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Fia finally felt the beat that was steady enough to let her know that life still flowed through the man, and she called out, “Brother Luke is not dead.”
“Her evil has restored life to him. He is doomed,” Brother Alan cried out, his warning met with similar accusing shouts.
Fia laid her hand on Varrick’s arm to draw his attention and whispered, “I think he may have been poisoned.”
“Then he should be dead.”
“Not if enough poison was not ingested,” she advised. “Henbane is a poison when used generously but induces sleep when a careful amount is ingested. One must know how much to give not to kill someone but rather provide a deep enough sleep if one is in great pain or a limb must be removed. Someone unfamiliar with the plant must have given it to him.”
“It is good you told me you cannot lie, or I would think you told me a tale,” Varrick said, impressed with his wife’s knowledge since he was aware of henbane, Llyod having used it on the wounded when necessary.
“Nay, not a tale, simply the truth,” Fia confirmed. “Though I wonder who would want him dead.”
“And how convenient he is poisoned while we are here.”
Fia was surprised that her husband’s thought was one she thought herself.
“You will leave and take Brother Luke with you,” Abbott John ordered.
Varrick smiled at her, but it was not a pleasant smile Fia saw on his handsome face as he placed his arm around her waist to help her to stand. Fia was not surprised to see a tremble rush over the Abbott when Varrick looked at him.
“Why not keep him here and cleanse him of the evil you believe consumes him?” Varrick asked.
Again, her husband asked the very question that was on her mind as she stood beside him, his arm having remained at her waist and quite snugly, as if reminding her that she was to remain there. Surprisingly, she did not mind. He kept her safe… for now.
“The witch possesses a dark evil like none I have ever known. It is so powerful that it has penetrated these holy walls and it will take endless hours of prayer and sacrifice to cleanse not only the walls but all who dwell here. I cannot in all good grace sacrifice this holy place and the many for the one who is probably beyond our help. You either take Brother Luke with you or he will be cast out to survive on his own.”
“We leave in the morning,” Varrick said. “Brother Luke is welcome to come with us, but you will provide a cart and horse for him to travel in and that, Abbott John, is not a request.”
“As you say, my lord,” Abbott John conceded. “Brother Luke will remain under guard where he lies until morning when you leave.”
Fia went to speak, but her husband’s fingers dug into the side of her waist, warning her to hold her tongue.
“My men will watch over him,” Varrick said.
“Then we will leave you to it and at dawn when you leave, the monks will get busy cleansing this room of evil.” Abbott John left the room, the few monks following.
“We all remain here in this room tonight,” Varrick announced, “and snowstorm or not we leave tomorrow.”
“Something is not right here,” Corwin said uneasy in his stance.
“And we take it with us,” Marsh said, turning a glare on Fia.
“We need her,” Varrick reminded.
“Aye,” Argus said, “and she has proven her dark power here.”
“But will she use it on us?” Marsh asked, his eyes still on Fia.
Fia had enough of them disregarding her presence when talking about her. “I do not know what you want of me, but know now that I possess no dark power, no evil, no magic. I do harm to none. I cannot cause harm. I am a healer.”
She stepped away from her husband and he let her go, his arm falling away from her waist. She slipped her cloak off and bent down to place it over Brother Luke.
Varrick snatched it from her hand before it reached the man.
“He needs warmth,” Fia said, her stomach growing uneasy with frustration over the way they had spoken about her and fearful of what they were expecting of her.
“That cloak is yours and is not to be given to another. I will have a blanket provided for Brother Luke,” Varrick said. “And do not go near him when he wakes, for he will blame you for losing his life here at the monastery.”
