Read Online Healer's Ruin by Chris O'Mara - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chris O'Mara
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you.' She cocked her head to one side and gave him a flat stare. 'I'm sorry to say this, but he's not our friend, Chalos. He's our commander. The only reason he cares about your welfare is because he knows he will need you. And the only reason he cares for the welfare of your bird is because, once we are out of this damn Woodland, he will again have need of her eyes.'
Her hand found his arm again.
'Don't forget how you felt about the Krune when you first came amongst them, or how you feared Jolm. Nothing has changed. Whatever bonds you think have formed between you and the lieutenant, it is all engineered. It is all false.'
She withdrew her hand then, a flicker of regret on her face. Then, biting her lip, she pressed her shadamar forward two ranks, leaving him alone amidst the sherdlings and their pavarine, which were now thinned down to just a dozen or so beasts.
Thinned down to a few. Is that an omen?
He looked down at Mysa. She would have had an answer for him. She knew an omen when she saw one.
They rode into the early evening and struck camp by a harsh cliff of bleak stone that hung over a roaring river, the only place where the foliage was thin enough for the force to bed down. The white noise from the rushing water at least drowned out the buzz of insects and the shrill cawing of birds. The column was also able to refill its canteens. Chalos and Samine went down to the river's edge and threw water over their faces. The Dread Spear grinned.
'You know, parts of the Dallian Woodland are beautiful, no?'
Chalos nodded.
'I get the feeling there are more marvels to witness as we move north,' he said. 'Like the Great Carvings of Cornu and the Mallagard Dam.' He cupped some water in his hands and slurped it greedily. It was very cold, and very pure. 'Then, of course, there's the Ruin itself.'
Samine made a low noise.
'I wonder about that place,' she muttered. 'They say it's older than any other city in the world and that when its denizens walked its streets, the first of our kind was not even born. That its civilisation is older even than the Phaeron! It's hard to imagine.' A shudder passed over her body, not entirely caused by the temperature of the water. 'They say the Riln treat it with reverence. That they refuse to even camp there, let alone fortify it. The Ten Plains King thinks he will march in and occupy the Ruin, and use it as a bulwark from which to launch his attack on Aphazail. But I wonder...'
Chalos could sense her trepidation. He waited for her to finish but she merely waved a dismissive hand and smiled.
'Don't mind me, Chalos, I'm just tired. My bedroll calls.'
They were on their way back to camp when one of Jolm's officers stopped them. The Krune towered over the two Rovann, saluting them half-heartedly. An expression of disdain crossed its broad purple face.
'Slinger Latharn,' the soldier said, 'your presence is required.'
'Eh?'
'The lieutenant wants you to come with me immediately.'
Chalos exchanged a look with Samine. She offered him a supportive smile.
'Will you take Mysa?' Chalos asked her, unslinging the carrier from his shoulder. 'Keep her warm and give her some water from your canteen if she'll take it?'
'Of course,' Samine said, taking the burlap and glancing up at the soldier, noting the rank glyph on his breastplate. 'I hope you won't be keeping the healer too late, corporal. We need him at full strength, for when we next encounter the Riln.' She cast her eyes about. 'They could strike at any time.'
The Krune grunted rudely but kept his eyes on Chalos.
'Come,' he said, gruffly.
Chalos sighed and followed the enormous warrior, glancing back to see Samine cradling the bird, a frown of concern on her narrow face. She brushed a lock of hair from her eyes and waved at him. He smiled back, a stupid smile, the wrong smile for such a moment. She turned away and began to trudge towards the camp. Chalos slumped his shoulders and walked after the corporal. They were moving
Her hand found his arm again.
'Don't forget how you felt about the Krune when you first came amongst them, or how you feared Jolm. Nothing has changed. Whatever bonds you think have formed between you and the lieutenant, it is all engineered. It is all false.'
She withdrew her hand then, a flicker of regret on her face. Then, biting her lip, she pressed her shadamar forward two ranks, leaving him alone amidst the sherdlings and their pavarine, which were now thinned down to just a dozen or so beasts.
Thinned down to a few. Is that an omen?
He looked down at Mysa. She would have had an answer for him. She knew an omen when she saw one.
They rode into the early evening and struck camp by a harsh cliff of bleak stone that hung over a roaring river, the only place where the foliage was thin enough for the force to bed down. The white noise from the rushing water at least drowned out the buzz of insects and the shrill cawing of birds. The column was also able to refill its canteens. Chalos and Samine went down to the river's edge and threw water over their faces. The Dread Spear grinned.
'You know, parts of the Dallian Woodland are beautiful, no?'
Chalos nodded.
'I get the feeling there are more marvels to witness as we move north,' he said. 'Like the Great Carvings of Cornu and the Mallagard Dam.' He cupped some water in his hands and slurped it greedily. It was very cold, and very pure. 'Then, of course, there's the Ruin itself.'
Samine made a low noise.
'I wonder about that place,' she muttered. 'They say it's older than any other city in the world and that when its denizens walked its streets, the first of our kind was not even born. That its civilisation is older even than the Phaeron! It's hard to imagine.' A shudder passed over her body, not entirely caused by the temperature of the water. 'They say the Riln treat it with reverence. That they refuse to even camp there, let alone fortify it. The Ten Plains King thinks he will march in and occupy the Ruin, and use it as a bulwark from which to launch his attack on Aphazail. But I wonder...'
Chalos could sense her trepidation. He waited for her to finish but she merely waved a dismissive hand and smiled.
'Don't mind me, Chalos, I'm just tired. My bedroll calls.'
They were on their way back to camp when one of Jolm's officers stopped them. The Krune towered over the two Rovann, saluting them half-heartedly. An expression of disdain crossed its broad purple face.
'Slinger Latharn,' the soldier said, 'your presence is required.'
'Eh?'
'The lieutenant wants you to come with me immediately.'
Chalos exchanged a look with Samine. She offered him a supportive smile.
'Will you take Mysa?' Chalos asked her, unslinging the carrier from his shoulder. 'Keep her warm and give her some water from your canteen if she'll take it?'
'Of course,' Samine said, taking the burlap and glancing up at the soldier, noting the rank glyph on his breastplate. 'I hope you won't be keeping the healer too late, corporal. We need him at full strength, for when we next encounter the Riln.' She cast her eyes about. 'They could strike at any time.'
The Krune grunted rudely but kept his eyes on Chalos.
'Come,' he said, gruffly.
Chalos sighed and followed the enormous warrior, glancing back to see Samine cradling the bird, a frown of concern on her narrow face. She brushed a lock of hair from her eyes and waved at him. He smiled back, a stupid smile, the wrong smile for such a moment. She turned away and began to trudge towards the camp. Chalos slumped his shoulders and walked after the corporal. They were moving
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