Read Online Mist-Torn Witches 02:Witches in Red by Barb Hendee - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barb Hendee
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drew in a loud breath as Jaromir reached him and swung off his horse. Catching Pavel under both arms, Jaromir somehow managed to pull him the rest of the way across the river and up onto the bank. Pavel’s horse had managed to reach the bank as well. Céline was already running toward them, and then, finally, spurred from her shock, Amelie dashed after her.
Pavel was crying out in pain, and Céline was already giving orders.
“Jaromir, don’t move him anymore. Just lay him flat. It’s his right leg.”
The next few moments were a blur of confusion as more of the men came running over. Jaromir used a dagger to cut Pavel’s pant leg open, and Amelie put one hand to her mouth. She wasn’t squeamish, but the white bone of his shin was poking through his torn flesh.
“By the gods,” one of the soldiers said, “that cannot be fixed. He’s going to lose that leg.”
Pavel’s eyes went wide. “No!” He tried pulling himself up the bank.
Amelie wanted to punch the soldier who’d spoken.
But Céline was at Pavel’s head, talking to him. “Don’t listen to him. You won’t lose your leg.” She looked around as the wagon came up out of the river onto the bank. “Amelie, run and get my box.” She turned back. “Jaromir, I need flat boards. Can you break one of the apple crates and bring me several of the boards?”
Amelie and Jaromir both ran for the wagon. Amelie’s errand was quicker, as she simply needed to get Céline’s box and run back. She left Jaromir breaking the side off a crate.
“Here!” Amelie called, skidding to a stop.
Pavel was in so much pain, he was panting, and his features were twisted.
The box was large, and Céline opened it carefully. The inside was filled with bottles, jars, powders, and bandages. She took out a bottle filled with a white milky substance. “Amelie, hold his head.”
Amelie knew what to do and moved to cradle Pavel’s head.
“Swallow this,” Céline told him. “It will stop the pain.”
Her words must have gotten through, because he let her put the bottle to his mouth, and he took a drink.
“One more,” she ordered. “A large swallow.”
He obeyed her.
Everyone else just stood watching, but in a few moments, Pavel began to relax in Amelie’s arms. Carefully, she laid him on the bank, and his eyes closed halfway. Jaromir came jogging up with the boards.
“What did you give him?”
“Poppy syrup,” Céline answered. “He’ll be asleep soon. I have to set the leg, and you will not want him awake for that.” Scooting down, she frowned at the broken bone. Pavel’s boots were made of stiff leather and came halfway up his shins. “This boot must have protected his ankle and foot when the horse jumped back up, but then his leg took all the force.” She glancedat Jaromir. “We need to get the boot off without causing any more damage. I’m going to hold the leg, and I need you to slowly, very slowly, inch off the boot.”
For all his strength, Amelie suspected Jaromir was capable of being gentle, and he proved her right in the next few moments as Céline held Pavel’s leg below the broken section and Jaromir took his time inching the boot off bit by small bit.
Céline took a deep breath once it came away from Pavel’s foot in Jaromir’s hand.
“All right,” she said. “Now I need to cut off the rest of this pant leg and then set the bone.”
“Have you done this before?” Jaromir asked, his voice tight.
“Yes, many times. My mother taught me how to set everything from broken bones to dislocated shoulders.”
That seemed good enough for him, because he fell silent and let her work. She glanced up at Pavel to make certain he was out cold; then, with a scraping sound, she set the broken shinbone until the parts lined up perfectly and the leg was straight. After that, she quickly but carefully dabbed the jagged wounds around the bone with a cleansing and healing ointment made from adder’s-tongue. Then she splinted his shin with the
Pavel was crying out in pain, and Céline was already giving orders.
“Jaromir, don’t move him anymore. Just lay him flat. It’s his right leg.”
The next few moments were a blur of confusion as more of the men came running over. Jaromir used a dagger to cut Pavel’s pant leg open, and Amelie put one hand to her mouth. She wasn’t squeamish, but the white bone of his shin was poking through his torn flesh.
“By the gods,” one of the soldiers said, “that cannot be fixed. He’s going to lose that leg.”
Pavel’s eyes went wide. “No!” He tried pulling himself up the bank.
Amelie wanted to punch the soldier who’d spoken.
But Céline was at Pavel’s head, talking to him. “Don’t listen to him. You won’t lose your leg.” She looked around as the wagon came up out of the river onto the bank. “Amelie, run and get my box.” She turned back. “Jaromir, I need flat boards. Can you break one of the apple crates and bring me several of the boards?”
Amelie and Jaromir both ran for the wagon. Amelie’s errand was quicker, as she simply needed to get Céline’s box and run back. She left Jaromir breaking the side off a crate.
“Here!” Amelie called, skidding to a stop.
Pavel was in so much pain, he was panting, and his features were twisted.
The box was large, and Céline opened it carefully. The inside was filled with bottles, jars, powders, and bandages. She took out a bottle filled with a white milky substance. “Amelie, hold his head.”
Amelie knew what to do and moved to cradle Pavel’s head.
“Swallow this,” Céline told him. “It will stop the pain.”
Her words must have gotten through, because he let her put the bottle to his mouth, and he took a drink.
“One more,” she ordered. “A large swallow.”
He obeyed her.
Everyone else just stood watching, but in a few moments, Pavel began to relax in Amelie’s arms. Carefully, she laid him on the bank, and his eyes closed halfway. Jaromir came jogging up with the boards.
“What did you give him?”
“Poppy syrup,” Céline answered. “He’ll be asleep soon. I have to set the leg, and you will not want him awake for that.” Scooting down, she frowned at the broken bone. Pavel’s boots were made of stiff leather and came halfway up his shins. “This boot must have protected his ankle and foot when the horse jumped back up, but then his leg took all the force.” She glancedat Jaromir. “We need to get the boot off without causing any more damage. I’m going to hold the leg, and I need you to slowly, very slowly, inch off the boot.”
For all his strength, Amelie suspected Jaromir was capable of being gentle, and he proved her right in the next few moments as Céline held Pavel’s leg below the broken section and Jaromir took his time inching the boot off bit by small bit.
Céline took a deep breath once it came away from Pavel’s foot in Jaromir’s hand.
“All right,” she said. “Now I need to cut off the rest of this pant leg and then set the bone.”
“Have you done this before?” Jaromir asked, his voice tight.
“Yes, many times. My mother taught me how to set everything from broken bones to dislocated shoulders.”
That seemed good enough for him, because he fell silent and let her work. She glanced up at Pavel to make certain he was out cold; then, with a scraping sound, she set the broken shinbone until the parts lined up perfectly and the leg was straight. After that, she quickly but carefully dabbed the jagged wounds around the bone with a cleansing and healing ointment made from adder’s-tongue. Then she splinted his shin with the
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