Read Online The Lion of Senet by Jennifer Fallon - Free Book Online Page B

admit, begrudgingly, that he didn’t have much trouble with any of the work the old physician gave him in his dual role of tutor and apprentice master, but insisted that it didn’t prove he was the genius his mother liked to think he was. Eryk knew Dirk found the whole subject of his intelligence just a little bit embarrassing, and fervently wished his parents would stop being so proud of him for it.
    They hurried down the stairs to Master Helgin’s rooms. Although Helgin had been anxious to be rid of them earlier, Eryk figured that with Dirk’s studying complete, they would be allowed to stay and tend the unnamed sailor. Eryk ran down the stairs behind Dirk, determined not to miss a minute of this unusual event. Nothing like this had happened in the Keep before. The most exciting thing that had happened to Eryk lately was getting a new pair of boots for his birthday.
    The sailor’s injuries made an interesting change from the normal, everyday ailments that Master Helgin dealt with in the Keep, and the man was lucky that he had been thrown ashore on Elcast, where a physician of Master Helgin’s caliber was on hand. The breaks in his leg and arms had been clean breaks, so Helgin claimed, and the old physician had let Dirk and Eryk watch as he stitched the cut on his forehead so carefully it wouldn’t even leave much of a scar. With a bit of judicious manipulation his dislocated shoulder had popped back quite smoothly, and once he awoke from his poppy-dust-induced coma, the man would probably heal quite rapidly.
    Eryk was anxious to be there when he woke. Dirk had said the man looked like he might come from the Baenlands. He wanted to ask the Baenlander about his ship. He wanted to ask about the Baenlands, too.
    “Where are you off to in such a hurry, lads?” Wallin asked, as Dirk and Eryk almost collided with the duke and Tovin Rill on the third-floor landing.
    “We were just going to see Master Helgin, sir.”
    “As are we,” Tovin informed him. “We’ve come to see how our lucky sailor fares.”
    “He’s probably not awake yet,” Dirk told them. “Master Helgin gave him poppy-dust for the pain.”
    “Never fear, we’ll not disturb him.”
    Just as anxious to check on the patient, Dirk led the way along the hall to Master Helgin’s room. He depressed the latch. Surprised to find it locked, he fished his own key out of his pocket and unlocked the door, stepping aside to allow his father and the governor to enter.
    Lady Morna and Master Helgin froze as they entered, their conversation halting midsentence, their whole stance proclaiming some terrible guilt, although about what, Eryk could not imagine. The door to the other room was closed. The cluttered sitting room, with its numerous piles of books, scrolls and jars, was on the eastern side of the Keep. The sun infused the room with warm red light that lent the scene a surreal atmosphere.
    “Wallin! Lord Tovin! What... what are you doing here?”
    “We came to check on Master Helgin’s patient, my lady,” Tovin replied.
    “You can’t!” Morna declared.
    “He can’t be disturbed,” Helgin announced at the same time, stepping in front of the bedroom door.
    Tovin stared at the duchess and then the old man suspiciously. “What is going on here?”
    Morna took a deep breath and smiled. She looked outwardly calm, but her fingers were knotting and unknotting the gold cord tied around the waist of her gown. Eryk had never seen her do that before.
    “What do you mean, my lord?”
    Tovin stared at the duchess for a long moment, and then looked at the physician. “Show me your patient, old man,” he ordered.
    “He cannot be disturbed,” Helgin repeated firmly.
    “Helgin, stop being so stubborn,” Wallin said impatiently. “Lord Tovin merely wants to check on the man. He won’t disturb him. He won’t even wake him.”
    “I’m afraid I can’t allow it, my lord. The patient is very ill. It’s doubtful he will make it through the night.”
    “Has