The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil (84 page)

“The men are set up outside of town. Princess Aiva needs to be inside and out of the elements,” Cadell nodded. He gave a sharp flick of his hand toward the door, gesturing Callum with his head. “Take her to the inn and acquire a room. We will pay for our food and meet you there.”

“I will go with them,” Edric announced, taking Aiva’s clammy hand in his. He gazed at her, somber, his silvery-blue eyes sparkling in the flickering light of the tavern. She tried to smile at him, to reassure him that everything was alright. For some reason the expression wouldn’t come. Her body was beginning to tremble worse than before. A sudden moisture trickled over her lips, her hand lifting to brush it away instinctively. She gasped when her hand pulled back, a red stain of blood coating her fingertips.

Callum was at her other side, noticing her wobble on her feet. She felt faint. The room was spinning. What was wrong with her? Knees shaking, she started to go limp, caught by Callum and Edric to prevent her from collapsing to the floor. All color drained from Thade’s face, watching Aiva in utter despair. “General, I will compensate you coin for the food. I am not leaving my daughter’s side.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Cadell bowed in acceptance of the direction. He remained there only long enough to watch Thade lift Aiva into his arms, Edric and Callum each taking a protective stance on either side. Just as Cadell prepared to move away Gadiel stepped in, his face leaned in close to the General, whispering something only they could hear. Cadell nodded, a grateful smile crossing his lips. He gave Gadiel a firm pat on the shoulder, crossing the room to stand in front of Thade. “It seems this fine young man is going to cover the meal and acquire some food and drink for the Princess. I will see to the room with you.”

Thade cast an appreciative glance in Gadiel’s direction. Without another moment’s pause, he followed Cadell through the door of the tavern. Aiva watched it all as if in a dream. The sights around her were surreal. As if she was looking at everything from the bottom of a crystal-clear lake, creating gentle wave-like ripples across her vision. She had no recollection of how they crossed the street from the tavern to the dilapidated door of the inn. Consciousness was fleeting. Edric and Callum were speaking, trying to keep her alert. She could hear them. Every blink of her eyes caused minutes to pass, their words broken and inconsistent.

In a flash she saw Cadell at the desk with the clerk. When her eyelids lifted again they were in a hallway. Her father continued to carry her while Cadell opened a door, holding it for Thade to move inside, Edric and Callum at his heels, their pace quick to reach the bed where Aiva was being laid. Edric relinquished his place at her side to Cadell. He and Thade were already at work examining her, pointing at marks and questioning Callum, their inquiries direct and in some cases accusatory. Aiva wished she could make them stop. None of this was his fault. Why did they shout as if her illness was somehow a direct result of his actions?

Cadell’s hands slid over the skin of Aiva’s neck, his fingertips lightly brushing the stitches there. She’d forgotten their presence. It seemed so long ago since she lay on the examination table in Uttae’s home. “What is the reason for this?” he demanded. “How severe was the injury? Do you know who administered the sutures?”

“I did,” Callum frowned. “The wound is clean and well tended. You will find another like it near her right shoulder on the chest. I assure you those injuries are not the cause of her illness.”

As if to challenge Callum’s words, Cadell immediately slid the stained fabric of Aiva’s chemise from her right shoulder to inspect the area. He stared at the wound, contemplative. “The sutures are surprisingly well executed. There is no sign of infection or error which would create a reaction like this.”

Callum fought to maintain his position next to Aiva despite Cadell’s seeming attempts to force him aside. “I will take that as a compliment, I think,” he mumbled. “My concern with those wounds is how they were incurred, but it has been weeks since. It seems odd they would instigate a problem now.”

“We need to remove some of her clothes to examine for other wounds. I think it best the boys leave the room for now,” Cadell stated. His gaze held steady with Thade’s until he received a nod of agreement, his head turning to cast a stern glance toward Callum. “You and Edric can wait outside. We will let you know when it is appropriate for you to return.”

“With all due respect, Father, she is my wife. I would rather stay here – ”

“Last I was aware, that is up for discussion. Son, I suggest you do what I tell you.”

