He wasn't going to help, Selene realized in panic. He was going to let Kadar die. She closed her eyes as waves of pain flowed over her. "Please," she whispered. "I'll do anything you say for the rest of my life. Do you want a slave? I'll be a slave. Just save him."
"Selene . . ."
When she opened her eyes, she could barely see him through the veil of tears. "Answer me. Can you save him?"
He was silent a moment before he said, "Possibly. I have some medicinal skills."
"Then use them."
"He's too ill to consent to my helping him."
"What difference does that make? I'll consent. I'll be responsible."
"Responsibility can be a terrible burden. One must think carefully about--"
"Stop talking." She tried to steady her voice. "He's lying here dying. He may slip away at any moment."
He stood there looking at her. Then he turned on his heel. "Take him to his chamber and get him to bed. I'll join you very soon."
Hope flared within her. She scrambled to her feet but kept tight hold of Kadar's hand as the soldiers lifted the stretcher.
"Hold on. It's going to be all right," she whispered. "Do you hear me, Kadar? We've got a chance now."
She was kneeling by Kadar's bed when Tarik came into the room, carrying a black leather pouch. "Where have you been? It's been almost an hour."
"You're fortunate I'm here at all. I'm not convinced I'm doing the right thing in interfering." He opened the pouch and set two small bottles on the bedside table. "Perhaps God meant Kadar to die this night."
"No."
"He may still die. It may be too late to save him." He pointed at the tiny blue bottle. "Make him swallow every drop of the contents of this vial. Then wait an hour and give him the contents of the white vial. It will settle his stomach." He drew the strings of the pouch. "As I said, he may still die. The medicine is very strong and he's barely holding on."
"When will I know?"
"If he's still alive at dawn, he has a good chance." He turned and left the chamber.
Dawn. Daybreak must be at least four hours away. Tarik didn't expect Kadar to live for that dawning.
He would live.
She pulled the stopper on the tiny blue bottle. So small a vial to hold all her hopes. Her hand was shaking as she lifted it to Kadar's lips.
She parted his lips and poured a tiny portion into his mouth, then stroked his throat until he swallowed. She followed the procedure three times until the bottle was empty.
She set the empty vial on the table. One more hour and she would give him the potion to soothe his stomach.
If he lived that long.
She knelt again on the floor by his bed and laid her cheek on his hand. "Help me, Kadar," she whispered. "We've been together so long. I don't think I can live if you die."
He did not stir. He was so still he gave the appearance of death even now.
She shivered and then blocked that cruel thought. She must not think of death but of life. Tarik's medicine would heal him.
If only Kadar could hold on until dawn.
Dawn came and passed. Noon came and passed.
Kadar lived but remained in that deathlike stupor.
