Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane) (33 page)

“Shhh,” he said, brushing the tears from her cheek. “Shhh, settle down. Everything’s going to be fine. Just settle down.”

“But he was here,” she insisted.

He continued to soothe her, not asking the obvious question of whom knowing it would probably just set her off again. But he also knew that to get all the anguish out would most likely be more helpful to her than harmful. “Who was here?” he finally asked.

“Thane,” she sniffled the tears welling up again. “Thane was here. He came to me as a spirit.”

Dor swallowed hard. He had not wanted to face his own demons concerning his best friend and the fact that he may finally be lost to them forever. He knew there was still hope and he held onto that with all of his strength, even though the thread of that hope seemed more torn and ragged with each passing day. Still not wanting to fully accept it, he knew that in all likelihood Thane had been ripped apart by the dragon soon after it took him. He wanted to be searching the
Mogolth Mountains that very moment but knew he couldn’t leave Tam until she was well again and back home in the Ardath. But what was he to say to her? He didn’t think he could have an honest conversation with her about it. She was still too frail of mind. To voice his opinions or allow her to delve deeper into her own ideas about Thane right now would be too cruel. It would do no good to burden her mind with more to worry about and overcome. “It was just a dream,” he finally told her.

“A dream?” she asked hesitantly, her voice slightly more steady.

He smiled at her and nodded his head. “A sweet dream.”

Tam closed her eyes, obviously worn by the whole ordeal. “A sweet dream,” she repeated turning her head back to the wall.

He stayed with her long enough to make certain she was asleep and then quickly left the room in search of Bren. He found him and Kat just outside the building quietly talking but seeming to be arguing about something. They stopped their conversation when he neared.

“Is she well?” Bren asked as he approached.

Dor shrugged. “Just about as well as any other day. She doesn’t seem to be improving anymore. In fact, I would say that her mental health has deteriorated. Is there nothing more we can do? Is there no way for me to take her away from here, possibly back to our own people where she could be around familiar things?”

“That might be best,” Kat quickly volunteered but Bren immediately talked over her.

“Yes, that would be best were she able to travel,” he quipped glancing at Kat with a slicing glare. “The problem is getting her there. Should she get loose or overpower you on the road she could either kill you or run away or both. Should that occur, it is most likely that she would immediately return to the one that provided the
dranlok
to her. If that were to happen, there would be no way to cure her. A first addiction is curable, but a return to it after one has been cured is hopeless. She would die a terrible and agonizing death either from the
dranlok
itself or by the lack thereof.” Bren placed a concerned and understanding hand on Dor’s arm. “This is the safest place for her.”

Dor’s shoulders slumped slightly as he slowly nodded. There was nothing he could do.

Kat suddenly cleared her throat, which brought an angry look from Bren before he turned his attention back to Dor and then sighed as if reaching a decision. “There is something else.”

Dor didn’t like the tone in his voice. “What else?” he asked with more heat in his voice than he intended.

Bren sighed and dropped his gaze to the ground as if unable to look Dor in the eyes. “We are not of pure blood, as you know.”

Dor’s breath caught as a sudden sense of foreboding washed over him. “I know that. What has that got to do with Tam?” He didn’t like Bren’s reaction. He had always been straightforward in the past.

“I didn’t want to say anything while we were in the room with her, but…”

He grabbed Bren’s arm.
“But what? Tell me!”

“I’m sorry, Dor, but Tam should be much better by now.”

He glanced at Kat whose expression chilled him more than Bren’s words. Her face showed nothing but pity. But was the pity for him or for Tam? He turned back to Bren. “So, she’s not as far as we would like. We know that. But she hasn’t been eating much lately. It’s just a set back, right? Once she gets more food in her, her strength will return and she will improve again.”

Bren shook his head sadly. “I’m sorry, Dor. She won’t come back. We’re losing her.”

He felt like his heart had suddenly been smashed between two large stones. His voice shook as he tried desperately to control the tears that were begging to be set free. “No. It’s just a set back. She will get stronger. I’ll force the food down her. You’ll see. She’ll be out of bed in a couple of days.” He forced a smile and wiped away the stray tears that had fallen to his cheek. “She’ll get better, you’ll see.”

Bren looked at Kat who only seemed to shrink back into her robes. Of all the jobs with which a healer was faced, this was the one they both hated most. “There’s nothing more we can do,” he finally said. “Our blood is just not pure enough to fight the
dranlok
poisoning.”

Dor’s demeanor quickly changed to one of anger. “Then I will take her to someone whose blood is pure enough.” He moved to brush past but Bren caught his arm, pulling him to a stop.

“The trip would kill her, Dor. What I said about her escaping was true, but the greatest reason for you to stay is that she wouldn’t survive the trip even if you could keep her tied up.”

