Read Online The Hermetica of Elysium (Elysium Texts Series) by Annmarie Banks - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Annmarie Banks
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the wound in silence. Nadira carefully pulled some of the linen shirt away to expose the flesh further, following the wound’s track.
“Musta been an axe, eh?” Alisdair said, extending a finger to nearly touch the long gash.
“He got me when I was on the upstroke.”
“Sloppy of you.”
Montrose snorted, then winced. Nadira fought a wave of despair. She was not skilled enough to care for this wound. The ribs were not cleaved, though the cut was deep enough in the center to notch two of them. Montrose twitched as Nadira pushed the lips of the wound together near the top. “My lord, this will have to be sewn,” she murmured, struggling to make her voice sound confident.
“I’ll say.” Alisdair whistled through his teeth as he sat back on his heels. “I’d say the bastard just missed finishin’ you off, Rob.”
“It was a small axe.” Montrose twisted, trying to see the gash under his arm.
“I don’t have a needle,” Nadira interrupted.
“Sew it later, just wrap him up with what cloth you have. We’ll wait to see if Gar comes back with the boys and the horses.”
At midday, Garreth did return with three of the horses and both boys. The boys had followed the wild men at a distance as they tracked the horses to the stream. Evan and Hagen were covered with dirt and leaves, but were unharmed. Evan was breathless. “My lord, you would have been proud to see Fafnir. The wild men tried to catch him but he kicked at them and bit them, he was grand!” This delivery was punctuated with enthusiastic gestures.
Hagen nodded in complete agreement. “One took a hoof right in the gullet, sent him down for good. The others ran off, but he let me take his bridle afterwards.”
Evan beamed at the big bay that stood impatiently over him. The boy shook the bits affectionately. “He likes me.”
“Aye, the filthy bastards were no match for the chargers, but they got our nags.” Alisdair grumbled. “Now that the war with the French is over, there’s no escaping these ruffians. Someone ought to start another crusade, lead them all to Jerusalem again, or take back Istanbul.” He pulled open a knapsack from one of the chargers and tossed out stale biscuit to the boys and Garreth.
The boys had brought them beechnuts that they had gathered while hiding in the forest. Garreth smashed nuts for her with the side of his axe on a flat stone, then shyly handed her the nutmeats. Nadira ate them gratefully, picking the meats from the bits of sharp shells. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Garreth reached over and pushed her shoulder. She could tell he had meant to merely nudge her by the remorseful sounds he made as she righted herself from the ground.
He picked up a heavy stone and threw it against a tree trunk, blasting bark in all directions and startling the birds. He then grinned at her, pointing at her hand. She smiled back.
After they had eaten, the boys stripped the horses and rubbed them down, then cleaned the saddles. Garreth slept. Alisdair paced the small camp. It did not rain, though the clouds thickened.
Nadira caught Montrose looking at the clouds too. Perhaps he fears snow. That thought chilled her in more ways than one. He might deem it safe for a fire should it snow, but would they stay here another day? Nadira did not want to ask, she wanted to leave this horrible mountain. Snow was definitely a possibility. Nadira could smell the cold wetness in the air that threatened. Montrose limped up and down, as though testing his legs. He stopped and rubbed his face all over, starting with his beard and finishing by pulling his fingers through his hair with a yank.
Finally he turned to Alisdair. “Pack up.” Nadira sighed with relief.
The small party readied for travel. Marcus was wrapped in a horse blanket and then laid in the center of another. Garreth, Hagan, Evan and Alisdair each took a corner. Montrose tied the horses to each other in a line and took the bridle of the first one. Nadira
“Musta been an axe, eh?” Alisdair said, extending a finger to nearly touch the long gash.
“He got me when I was on the upstroke.”
“Sloppy of you.”
Montrose snorted, then winced. Nadira fought a wave of despair. She was not skilled enough to care for this wound. The ribs were not cleaved, though the cut was deep enough in the center to notch two of them. Montrose twitched as Nadira pushed the lips of the wound together near the top. “My lord, this will have to be sewn,” she murmured, struggling to make her voice sound confident.
“I’ll say.” Alisdair whistled through his teeth as he sat back on his heels. “I’d say the bastard just missed finishin’ you off, Rob.”
“It was a small axe.” Montrose twisted, trying to see the gash under his arm.
“I don’t have a needle,” Nadira interrupted.
“Sew it later, just wrap him up with what cloth you have. We’ll wait to see if Gar comes back with the boys and the horses.”
At midday, Garreth did return with three of the horses and both boys. The boys had followed the wild men at a distance as they tracked the horses to the stream. Evan and Hagen were covered with dirt and leaves, but were unharmed. Evan was breathless. “My lord, you would have been proud to see Fafnir. The wild men tried to catch him but he kicked at them and bit them, he was grand!” This delivery was punctuated with enthusiastic gestures.
Hagen nodded in complete agreement. “One took a hoof right in the gullet, sent him down for good. The others ran off, but he let me take his bridle afterwards.”
Evan beamed at the big bay that stood impatiently over him. The boy shook the bits affectionately. “He likes me.”
“Aye, the filthy bastards were no match for the chargers, but they got our nags.” Alisdair grumbled. “Now that the war with the French is over, there’s no escaping these ruffians. Someone ought to start another crusade, lead them all to Jerusalem again, or take back Istanbul.” He pulled open a knapsack from one of the chargers and tossed out stale biscuit to the boys and Garreth.
The boys had brought them beechnuts that they had gathered while hiding in the forest. Garreth smashed nuts for her with the side of his axe on a flat stone, then shyly handed her the nutmeats. Nadira ate them gratefully, picking the meats from the bits of sharp shells. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Garreth reached over and pushed her shoulder. She could tell he had meant to merely nudge her by the remorseful sounds he made as she righted herself from the ground.
He picked up a heavy stone and threw it against a tree trunk, blasting bark in all directions and startling the birds. He then grinned at her, pointing at her hand. She smiled back.
After they had eaten, the boys stripped the horses and rubbed them down, then cleaned the saddles. Garreth slept. Alisdair paced the small camp. It did not rain, though the clouds thickened.
Nadira caught Montrose looking at the clouds too. Perhaps he fears snow. That thought chilled her in more ways than one. He might deem it safe for a fire should it snow, but would they stay here another day? Nadira did not want to ask, she wanted to leave this horrible mountain. Snow was definitely a possibility. Nadira could smell the cold wetness in the air that threatened. Montrose limped up and down, as though testing his legs. He stopped and rubbed his face all over, starting with his beard and finishing by pulling his fingers through his hair with a yank.
Finally he turned to Alisdair. “Pack up.” Nadira sighed with relief.
The small party readied for travel. Marcus was wrapped in a horse blanket and then laid in the center of another. Garreth, Hagan, Evan and Alisdair each took a corner. Montrose tied the horses to each other in a line and took the bridle of the first one. Nadira