Read Online Saint Camber by Katherine Kurtz - Free Book Online Page B

Joram wrapped another robe around him. Cullen, when he had seen Camber safely ensconced, went to the earl’s desk and brought back a map board. Evaine stood holding pen and ink beside a seemingly unconscious Camber. Cullen glanced at them all in concern.
    â€œIs he all right?”
    Rhys moved his fingers from his patient’s pulse point to the temples and closed his eyes briefly, then nodded and motioned for Cullen to lay the map board across Camber’s lap. As Evaine put the pen in her father’s hand, Joram brought a lighted candle from the mantel and held it close.
    Camber opened his eyes and took a deep breath.
    â€œAll right. Her main strength is here, and here, and here.” The pen glided across the parchment, marking encampments and troop deployments.
    â€œI’d say that close to a thousand men, most of them mounted, have already come through the Arranal Canyon approach and are now camped here, at Coldoire. Another eight hundred are here, at the foot of the Cardosa Defile, where she herself plans to join them tomorrow. They plan to rendezvous near Iomaire two days from now. Be sure that Jebediah studies this aspect in particular.”
    As Cullen and Joram nodded agreement, Camber closed his eyes and took another deep breath. His hand shook a little as he again dipped the pen in the ink which Evaine held.
    â€œNow, this is also important. She has eighty extra knights here.” He indicated a location. “And here. She’s also considering a new foot route through this pass, which can accommodate several hundred men. If she uses it, we’re vulnerable here and here, even if Sighere assists us. She has reports of his troop movements about a day’s ride west of Iomaire, by the way.
    â€œOne last thing—she has a small body of men, perhaps as many as thirty of them, who seem to be some kind of elite bodyguard, or special shock troops, or something on that order. But they’re more than that; there’s something special about them that I wasn’t quite able to read—only that Ariella seemed very pleased with herself about them. It may simply be that they’re Deryni. I’ll try to go back over that part in the morning, after I’ve slept, and see if I can remember anything else. They’re quartered with her in Cardosa, for now, along with another five hundred of mountain cavalry.”
    His pen moved to the mountain city and drew a circle, with the figure 550? in it. Then his hand relaxed and he almost dropped the pen. Evaine rescued it as he leaned back in the chair and let out a deep sigh.
    â€œIs that all of it?” Joram asked.
    Camber nodded and closed his eyes. “All that’s important. More details later. Sleep now …”
    As his voice trailed off, his entire body relaxed and he was asleep in a single breath. When Cullen removed the support of the map board from his lap, Camber slumped even deeper into the chair, his light, even breathing the only sound in the stilled room.
    Rhys reached across and felt for a pulse, then glanced at his brother-in-law.
    â€œHe’s exhausted, but he’s only asleep—not in a coma. He’ll be all right when he’s rested.”
    Joram gave a relieved sigh. “Good. In the meantime, we ought to get this map to Jebediah and the others. Can you and Evaine stay with him? He probably ought to sleep under wards, too.”
    â€œWe’ll do what’s necessary,” Rhys replied, slipping his arms under Camber’s. “Just help me get him to the bed before you go, will you?”
    As Evaine ran to turn back the bedclothes, Joram picked up his father’s knees and helped Rhys carry him to the curtained bed. There they laid him down gently, Evaine unfastening his belt and starting to remove his shoes and stockings as Rhys escorted Joram and Cullen to the door. When the two priests had gone, and Rhys had bolted the door behind them, Evaine glanced up at her husband,