The Healer's Legacy (3 page)

She shifted in her saddle, easing her stiff muscles, feeling each bruise anew. The creak of leather sounded loud in the silence of the darkened woods. Vaith hissed softly in her ear, sensing her indecision.
What do you think?
she asked with her mind, turning her head toward him. His leathery wings were folded tightly at his sides, and he cocked his head to gaze at her. His round eyes glowed in the dark like disks of gold. Kira remembered the medallion that Heresta had given her. The golden medallion that had belonged to her mother. If the symbol was emblematic of her roots, why hadn’t Heresta told her before? If it did explain where her powers had come from, why had the old healer kept it a secret? Kira’s hand went to the pouch at her side. Could she really be descended from the strange folk who inhabited those distant lands?

She shivered in the cool night air, remembering how her mother had insisted that to tell anyone of her powers would be dangerous. Kira hadn’t really understood, but the fear she heard in her mother’s voice had made her vow never to reveal her gift to anyone. Now she was glad she had made that promise and, with the exception of telling Heresta, had kept it.

“West,” she said, in a whisper. “We’ll go west. If there is any haven for us, perhaps it lies in the land of my mother’s people.”

She knew she would have to travel many leagues to the south in order to cross the mountains. The peaks were high with few trails leading through them. She remembered studying Toril’s many maps. A few showed all the explored lands of Lunari, including the outlying islands. She recalled that the nearest road over the Zendel Mountains led through the Kandurst Gap. But she would have to travel across a large expanse of open land to get there, unless she followed the Aikewall Forest south to the foothills of the Khepera Mountains. Then, if memory served her, she could follow the Sethern River to the west and turn north again to gain the pass. It was a long way around, but it would keep her from having to cross the open lands in the midst of the region controlled by Toril and his army. And the pass itself was not much used, which was an added boon.

But first, they would have to go around the inhabited area just ahead. Tomorrow she would take precautions to hide their tracks, for now it would be just as well to use those tracks to throw off the men who followed them. If Toril’s soldiers somehow managed to pick up their trail, she didn’t want them to know she was heading west.

In the stillness, a wood owl hooted.
Take us east, Kelmir, toward the rising sun
. Kelmir turned, his big paws padding silently between the trees. Kira gave a nudge with her left knee and Trad followed him, stepping carefully over roots and fallen branches.

Now and then she surveyed the forest to her right, watching as they traveled slowly past the flickering light, keeping a safe distance. The sight reminded her of her recent escape and the death of Heresta. True, Heresta had not been able to replace Kira’s parents, but the old woman had cared for her. Kira hadn’t understood it when the healer had first taken her in, but she had come to know that Heresta had loved her. A small sob escaped from her lips, and the tears that hadn’t come as she’d sat beside her mentor’s deathbed came now. She let them run freely down her cheeks, mourning the loss of the last person who had truly loved her. Vaith, sensing her distress, cooed softly in her ear, a warbling low-pitched sound. She reached up and stroked his neck.
Thank you for your concern, little one, but I will be well
. Leaning her head gently against him, she felt his cool skin on her cheek.
As long as I have my beloved companions with me, all will be well
.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and wondered if it were true. Could she trust in her own words, or were they merely empty promises she tried to give herself? She hadn’t been well for a long time. Ever since her parents had been killed, she’d felt fearful and unsure. And when she thought she’d found safety and protection with Toril, he had proven her wrong. Even if she managed to get through the mountains and across the Faersent Sea, would she find refuge?

Once they were well beyond the dwelling, they turned south and continued traveling through the dense forest. The glittering light that flickered from its windows grew dim and faded finally into the thick darkness behind them.

CHAPTER THREE

Shafts of morning sunlight pierced the thick canopy of branches and a golden haze dusted the shadowy spaces between the trees. Kelmir roved before Kira, scouting the way, as Vaith flitted from tree to tree, stopping only long enough for her to catch up to him before flying off again. Kira pushed aside the previous night’s worries, forcing herself to focus on the present. “Easy enough to worry about tomorrow when it arrives,” she quoted Heresta aloud. She smoothed a section of Trad’s mane with her fingers. “Yesterday’s tomorrow is here, and we’re still free of Toril. That in itself is something to be glad of.”

Her stomach growled and she grimaced. The pouch at her hip contained less than a handful of dried fruit. She glanced about, searching for a sign of late summer berries, mushrooms or anything else edible. It would have been easier to live off the forest in late spring or early summer, but there were still plants and tubers suitable for eating. She only had to find them.

Scanning the ground at the base of the tree trunks, she sighted a small patch of wild mother’s grass. It wouldn’t be filling, and uncooked it would be tough and sour, but the milky liquid that filled the stalks would provide some nourishment. She dismounted to gather the thick stalks, pulling them up by their shallow roots. After brushing away the dirt, she cut the bottom from each fat stem, holding them upside down so the milk wouldn’t drip out. Her mouth puckered as, one by one, she chewed the open ends of the stalks until the white pithy insides gave up their bitter liquid.

