The Crow King's Wife(129)

“He shouldn’t be alone. Do you know what he did? Do you know how he saved me?” Grim mumbled. He turned his head to stare up at her and the expression on his face was desperate. She had never seen Grim act this way no matter what the situation had been.

“I know he saved you. Syrah told me.” Zoelyn replied calmly as she pulled another quill from the wound. Of all things men used to kill each other the Serpent tooth arrow was the one she despised the most. Each tiny quill that lined the edges of the arrow head was designed to break off on impact and typically they were coated in poison. She was certain the quills combined with the potion he had drunk before the battle was to blame for his current condition. The Heroes folly was a potion intended to keep a warrior on his feet long past the point he should have fallen by boosting stamina as well as natural regeneration. The effect had sealed all of the arrow quills deep in his flesh to putrefy and poison his blood.

Grim’s hand rose once more and pushed at her just as she locked onto a stubbornly buried quill with her tweezers. He tried once more to sit up and she fought back the urge to curse as she lost her grip on the quill. Leaning back she took a deep breath and glanced at the small girl sitting at the foot of the bed.

“Syrah, What would your mother do with a patient like this?” Zoelyn asked in the calmest voice she could muster. Between Caleb’s constant interference and the gnawing hunger of her curse her patience was nearly gone. Much more of this and she was going to strangle the man to speed him on his way to Finn’s door.

“Summon Daddy and have him knock him out so she could work in peace on the wound.” Syrah answered in the same rational voice, but the look she was giving her father was one of stern disapproval. Her tiny mouth was pursed into a tight frown and she shook her head in reproach.

“And what should I do since the unruly patient is your daddy?” Zoelyn asked sweetly. She had known how the child would answer. Evanell had taught her daughter well and it showed in Syrah’s every action. When Syrah spoke it was Evanell’s wisdom in a child’s voice.

“Find him Shade so his mind will be at peace.” Grim snapped before Syrah had a chance to reply. With another grunt of effort Grim heaved himself into an upright position and wobbled unsteadily before dropping his legs over the edge of the bed.

“You can’t possibly believe you are going to be able to stand, Grim. It took two guards just to get you into this bed. You haven’t been conscious more than an hour since you fell in Rivana.” Zoelyn objected with every bit of righteous indignation she could summon to her voice.

“He killed his own Mother. He shouldn’t be alone now. Shade wears his guilt like a noose and this much will strangle him.” Grim’s voice was strained but she knew the look of stubborn resolve on his face far too well. He wouldn’t give this up, either she would have to find a compromise with him quickly or watch him stumble out of the room and most likely to his death. He needed the quills out now to stop the poison.

“Lay back down and let me remove the quills and I will send Dray and Syrah to find Shade, alright?” Zoelyn offered.

“It won’t do any good to send me. Shade isn’t in Delvay. He left the moment the children were off the Spell Hawk, and no one can say where he has gone. Neph has been trying to find him for hours.” Dray pointed out from his perch by the door and Zoelyn had to resist the urge to slap him for it.

“What? How long has he been gone?” Grim’s voice grew hoarse as he struggled to his feet. “Where is my sword? I have to find him.” Even as he spoke his knees were wobbling as if they would buckle, but the man seemed to be too stubborn to admit to his own weakness.

“The only thing you will be finding is your pillow.” Zoelyn grumbled as she rose from her chair and moved to stand in front of him. He glared down at her in defiance but one solid push from her hand send him crumbling back onto the bed. A flicker of agony crossed his face as the wound in his side tore open further and she felt a moment’s regret for her roughness. “I’m trying to save your life, Grim. Shade can take care of himself well enough. The sooner you let me finish, the sooner you can go find him.”

“If he suffers from my delay I will not forgive you for this.” Grim promised in the same hoarse voice, but didn’t try to rise again. His jaw clenched as he closed his eyes and turned his face toward the wall.

Zoelyn stared down at him in bewilderment for several breaths before she realized he was finally going to submit to her healing. Silently she returned to her chair and leaned over the wound once more. It was almost impossible to keep from glancing at his face. She had never seen Grim act so strangely, but decided it had to be from the fever. Dominic had said that the fever mad rarely made sense in their ramblings. Her tweezers found the quill once more and she carefully pulled it from the wound doing her best to wipe away the puss and blood it left in its wake. With patience she didn’t feel in the slightest she pressed at the open wound and searched for more of the quills. She had only managed to find four so far and most Serpent tooth arrows held ten.