“You lied!”
I looked at her in surprise. “I did?”
“You said ‘ten breaths’.” She glared at me.
I maintained my expression for as long as I could, then grinned at her. She was starting to relax and was fighting sleep. “My leg, Warprize?”
“Atira, it is a simple break. We will be careful, and go slow, but all should be well.” I smiled at her doubting face.
“How long, Warprize?”
“It will take forty days to heal completely, Atira.”
“Forty days?” Gils looked at me with horror in his eyes. “Forty days in this cot?”
“No, not forty days in the cot. Forty days to heal completely. She’ll be able to use a crutch but that will be at least half of that. You can’t risk putting weight on it before then.”
“I will keep it.” Atira’s voice held awe. The men standing around remained silent, exchanging glances.
“You must lay still, as still as possible. It will mend. It will take time, bone is slow to grow. You must be patient.”
One of the men let out a nervous laugh. “That will be hard for her. She is not the most patient of women!”
The resulting laugh released some of the tension in the tent. But everyone, the men, the wounded, Prest and Rafe, all had the oddest look on their faces. Her friends handed Atira her weapons, and to my horror, she placed them on and under the bedding well within reach.
“You’ll get hurt!” I didn’t like the idea of sharp blades so near her skin.
Atira shook her head. “Couldn’t sleep without them.” She arranged things to her satisfaction, then settled back. I knew she’d sleep. I gestured to everyone to clear out, and they moved quietly, talking amongst themselves.
Gils lingered by the table with my meager supplies. “Warprize?”
I smiled, trying to encourage him. He sat on one of the other stumps, his knees almost up to his chin. “It’s forty days?”
“Yes, for the bone to heal. Then she will need to exercise the leg to regain its strength.”
He leaned forward, intent on my answers. “You won’t cast spells to make the healing go faster?”
“No.” I smiled. “I can’t force the body to heal any faster. I merely make sure that the leg stays straight as it grows back together. There are some salves that I can make to heal the bruising, keep the skin supple and ease some of the pain, but that is all I can do. Time takes care of the rest.”
Gils looked at me. “You can heal everything?”
I shook my head, ruefully, remembering the blood that had welled up through my fingers just days ago. “
No, Gils. There are some things I can’t heal.”
Gils watched me closely. “How did you learn this, Warprize?”
“My name is Lara.”
He looked at me as if I was out of my mind.
I sighed. “I was apprenticed to a healer who agreed to teach me for my services.” I smiled as I remembered the fuss that had caused. Eln had been nonplused by a Daughter of the Blood wanting to be a healer. Father had been incensed. I looked away for a moment, blinking hard. Three years, and I still missed him.
“What’s ‘apprentice’?”
I gave Gils a stern look. “Won’t you be missed in the kitchens?”
He grinned. “I’s say you needed help. And I’s did help.” He looked at me defensively.
