He let out his breath and swung his leg over, sliding off the horse.
Uppor looked at him, a question in his eyes.
“Every tale must be heard,” Vren said.
The stallion reared, hooves dancing as high as Vren’s head, then leaped away, following the rest of the herd into the stars.
Uppor clapped Vren on the back.“Come, the earth-lodge is close, and I’ve a fire and kavage brewing.”
“What of him?”Vren looked over his shoulder at the battered stranger, who was staggering, falling to his knees as the storm swept over him in its rage.“Couldn’t we—”
“We cannot aid him,” Uppor shook his head.“The storm is of his own making.”
Chapter Two
The Wastes
Consciousness came like a slap.
Iris jerked, not physically, no, she was better trained then that.But suddenly awake and aware, waiting for another blow.The price of failure, of the Bonded’s disapproval.
But there was only silence within her mind…an endless emptiness.
With mental fingers, she reached…into…nothing.Startled, she caught her breath, gasped, as terror swept through her.
The Bond was…gone.
Iris thrashed, reaching out with her actual hands, seeking the restraints that she’d known all her life.Pain sliced through her.She struggled to open her eyes, breath stuttering in her chest as every hurt made itself known.
“Be still,” came a harsh female voice from her left, enough like the Bonded to make Iris pause.The sound echoed off a wall.A small chamber, then.Instinct said to roll, to move, to get distance from the threat, but even tensing her muscles brought agony.
“Easy,” a clear male voice said.Bodies shifted in the space around her.
Iris grimaced against the pain, pushing the fear away, trying to lift a hand to her eyes, to pry them open.She was easily stopped by warm fingers around her wrist, a grip that she was too weak to resist.
“Let us,” the female voice commanded.Iris stilled in obedience, to be rewarded with cool water dripped on her eyes, just enough to ease the gumminess of her lids.A cloth followed, soft and gentle, wiping her eyes and drying the trails down her cheeks.
Iris blinked, breathing hard, vision clearing.A stone ceiling, dry cool air, two targets hovering over her.A blanket covered her, rough on her bare skin.She planned for attack, even as she searched within for the Bonded’s command.
Silence.
There had never been silence before.
Pain she could ignore, but silence?Iris froze, trying to make sense of it.The lack, the absence.The fear was building.This was unknown and terrifying…
“We had given you something for the pain but allowed it to wear off enough that we can speak with you,” The male was talking, sounding strong and calm.“Do you remember what happened?”
Iris licked her lips; her throat was dry and rough.She managed a slight shake of her head, the barest indication of no.
“Ah,” the male said.“You fell a great distance and are badly injured.”He hesitated, then went on.“You are in the Wastes, in a lodge of the Marcusi.”
Iris tried not to react but her eyes went wide enough that the man nodded.“Yes.No friend to the Wyverns, or so they would have it.We know of you as well, Bondmaiden, but not your name.”
Iris shifted slightly and the pain welled up again, swamping her senses.
“Stop moving,” the female commanded.“I’ve spent hours stitching you up, setting bones and pouring my elixirs down your throat.You’re gonna hurt, girl, with deep bruising, not to mention blood loss.”She was brisk and to the point.“Your healing will be slow and hard.”
Iris frowned, trying to think, to focus.
