at him, then turned back to Atira, switching back to her language. “Will it harm Keir, not to produce a Warprize?”
“Aye.” Atira nodded. “The Warlord sent messages when you were claimed. If he can’t produce you, the people will say that the Warprize rejected him.” She thought for a moment, stroking the cover of the Epic. “The Warlord built this army carefully, explaining that we would not receive the usual share of the spoils. Instead, he made agreements to pay his warriors with money or land. If he can’t reward the army, he will be shamed. Or worse.”
“I don’t understand him.” I set my mug down and ran my fingers through my hair. “Why is he doing this?”
She shrugged. “Atira, Simus said that the warrior-priests and the elders hate Keir as much as he hates them. Why?”
“I don’t know all the details. Keir has always been vocal that warrior-priests withhold their magic from those who need them most.”
“Magic? They use magic?” My voice squeaked. “There’s no such thing, Atira.”
“Yet that is what they claim.” Atira frowned. “I’m not privy to the ways of warlords, or their councils. I didn’t even know that a warlord could renounce a warprize.” She shrugged. “But then, I am no singer, to know all the laws and customs.”
I blinked. “Joden would know, wouldn’t he?”
“Of course.”
Keir had taken Joden back to camp, and forbidden me to follow. I chewed my lip, thinking about that for a moment.