“General, please,” Aiva breathed shakily. She didn’t want Callum to leave. After everything they had been through, she needed him by her side. He had every right to know what their fathers discovered regarding her condition. “Do not send him away. I beg you.”

“Princess, he cannot be allowed to see you in any state of undress. Surely you understand.”

“If he was not my husband I would understand. If I was my mother, you would not send away the King.”

Thade rested his hand over Aiva’s forehead, forlorn to see his daughter in such a state. “The union is currently under deliberation and therefore cannot be viewed as accepted. We will discuss it when you are well again. Please. Allow the General to do his job.”

“If he leaves, then I will go with him.” Defiant she tried to sit up on the bed, her body quickly pinned to the mattress by the three men, her eyes glancing sadly up at Callum. He was keeping her there? Why would he let them send him away?

“Aiva, it will be alright,” he said quietly, coaxing her onto her back once again. “I won’t be far. Edric and I will be right outside the door.”

“No!” she shouted. “Father, he stays. If I am unable to answer the questions you find necessary to ask about the recent events which may have led to my condition, Callum is the only other person who will have the knowledge to provide it in my stead. This has nothing to do with the union. He can help. I beg you to let him.”

Thade closed his eyes, a grimace frozen on his features at her request. Aiva knew he wouldn’t be able to deny her for long. Much like her mother, she had a sway over him which she had taken advantage of since she discovered it as a child. She intended to tug every string she needed in order to make him see things her way. “Very well,” he stated quietly. “He can stay, but his eyes must remain focused elsewhere. Turn around lad. Edric, you do the same. We do not have time to waste on this nonsense.”

She relaxed into the mattress at his concession. If only she had the strength to smile… “Thank you, Father,” she whispered. He smiled sorrowfully down at her, a handkerchief clutched in his hand, dabbing gently along her injured eye. He said nothing, his attention diverted to where Cadell resumed his work.

Cadell waited until Callum turned around before he started to tug at the laces of Aiva’s bodice. Brow furrowed, he took note of the cut ribbons, easily separating them from the garment. Shifting the bodice aside he inhaled a sharp breath to see the tattered chemise underneath, stained with blood across her abdomen. “What happened to her clothes?” Cadell asked, anger flaring, the red of his burnt umber eyes glowing more brightly than Aiva had ever seen before. “Speak, Callum. Dresses don’t cut themselves.”

His tone made obvious the veiled accusation. Callum understood the implications, starting to turn around in defense, his motion gruffly halted by his father’s hand forcing him to remain still with a firm grip on his arm. “She was attacked, Father,” Callum exhaled, his frustration building at Cadell’s behavior.

“By whom?”

Callum’s shoulders fell in disbelief. “Are you trying to accuse me of something, Father?”

“Is there something I should be accusing you of?”

“Absolutely not. What kind of man do you think I am? You did not raise me to mistreat a lady, nor would I ever do such a thing.” He clenched his fists, the strain it took him to remain calm made clear with every word he spoke. “We were attacked by raiders in the woods before Haverton. Luquarr is filled with sordid types. You can figure out what they would want to attack us for.”

“And you let her fall into their hands?”

“I did my best to keep them at bay.”

“It would not appear your best was successful…”

“General, cease this!” Aiva exclaimed, her voice broken and shrill. She couldn’t lie there and listen to Callum be blamed for this. “Your son did everything he should have. He told me not to stop. It was my decision to turn back when I realized he had been removed from his horse. Those men did this to me. Not him.”

Her father tensed at her side, squeezing her hand gently. “Aiva, speak to the General with a little more respect.” He looked up from Aiva, his features stern, catching Cadell’s eye. “General, I think it best we focus on her health for now. The other matters we have need to investigate can wait.”

“I apologize, Your Majesty.”

“I understand this is a sensitive predicament for you, as it is for us all. If you will please, continue the examination.”

The room grew foggy around her. She listened to the two men discuss her symptoms from across the bed. Chills. Weakness. Fatigue. It was guesswork. They could find nothing. Edric was sent to fetch water and a cloth from the clerk so they could wash the wounds on her abdomen. They required sutures, though gave no indication of infection. It was too fresh.

