"You survived. Isdra and the babe survived. We are well." Keir threw his head back, hisnostrils flaring. "I will not be denied in this, Warprize."
I struggled to get out of the bed, but the blankets defeated me. Marcus moved to my side, but Iwas so agitated that I fought him off. My anger flared for the first time in days. "You stupidman. Why am I here, if you won't listen to me?"
That was a mistake. Keir's face closed. "You are here because you will bring the gift of healingto my people."
I sucked in a breath, bit my lip, then lashed out. "So the very thing that I bring to your peopleis what you ignore. If you do this, it will bring only death."
Keir glared. "Rest. Gather your strength. Tomorrow night I will give the orders. We leave onthe morning after next." He stomped out of the tent, practically tearing the flap from the tentas he left.
The fight fled my body and I grabbed at Marcus's arms to support myself. "Marcus, he can'tmean it. Can he?"
Marcus eased me down. "Hisself is determined, Warprize."
Gils crept into the tent, avoiding my eyes. Isdra came in, bringing the sleeping babe. She sat onthe edge of the bed, and showed her to me. "She does well, Lara."
"It takes time to know that the illness is gone." Worried as I was, I smiled to see the babe'ssweet sleeping face. Isdra lay the child on the bed next to me. "She's thriving, that's true. Witha strange fondness for gurt."
Isdra nodded. "She'll need to be marked soon."
'Tattooed?" I looked at her in horror.
Gils laughed. "Not one so young, Warprize. We use a stain to mark babes with their tribe."
"You must design a mark for your tribe, Lara." Isdra seemed to be studying the floor of thetent. "The tribe of Xy. The Elders will require such before our blood combines in children."
Isdra stood abruptly. "I have some things to see to, Warprize. I will leave the child with you."
I smiled. "Of course, Isdra. I am well tended here."
She gave me an odd look. "That you are, Lara."
* * *
Needless to say, the air in the tent had turned frigid since Keir and I had argued. Gils was veryclever in avoiding any contact with Keir and I, especially when our tempers flared, and flarethey did over the course of the evening. Marcus just grumped at both of us. Isdra kept herdistance as well. I wasn't so occupied with arguing with Keir that I didn't notice the distantexpression on her face. I thought she was thinking on Epor's death, and Keir's folly, but Icouldn't have been more wrong.
Later the next day Isdra walked into the tent, her face so sorrowful, it scared me. She lookeddifferent somehow, but it was the reaction of the others that brought me up short. Keir sat up abit straighter, and Marcus stopped what he was doing. Gils looked up from the book of herbsthat I had him studying and closed it slowly. At their reactions I looked again. Isdra wasn'twearing any weapons or armor, just a plain tunic and trous. Although she carried Epor'swarclub in one hand, she looked naked to me, as if the warrior had been stripped awaysomehow to reveal the vulnerable woman underneath. She looked at each of us in turn, thenfocused on Keir. "Warlord."
"Warrior."
"It is time, Warlord. Past time. I've completed our tasks, Epor's and mine."
Keir stood. "A task well done, Isdra of the Fox. I thank you for your service, and wish youwell."
I looked from one to the other, puzzled. "What's going on? Are you leaving, Isdra?"
Isdra looked at me, but then looked back at Keir. "I'd ask that you give this to Prest, Warlord.
He'll wield it with honor." She held out Epor's warclub.
Keir stepped forward, and took the weapon with a nod. My heart started to pound in my chest.
"Isdra?"
"Safe journey to the snows, Isdra." Marcus spoke softly. "And beyond." The sorrow in hisface and eye reflected hers.
Gils stood as well, his face a mask of stoic pain.
"No." I cried out, certain now what she intended. I pushed the blankets off my legs and tried tostand. "No, Isdra, you can't." I stood, swaying and reached a trembling hand toward her.
