Warprize

travel?”
    I could see where this was headed. “Days. Even then, he would have to be carried.”
    He locked his eyes on mine for a moment, then seemed satisfied with the truth of my answer. “You will carry a message to him.”
    “No.”
    He looked at me sharply. “You heal the enemy…”
    I cut him off. “No. I don’t know who you are, or what you hope to do, but I will not help you.”
    His blue eyes gleamed. His hand moved down to my throat and rested lightly on it. “I could kill you now.
    ”
    I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. “Who then would take the kavage to Simus?”
    There was a huff of amusement. The hand left my throat, and I felt the heat of his body move away. I opened my eyes onto an empty alleyway.
    I stood for a moment, just breathing, trying to let the feel of my body return to normal. But I could still feel the weight of him pressed against me, and the warmth of his breath on my cheek. Outside the alley, traffic ebbed and flowed, and the normal sounds helped me get myself under control. My packages lay at my feet, and I picked them all up, hoping that none of the bottles and jars had broken. There was still so much to do and time was wasting. I took a deep breath and started walking. I was a fool. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. An ignorant fool. I would talk to Lord Warren as soon as he was available.
    Between the still room activities and helping Eln, it was late before I got to the prisoners’ tent. I yawned as I took the final part of the path, heading for Heath’s post. I stopped when I got to him, put down my satchel, sack and jugs, and stretched as high as I could, yawning with my mouth wide open. He smiled. “
    Tired?”
    I grinned and nodded. “After this, I go to bed… no stops along the way.”
    Heath jerked his head toward the castle. “I heard the horns announce the arrival of the Warlord. Have you heard anything about the talks?”
    I snorted. “Heath, I’d be the last person anyone would tell. I know that Warren is involved, but that’s all I know.” I sighed and picked up my bundles. I was tired, and the damn brooch was raising a blister on my ankle. I was frustrated as well, since I’d tried to speak to Lord Warren, but it hadn’t been possible. “
    I hope they went well. It’s nice not to have more wounded.”
    “Aye.” Heath had that mischievous look in his eye. “You’ll have more ladies of the court looking for lotions and potions.” I rolled my eyes, and he chuckled as he lifted the tent flap. I looked for Rafe when I went in and saw him near Simus’s cot. As I moved through the tent, I could see that there were more men up and moving about. Although some were shaky and had others assisting them, they were moving.
    “Rafe.” I called a greeting. He, Joden, and the other man, ummm… Prest, were near to Simus’s pallet. I set my parcels down and knelt to look at my patient.
    “Has he woken?”
    Joden shrugged. “He has been in and out all day.”
    Prest looked at me. “Will he be well?
    “Let us look.” Prest and Joden started the unwrapping process. I looked over at Rafe and grinned. “I found this in the marketplace. Maybe you have a use for it.”
    He looked puzzled, but took the sack and opened it. His eyes got very big and excited. “Kavage! It is kavage!” He looked at me as the others started to react. “Where did you… ?”
    “There was a merchant in the market that had some. He could not sell it, everyone thinks it is a poison.”
    The tent laughed, but Rafe paid me no attention as he and a few others started examining the contents and commenting on the seeds. They seemed sort of obsessed. I bit my lip and started to worry that I had done the wrong thing.
    Joden caught my eye and smiled. “Have no fear, healer. It is a drink like any other. But it is a taste of home, and it will divert them for a time while they figure out a way to grind the beans.”
    I smiled with relief and turned to the wound.
    It was doing very well. I took a closer look than I had earlier and was still pleased with his progress. We cleaned and redressed it, smearing it this time with an unguent made of fever’s foe and fairysfoot. Satisfied, I left it to Joden and Prest to wrap up my patient. I started on my rounds, tired but pleased. Each man was well out of danger and healing well. As I worked, I could hear Rafe and his group talking excitedly as they apparently found different ways to grind the beans I had brought. I stopped to watch for