In her dazed frame of mind she let her head turn to watch where Callum stood, back facing the bed, rigid at his inability to help. Cadell ceased to ask him questions, choosing to deliberate between himself and Thade. Many of her symptoms were fitting for infection. It was just a matter of determining what caused it. Callum’s arms were folded across his chest. He let his fingers brush thoughtfully over his sleeve, distracted. His body jerked suddenly, sparked to life by some unknown force. In a blur of motion he spun around, ignoring his father’s shouts for him to look away, his hands hastily removing the sleeve from Aiva’s right arm.

“Callum, stop this immediately!” Cadell commanded, grabbing Callum by the chest to push him away. Callum fought back, equaling his father in strength. Cadell looked shocked by the resistance he received, struggling to maintain control of his son. “Have you lost your mind, boy? Desist or I will remove you from this room by force.”

“Her arm. Your Majesty, check her arms!” Callum shouted over his father. He tapped at his bicep, the light in his eyes brightened with his insistence.

Thade peered at him, hesitant at first, quickly making up his mind to do as Callum asked. Aiva watched the scene, detached. She felt her father tug her arm free, a look of disgust on his face at what he saw there. “Sweet Sarid,” he breathed, staring down at her, horrified. “What caused this? How long has this been here? It is badly infected.”

She couldn’t form words to provide the answers he required. Her strength to fight had begun to wane, exhaustion taking over. At her lack of response Thade directed his stern gaze to Callum, a snap of his fingers the only command necessary to direct Cadell to stand down. Callum took advantage of his father’s retreat to push past him toward the bed. “A few weeks,” he explained. “Once they were sutured, we never had a chance to tend them as they should have been. Things were… hectic. It should not have gotten this bad, though.”

“There are other factors which can progress infection to an abnormal degree,” Thade frowned. “Was she exposed to anything unnatural? Strange medicines? Were you the only one who cared for her injuries?”

“Unfortunately, I was not.” Callum glanced hesitantly at his father who came to stand at his side, staring at the wound on Aiva’s arm in obvious surprise. Having nothing to say to him, Callum focused his attention on Thade, leaning over the bed to reveal the cuts on Aiva’s other arm. “You said there are factors which would progress infection abnormally? What types of factors?”

“Some herbs have been known to react oddly with our bodies. It could have something to do with the creature that inflicted the injury as well. Was she exposed to anything poisonous?”

Callum’s face fell instantly at the mention of poison. Slumped forward, he gazed down at Aiva’s unfocused eyes. After a moment he managed to regain his composure, “If I ever get my hands on that damnable witch…”

She stared at him in confusion. What was he talking about? What witch? “Enokih?” she whispered, the word cracked and hoarse under the effort it took to speak. He nodded to her, pounding his fist on the table next to the bed.

“Calm down, son,” Cadell let his hand come to rest on Callum’s shoulder. Callum jerked his arm away, anger flashing in his eyes. Cadell appeared flustered for a moment, quickly fighting to recover from the shock at his son’s actions. “Who is Enokih? Tell us what happened so we can understand what you are trying to say, otherwise you aren’t doing any good being here.”

Ignoring his father, Callum sat down beside Aiva on the bed, his words directed to Thade. “When the ship sank, Aiva and I washed up on Tunir. Our wounds were tended by a woman named Enokih – the daughter of your long time ally, General Uttae.”

“Uttae?” Thade mused. “So you were in the care of their General?”

“To an extent. Aiva was exposed to both herbs and poison, none of which were consumed after these wounds were inflicted. We were told the poison was flushed from her system…”

“You never answered me as to what caused these marks upon my daughter. They are not from any weapon I can think of. What beast did this?”

Callum hung his head, a soft laugh escaping him to think on the answer. “Your daughter took on a tiger while in the Tuniron jungle. I was not present to see the fight, though I hear from General Uttae and one of his men that it was an impressive display. You should be proud of her. I believe King Ihklos intends to have the beast mounted on his wall.”

“Why were you not present for this? The Princess’s safety is your direct duty, Callum,” Cadell’s tone was less accusatory than before; his attempt at civility evident, yet strained.

“Father, maybe you should fight a divastru single-handedly and then tell me if you are in any condition to follow anyone around a jungle.”