Beneath an old gnarled oak, she found a bush of trumpet berries. Most of the fruit was not yet fully ripened, and eating more than a handful would be unwise at any time, unless one were in need of a purgative. She picked only the ripest of the berries, eating a few and putting the rest into her pouch.

As she finished, Kelmir’s mind brushed hers. Men ahead. The sights and smells of a settlement came through to her in wispy imagery.
Stay out of sight
, she told him.
You, too
, she sent a cautioning thought to Vaith. Shimmering scales caught the light and reflected it like rainbow colored fire as he flew up to perch on a high branch and wait in the shadows.

A settlement or hold might mean they were nearing the central road that led east and west through the middle of the woods. Kira pictured the maps of the region in her head. She couldn’t recall seeing any villages or large holds marked on the map of the Aikewall Forest. The forest itself was close to sixty leagues wide and spanned more than eight hundred leagues from north to south. Several roads led along or through the forest, the main road east and west cutting through the center. The north-south road traversed the entire length of the wood along its western border, but only crossed deeper into the forest at the northern edge to pass around the edge of Lake Kaltes, which was so vast, it covered the land from the forest all the way to the foot of the Zendel Mountain range.

The holding was probably a small settlement of woodcutters or foresters who gathered brush and cut dead wood to sell as kindling and firewood. Kira weighed her options. Her stomach rumbled and she licked her lips. Wild fare wasn’t scarce this time of year, but she hadn’t asked Kelmir and Vaith to hunt for her, since she dared not take the time to stop and build a fire. But her hunger gripped her stomach like a fist, and she needed supplies for the journey, items she might be able to obtain from a settlement. She disliked the idea of hunting game for trade. Killing was distasteful, but a necessary fact of life, she reminded herself, and they needed supplies to survive. However, she would have to proceed with care. By now the soldiers would have sent a rider back to report her escape to Toril.

She grimaced in empathy for the soldier who had been chosen for the task. Then chided herself for her waste of compassion, reminding herself that he served Toril by choice.

As she once had.

The thought pulled her up short, bringing with it a mix of emotions. Shame commingled with pain and loss roiled through her. She felt cheated. Toril had lied to her. His words had promised love and kindness. His deeds had not fulfilled that promise. She shook with rage and gritted her teeth. A desperate whimper jangled inside her. Taking deep slow breaths to calm herself, she turned her attention to the present.

Kelmir, Vaith, we’ll need to hunt fresh game for trading. A brace or two of rabbits or some plump wild fowl
. She could feel their excitement at the prospect. They would work together as they used to. Kira sensed their anticipation and smiled. Good. See what you can find in the woods away from the road and the settlement. I’ll find some grazing for Trad and join you.

She walked on, leading trad in the direction of the holding, taking her time. It was only mid-day and it would be best to wait until evening to approach, when activities would be quieting down for the night. Fewer people would be out and about, most settling in for their evening meal. That would mean fewer eyes. And fewer questions. She also hoped that the evening gloom would help to hide her appearance.

She ran her fingers through her tangled hair. She considered her options. She would certainly need to do something about the color of her hair if she wanted to be less noticeable. The resin of an acacia would help to turn it brown, or at least darken the redness of it. But it would be easier to cover, if there were less of it.

The presence of Kelmir prowling in the distance and Vaith flitting quietly from branch to branch comforted her. The two hunters traveled silently, keeping out of sight, watching for the movement that would betray a small game animal. The years spent hiding from Toril had made the process of remaining concealed while hunting second nature to both of them. Out of bad comes good, Kira thought with a frown. She too had learned to make herself almost invisible, to hide her thoughts and emotions from Toril.

A league or so from the holding, she turned aside, taking a wide circular route around the settlement. Her feet were heavy, the long night of evading her pursuers having finally caught up to her. She rubbed at the back of her neck as a wide yawn escaped her. They would need to rest tonight, she thought, absently scratching under Trad’s chin.

She came alert as she passed the point she knew would put her directly east of the settlement. Where she’d expected to find the main road, only a narrow cart track barred her path through the woods. A small swath of open sky followed its winding course through the trees.

Small drays and riders on horseback had made the track. The worn ruts were too close together for larger wagons. Perhaps she wasn’t as close to the east-west road as she’d thought. She examined the trees for signs of cutting, but the forested area had only been picked clean of deadfall and bracken. Foresters or gatherers, not woodcutters. The settlement would be modest then and probably not on the main road.

After watching the track for a while to be certain it was empty, she crossed the path with her heart pounding. Once across, she moved with quiet steps, leading Trad in under the trees on the other side. She made her way to a point well beyond the hamlet, and found herself in a sheltered copse where the ground was soft and uneven.

She used a heavy stick to dig a shallow hole. Then she took out the knife and, with a grunt of displeasure, grabbed a handful of hair and pulled the blade across until the strands fell free. She repeated the process, dropping handfuls of coppery tresses into the hole, until a mere two fingers of length remained on her head. Then she covered the hole with dirt, tamped it down and scattered leaves over the disturbed soil.

