Read Online Tribe: The Red Hand (Tribe Series Book 1) by Kaelyn Ross - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kaelyn Ross
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her blankets and sat up. A bandage under her nightgown shifted on her hip, but other than a slight tightness in the muscles, there was little pain. The same held for her shoulder, belly, and calf.
“The flesh-rot wasn’t too bad, was it?” she asked in a worried voice. “You didn’t have to … cut anything away, did you?”
A hesitant smile crossed Tessa’s lips. “There was no flesh-rot. Your wounds needed cleaning and fresh poultices, but no more than any others I’ve tended. If anything, I’ve never seen such wounds heal so quickly and cleanly. Of course, you’ll have scars. There’s no helping that.”
No flesh-rot? “But what about the fever? I didn’t imagine that.” Kestrel shuddered as hazy memories paraded across her mind. She saw Aiden slaughtering the Stone Dogs, the old city where he had found the firelance pistol, and the river at dusk.
“Your fever had nothing to do with flesh-rot,” Tessa said, taking another hesitant step closer. The worry-line on her brow deepened. “Perhaps you drank some bad water, or ate a poison berry.”
For the first time, Kestrel truly noticed how her mother was behaving, not just concerned, but hesitant. Kestrel could guess why. Aiden must have gone back on his word, and told everyone he helped her.
It took a moment for Kestrel to find the words to express her regret, which sounded inadequate in her mind, and somehow offhanded, despite their sincerity. It took a longer moment to get them out in the open.
“I’m sorry for bringing shame upon our family.”
Tessa blinked. “What are you talking about?”
Kestrel appreciated her mother’s kindness, but sometimes the woman refused to accept the truth before her eyes.
“If I’ve been here four days,” Kestrel began, “then everyone knows Aiden brought me home, and that I—” she closed her eyes against a sudden, burning sting “—that I failed.”
“You didn’t fail. Far from it.” Her mother edged closer, lifted a comforting hand, but stopped short of laying it on Kestrel’s brow. The hint of trepidation Kestrel had noticed had become more evident.
“Aiden should’ve left me to die,” Kestrel said, “but he didn’t. I’m surprised I’ve not been banished already.”
Despite her obvious reluctance to do so, Tessa came closer and placed her wrist against Kestrel’s forehead. She pulled back, frowning. “You’re cool … but then, sometimes the worst fevers leave people confused long after they have run their course.”
Kestrel ground her teeth together. “It’s not the fever. I failed!”
After that, everything spilled out in a bitter flood. “I killed the lion, but then Stone Dogs chased me. If it hadn’t been for Aiden, they would’ve cut me to pieces. Then we….”
She trailed off to silence. Aiden had warned her not to say anything about the old city, the firelances, or his intention to attack the Tall Ones. As murky as her memories were, she remembered all too well how he had looked into her eyes, as if she were an enemy. More than anything in the world, she wanted to avoid crossing her brother, out of both love and fear. As to the hovering, mirror-like sphere that had poked her, a quick brush of her fingertips informed her there was not so much as a bump on her forehead, so there was no question in her mind that it had been part of her fever-dream, much like the vision of the villagers melting before her eyes.
“Kes … what is it?”
“We escaped to the river. By then, my fever was worse, and Aiden must have carried me home.”
Tessa shook her head with bemusement. “If that’s what you think happened, you were sicker than we all thought. Lie down and rest.”
“Stop trying to make me feel better!”
Tessa’s face hardened. “Sick or not, you will not raise your voice to me. Now, lie down!”
Chastened, Kestrel obeyed. Aiden had suggested their mother was weak, and that being a farmer was a disgrace to their family, but Tessa was no night flower that would
“The flesh-rot wasn’t too bad, was it?” she asked in a worried voice. “You didn’t have to … cut anything away, did you?”
A hesitant smile crossed Tessa’s lips. “There was no flesh-rot. Your wounds needed cleaning and fresh poultices, but no more than any others I’ve tended. If anything, I’ve never seen such wounds heal so quickly and cleanly. Of course, you’ll have scars. There’s no helping that.”
No flesh-rot? “But what about the fever? I didn’t imagine that.” Kestrel shuddered as hazy memories paraded across her mind. She saw Aiden slaughtering the Stone Dogs, the old city where he had found the firelance pistol, and the river at dusk.
“Your fever had nothing to do with flesh-rot,” Tessa said, taking another hesitant step closer. The worry-line on her brow deepened. “Perhaps you drank some bad water, or ate a poison berry.”
For the first time, Kestrel truly noticed how her mother was behaving, not just concerned, but hesitant. Kestrel could guess why. Aiden must have gone back on his word, and told everyone he helped her.
It took a moment for Kestrel to find the words to express her regret, which sounded inadequate in her mind, and somehow offhanded, despite their sincerity. It took a longer moment to get them out in the open.
“I’m sorry for bringing shame upon our family.”
Tessa blinked. “What are you talking about?”
Kestrel appreciated her mother’s kindness, but sometimes the woman refused to accept the truth before her eyes.
“If I’ve been here four days,” Kestrel began, “then everyone knows Aiden brought me home, and that I—” she closed her eyes against a sudden, burning sting “—that I failed.”
“You didn’t fail. Far from it.” Her mother edged closer, lifted a comforting hand, but stopped short of laying it on Kestrel’s brow. The hint of trepidation Kestrel had noticed had become more evident.
“Aiden should’ve left me to die,” Kestrel said, “but he didn’t. I’m surprised I’ve not been banished already.”
Despite her obvious reluctance to do so, Tessa came closer and placed her wrist against Kestrel’s forehead. She pulled back, frowning. “You’re cool … but then, sometimes the worst fevers leave people confused long after they have run their course.”
Kestrel ground her teeth together. “It’s not the fever. I failed!”
After that, everything spilled out in a bitter flood. “I killed the lion, but then Stone Dogs chased me. If it hadn’t been for Aiden, they would’ve cut me to pieces. Then we….”
She trailed off to silence. Aiden had warned her not to say anything about the old city, the firelances, or his intention to attack the Tall Ones. As murky as her memories were, she remembered all too well how he had looked into her eyes, as if she were an enemy. More than anything in the world, she wanted to avoid crossing her brother, out of both love and fear. As to the hovering, mirror-like sphere that had poked her, a quick brush of her fingertips informed her there was not so much as a bump on her forehead, so there was no question in her mind that it had been part of her fever-dream, much like the vision of the villagers melting before her eyes.
“Kes … what is it?”
“We escaped to the river. By then, my fever was worse, and Aiden must have carried me home.”
Tessa shook her head with bemusement. “If that’s what you think happened, you were sicker than we all thought. Lie down and rest.”
“Stop trying to make me feel better!”
Tessa’s face hardened. “Sick or not, you will not raise your voice to me. Now, lie down!”
Chastened, Kestrel obeyed. Aiden had suggested their mother was weak, and that being a farmer was a disgrace to their family, but Tessa was no night flower that would
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