Keeper (First Ordinance #2)(38)

"Books on the old laws are in Gurnil's private library," Dena said. "I dusted his shelves and saw them there."

"Gurnil can probably tell you if you want to know, then," I nodded at Berel.

"I'll ask after breakfast." Berel went back to his food.

If Siriaa weren't in so severe a crisis and its people in such peril as a result, I would think that having breakfast with two whom I'd come to love was joy incarnate. As it was, I felt as if the weight of the planet had settled onto my shoulders, much as it had for Berel's father.

"Quin, are you ready to start the day?" Ordin walked onto the balcony and nodded to my companions.

"I am." I rose and allowed my wings to pull away from my back.

"I'll join you there after I speak with Master Gurnil," Berel promised. "Father is asking after the health of the people."

*

The physician's staff from one of the ships followed Master Ordin and me into the physician's quarters. Already there was a line waiting to get inside. Two medics from the ship began their trek down the line, making a swift evaluation as to which ones needed to see us first—a process they referred to as vital assessment.

The large, examination room at the front had been divided into five cubicles—the one at the back equipped for dental surgery, as the ships' staff named it.

Ordin had one of the first cubicles, I had the one behind his. Two ships' surgeons had the two opposite ours.

It was no secret that the worst of the patients were brought to me. Many more were asking to see me than I could comfortably handle; those were directed to Ordin and the others.

My first patient was a young woman with the wasting disease. I felt a great deal of pity for her and after a brief consultation with Ordin, healed her of the sickness. She was the first whom I considered for such—all my other patients had been elderly up to that point and only wished for respite from the pain.

When the young woman was helped from the room by her mother, I worried that I'd only see her again. I wondered that the people couldn't feel the disease of the land beneath our feet—it bled through the stone floors of the healer's quarters and disturbed me as I worked.

Ordin said I'd work for four hours, as Kondar measured time. I ended up working the full nine, with only a sandwich brought by Dena at midday.

Berel had come as promised, recording images of patients waiting outside the quarters while we worked as swiftly as we could inside it. Word came that people were either riding in from outlying villages or were carried inside wagons pulled by horses or oxen.

Even the animals appeared sickly to me when the carts were parked outside and the horses and such led away for water and what grain could be found for them.

"I can get supplies," Reah arrived with Torevik behind her to survey the increasing crowd.

"I fear we need another building, just to house those who are too ill to return to their homes," I pointed out. "If we had that, we could also dispense food and supplies there, if we had such."

"A good idea. Let me see what we can do about it."

I'd been covered in blood, filth and vomit when Reah came to visit—I'd have been ashamed if I weren't so near exhaustion by that point. I knew Ordin was in the same shape—he merely snapped at a castle servant to bring a clean smock and went back to work.

Holding my wings out to invite cooler air against my back, I accepted the smaller smock the servant offered to me and motioned for the next patient to be brought forward.

*

"They're fighting a losing battle—the entire population is sick—or will be soon," Reah sighed. "I know the core is tapped—I opened my shields long enough to check. Marid didn't have the finesse of a warlock when he tapped it and the breach is extensive. Energy is pouring out at an alarming rate."

"Is there any place on Siriaa where those people can be taken—so they can be treated away from Fyris? I gather that's where the poison is concentrated the most," Lissa said.

"There are only two major continents, Kondar and Yokaru, then Fyris and the polar caps. These aren't built for the harsh winters the caps will force upon them—especially with so many sick."

"How many are we talking about?" Lissa asked. "In Fyris?"

"Not that many, considering. Perhaps one hundred thousand or a little more, at most."

"While Kondar and Yokaru hold millions," Lissa shook her head.

"Cloudsong is uninhabited," Reah pointed out. "After the Belancours were arrested and removed recently."

"You may want to check it—Terrett's information revealed that Marid's containment spheres weren't working. Cloudsong may contain the poison now."

"That bastard," Reah muttered.

"I can think of worse things to call him," Lissa agreed. "When I told Trik that Marid was dead, he nodded. I think he already knew."

"It's tough when your own grandfather gives you away, isn't it?" Reah asked. "Just because Trik had a withered hand? Foolishness."

"If Marid had bothered to spend money on medical care, Trik would have been fine."

"He's better off where he is, and with the Larentii helping, he's whole, now."

"Do you want to go with me to Cloudsong? We'll see what Marid did to it."