The blood drained from Dor’s face. “What are you saying?”

Kat finally spoke, the hatred and jealousy she’d shown toward Tam completely gone. There was nothing in her voice now but sympathy. “What he is saying, Dor,” she said softly, “is that Tam only has days, a week at best.” She moved to his side and took his hand into her own, cradling it gently as if it might break. “I’m sorry, Dor.” Leaning up, she kissed his cheek and then turned away.

Dor stared after her, her words ice to his soul.
Days
?

Bren breathed out his own apology and then followed after Kat giving some excuse about others he had to see. Dor stood alone staring at their backs until they turned a corner and were gone.
Days
.

*     *     *

Jack burst into the small, dark room and then turned about and grabbed a lit candle from a nearby desk before entering again. Dor sat at Tam’s bed, his head resting on her hand he had cupped in his. Lifting his head, he stared up at Jack with red, puffy eyes and tried to force a smile but was unable. Tam lay motionless on the bed, her breathing shallow and labored.

“I came as fast as I could,” Jack said softly, the concern obvious on his face. “Is there nothing…”

Dor was able to get the smile out this time though weak as it was. He shook his head. “I’ve already been down all of those paths but they all end the same.” Dor had confronted death numerous times and had always felt serene and calm in its face but never had he come this close to the death of someone he loved. Not like this. Thane’s passing still left a tiny flame of hope but Tam had none of that. She would pass and he would watch and there was nothing he could do to stop it; nothing he could say to make it feel like it would be all right.

Jack grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it. “I know that nothing I say can ease your grief, Dor, but know that I too know the grief you face and though the days ahead will reek of bitter loss and sting more than steel torn flesh, they will, in some future day, brighten again and the burden will not seem so heavy. The light will shine again.”

“Does it shine for you with your son?” Dor asked, sorry for the flash of pain that crossed Jack’s face.

“Sometimes,” he managed to answer.

Dor’s voice was flat. “In times when your blade sinks deep into the belly of a troll?”

Jack regarded him for a short moment, his face now void of emotion. Then he smiled weakly.
“At precisely those times. It doesn’t cure the ache mind you, but it certainly dulls the pain some.”

Dor looked down at Tam. “I would know that solace,” he said softly. “I would feel that light shine on my frozen heart.” Then his demeanor quickly changed. “How go the defenses?” he asked, his voice strong once more.

Jack shrugged. “The wall at the pass is almost complete. Once that is done we will turn our whole efforts to the city.”

“Does the Colonel still hold his own people captive?”

Jack sighed. “He will not go against his orders from the king.”

Dor turned his red eyes back to Jack. “He must get these people out of here or they will die. I know what it is to fight against rock trolls. This is not a mere band bent on gaining a couple of fingers for around their necks. If they get past that wall, they will overrun us here and anywhere else we go.”

Jack’s face darkened. “I also know something of trolls, my boy, you have no need to lecture me. But, Seless love him, Braxton will not go against the king no matter how inept the boy is.”

Dor just nodded. He knew he was pushing too far. He and Jack had been over it with Braxton many times but he would not go contrary to his orders and his duty. No matter how he hated it, he would not do it.
The Mother take your king
. Looking back at Tam, he sighed. He was anxious to try Jack’s remedy for pain, but nothing could drag him away from her now.

“I want to help, Jack, but I need to stay here with Tam until…” He couldn’t say it. The tears started welling up again and it was all he could do to fight them back.

Jack’s meaty hand squeezed his shoulder. “I understand, son,” he said, his voice sounding a bit husky. Both sat in silence for a long moment before Jack’s voice broke through. “Have you thought about taking her out of here? Somewhere a bit safer?”

“She can’t travel. And even if she could, where would we go?”

Jack sighed. “Right,” he said and then paused as if deciding whether to say what was next coming to his mind. “And should the wall fail?”

Dor sat rigid for a moment and then shrugged, gently brushing a stray hair out of Tam’s face. “If she still lives, I will be here. And I will not give her last breaths over to trolls.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Teek brushed the shavings from his lap and then pulled his cloak tighter about his shoulders in an attempt to block out the wind. The fire looked inviting, promising added warmth, but he had chosen the solitude of a nearby tree to sit and work on the blowgun he’d started carving out days before. After his experience at Bedler’s Keep, he realized that he had become a liability and danger to his dwarf friends. If he was going to be of any use, he needed to learn to better defend himself. Bardolf and Helgar had agreed to teach him but were quickly sent away when Rangor insisted that ‘there’d be no proper learning unless taught by a true master.’ Since then, every night when they camped, Rangor put him through a vigorous workout that left Teek exhausted. His ability with the axe Bardolf gave him was slow in coming. He didn’t have the strength necessary to control his swings making him very dangerous on the practice field. He had improved some with the dagger though.