When she finished, she felt dizzy with weariness and fatigue.
I need to rest a while
, she sent to Kelmir and Vaith.
Keep watch for me
. Yawning wide, she sat down with her back against a knobby oak. It had been a long day and night. She leaned back and let sleep draw her down.

* * *

She woke, swimming to the surface of sleep, her weariness dragging at her like an enormous weight. She sunk and rose several times before rousing. With the sudden realization of where she was, she came wholly awake, wondering how she could have slumbered so deeply.

The dusky shadows of early evening had merged into the forest as she slept. She would need to hurry. Entering the holding after dark would cause more commotion and curiosity than she wanted to stir up. She was about to stand when her fingers brushed against something warm and feathery. With a start she snatched her hand away and looked down. Four plump game hens lay beside her.

She smiled, reaching out for Kelmir and Vaith.
Thank you, my brave hearts. Well done
. Their pleasure at her praise swept over her as she passed her hands in a small circle over the fowl with a prayer of thanks to Troka for her generosity.

Standing, she stretched the stiffness out of her arms and legs, then checked on Trad. He nickered as she rubbed behind his ears. The forest was alive with the evening song of warblers and a woodpecker hammered in the distance. Kelmir and Vaith were alert and watchful, but they gave no sense of concern. She stooped to pick up the game hens.
Watch over Trad for me
, she told them before heading toward the foresters’ cot.

She stayed in the shadows and surveyed the quiet settlement. The entire holding consisted of one large building, a work shed, a rough stable, a few flat-roofed cottages and several sturdy lean-tos. The group of buildings sat clustered in a clearing, a narrow track leadng to the main cart road. A less than defensible position, and some of the buildings had been recently repaired. But then, with the outlanders having been expelled from Sedath, life had become more peaceful, if not necessarily more pleasant, thanks to Toril.

Lights glimmered from the windows of the main hall, glowing in the gray evening light. The work shed and most of the cottages appeared silent and empty. Kira squared her shoulders and stepped out into the clearing between two of the outbuildings, intent on heading for the nearest cottage. Perhaps there would be someone inside with whom she could barter.

A scuffling noise from the direction of the stable brought her to a halt. The buttery-yellow light of a small work lamp moved toward the open door, followed by a bulky shadow. Kira waited soundlessly, poised to dart back in amongst the trees.

The shadow emerged from the stable, followed by a short stout man in a leather tunic, a lamp raised high over his head. His deep-set eyes were dark in his round face, which held a large full nose and square chin. His shoulders were broad, and he appeared to be nearly as wide as he was tall, with arms so long they would have reached below his knees had they been down at his sides.

A bleating animal trailed after him, stumbling awkwardly and stretching its neck to reach something the man held behind his back. Kira smiled as she realized that the animal was a young goat and the man was not a man, but a gnome. An Uldast gnome most likely, she thought, as Uldast gnomes were known for their animal husbandry. The gnome was feeding the kid something from his hand as he walked, his rolling gait like that of a sailor fresh from the sea.

He stopped suddenly, sniffing the air, and the kid caught up with him, butting him from behind with its head and causing him to rock forward onto the balls of his feet. He stiffened and steadied himself, eyes narrowing as they came to rest on the shadows where Kira stood.

“What d’ye think yer doin’ over there?” he asked, his voice a deep rumbling bass. “Com’on out where one can see yer with a clean eye.”

Kira stepped from between the buildings, holding her arms out from her sides, the game hens held tightly in one fist.

“Who’re ye? Eh? And why’re ye skulkin’ in the gloom?” The gnome’s deep voice was gruff with suspicion.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t intend to hide in the shadows as if I were spying,” Kira replied. “I’m only a traveler passing through these lands. I saw your holding and thought I might barter some fresh game for supplies. If there is anyone here who might be open to a trade, that is,” she spoke the words as politely as she could, keeping her arms outstretched and nodding at the dangling fowl.

“So, ’tis an accident ye were hanging in the shadows betwixt and between rather than comin’ at us from the main road, eh?” He arched an eyebrow at her, his mouth held in a taut line.

“Well, not precisely,” Kira said. “I was coming from the forest with these hens,” she nodded again at the fowl. “Do you mind if I set them down? They’re quite fat and heavy.”

“Eh? Heavy is it?” he said, eyeing her with a smirk. “Well, they don’t look all that large from here. Caught ’em in the woods nearby, did ye say?” He took a step forward and then rocked onto his toes. “Oof! Hold on there,” he said over his shoulder. The young goat butted him again, attempting to wrest the food from his hand. “Ach. Take it, ye pushy youngling.” He let go of the prize and wiped his hand on the leg of his brown woolen trousers. His eyes glinted with humor. “Well, now,” he said, clearing his throat and turning down his mouth at Kira. “Let’s see what yer’ve brought, and I’ll tell ye if they’re worth a naught fer trade.”

Kira stepped closer, forcing herself not to smile as she held out the game hens to offer the gnome a better view. He grunted. “Not a bad catch for a day’s work.” He took the hens from her and held them up to test their weight. “All together, they might even make a small stew. What is it yer wantin’ for them?”