Marcus and I had our work cut out for us. With Keir, the fever took hold, built and then broke,each time worse than the last. We knew the time was coming when he'd have to be restrained,but we both put off the moment, delaying it as much for our sakes as for his. Isdra said nothing,but I saw that she'd prepared leather straps, setting them out of Keir's sight, but where shecould get to them quickly.
The sweat poured off Keir. I gave up changing the linens, and concentrated on wiping down hischest and limbs, trying to keep the fever down as much as I could.
Instead of rose oil, I used my precious vanilla. More for myself than for Keir's comfort. Therose oil brought back too many memories of my father's illness and death. The vanilla offeredbetter comfort, and as rare as it was, I could think of no better use.
"I first saw you in the garden." His voice whispered into my ear.
"What?" I started and looked up into those blue eyes, sane for the first time in days. Hestared at me for a moment, then let his eyelids drift down. His hand tried to lift from the bed,and I snatched it up and clung to it. "Keir?"
"The night you helped Simus." His faint voice cracked, but his eyes fluttered back open. Iknelt next to the bed, bringing his cold hand to my cheek. He focused on my face with effort. "Iwas in the castle garden."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You were?" I sat on the edge of the bed. "I thought wefirst met in the marketplace."
One corner of his mouth turned up slightly. As sick as he was, he was proud of himself. "KnewSimus had been hurt. Tried to find him." He turned his hand in mine to rub his fingers on mycheek.
"You took a terrible risk."
"Skies favor the bold." But there was a spark in his eye, the look of a little boy who'd gottenaway with something. I couldn't help but smile in response, and reached out to run my fingersthrough his hair. The thick hair was oily with sweat, and I moved the clinging strands off hisdamp forehead.
Keir looked up at me, his eyes glittering and bright. "You walked down the path, with thatbasket and jug. The next thing I know you're bossing everyone around and taking care ofSimus." Keir chuckled weakly, leaving him breathless. I placed my fingers on his lips to stophis speech, but he pulled his head away. "I was glad that you had warned the guards as to whatyou were doing. Else I might have rushed the tent at the sounds of Simus's cries. It soundedlike he was being killed."
I smiled at the memory. "It took a lot of men to hold him down." I frowned slightly, thinkingback. "I didn't see you."
His face took on such a smug look that I laughed out loud. Marcus walked in, his eye wide atthe sight. But Keir was focused on me. "When Joden threatened you, I decided to kill youwhen you came out."
I blinked. Marcus let out a bark of a laugh as he put a bucket of clean water at my side. Keirignored us, his eyes focused on something beyond us. "I stalked you as you moved down thatpath." He moved his hand slightly, and touched my hair. "You stopped on the path by theroses, like some air spirit, standing in the shadows and starlight, looking around. And when youreached up and fixed your hair…" Keir's fingers gently tugged one of my curls. "I wanted youthen and there."
My eyes filled as I looked at him. Marcus moved off, giving us some privacy. I leaned down,and brushed his lips with mine.
He smiled weakly, then closed his eyes. "Tired."
"Sleep, my Keir." I placed his hand on his chest, and rinsed my cloth with the fresh water. Henodded slightly, and sighed as I wiped him down.
"Isdra?"
Marcus had left us for the moment, muttering something about making broth. Keir was asleep,curled in the center of the bed. Isdra and I were keeping watch from the corner, scoopingfever's foe into smaller jars as busy work. Warriors were still boiling the medicine down, underGils's watchful eye.
Isdra looked at me with a raised eyebrow, waiting for my question.
I kept my voice low. "What did it mean, earlier? When Gils said that he understood more thanKeir knew."
Isdra focused her eyes on the fever's foe, as if it were critical that her work was performed toan exacting standard.
"I knew what you meant, when you said that you would see me safe before going to the snows.
But why did Marcus and Gils say what they said?"
I didn't think she was going to speak, and for a long moment she didn't. But I just out-silencedher, waiting for my answer.
Finally she sighed. "Lara, if Keir dies, the next death will be Marcus's."
I sat for a bit, scooping up the thick fever's foe. "Because of his scars?"
"In the Plains, to be so crippled is to be considered afflicted and useless. An offense to theelements. Normally, such a one would end his or her life." Isdra set the full jar aside andreached for another. We no longer bothered to seal them.
"He's not useless or an offense." I snapped. "That is so stupid, to think that way."
"I would not have agreed with you before this campaign." Isdra responded. "But knowingMarcus, having seen his worth, well…" She shrugged.
