.
I saw two red eyes, with very narrowed pupils. The air was misted by rage fueled breath. Then the head went down. Horns to the fore.
Northgyth was speaking with a man from the garrison. One I recognised, but did not know. There was candlelight again. I could see him as I turned my head.
“The surgeon is sure of this?” Northgyth was asking.
“Aye, lady. One man dead, two are in bad ways.”
The guard passed a bottle of water to the healer. “Captain Denholm had water taken from all wells near the garrison, and south west of it. This is from our main supply.”
He passed the bottle to the healer, who uncorked it, took a sniff, then wrinkled her nose in disgust.
“Dead goat?” she said.
The guard nodded. “We found three wells with dead goats stuffed down them. They had had their throats slit, and hooves cut off.”
“Only three?”
The man nodded, his expression was drawn.
“As if we don’t have enough to do with those riders passing by. They are watching us, looking for..”
Northgyth held up a hand, bidding the man cease.
“Do not fear them. Neither fear the one who did this. Have you checked the well at the Brewery?”
The guard shook his head. “The garrison, the dragon, Waelden’s home and eh, yours.”
With a dry smile, Northgyth nodded. “I would check the Brewery also. Please inform the captain of my suggestion. I suspect he will understand.”
The man nodded respectfully, but halted.
“The surgeon asks if you have any suggestions for the two remaining men who drank the tainted water, lady. If he can’t bind something or cut it off, he is a bit stumped, if you ask me.”
With a rustle of her skirts, I heard Northgyth move over to the apothecary’s cupboard. I knew what she searched for, what she had undoubtedly already given me.
“Here,” the sound of footsteps moving back across the room. “Give this to the surgeon. Tell him to mix it with mashed apple, and feed two spoonfuls to each man.
It was the old reliable nine-herbs, I knew. The same I had given to Waelden when he was cut with a poisoned blade. It was a tried and trusted remedy for most forms of poisoning.
I heard Northgyth mutter a few words of a chant of empowerment, presumably over the linen pouch of herbs, then she passed it to the man.
“My thanks, Lady Northgyth.” He bowed, again with respect, and turned to leave.
“Oh, one matter!” Northgyth halted him. “Do they know who the poisoner was?”
Halting at the door, the guard looked back. “The captain has his suspicions. Sergeant Thilwend is leading a search party as we speak.”
Northgyth nodded, and waved the guard on.
“If she doesn’t find the culprit soon, there is another who will.” she said, under her breath.
I wrapped an arm around Isa. She was shivering slightly. She lay with her back pressed against me for warmth. The bleeding had stopped.
I don’t know if Northgyth saw her or not, but she drew her chair up close to my bed, making herself comfortable.
A light hand was on my brow, brushing back my hair. “This has been going on for too long. I should have made matters plain to you at the start. But fear not now. The battle without is a few days away. It is the battle within we fight now.”
For a few moments I found my voice again. A weak and gasping imitation of my usual tone. “What has happened to me? This is not just poisoned water, is it?” I did not hold any poisoned water to be a small matter, but there was something else. Why me? The garrison I could almost understand. But what threat did Waelden, Ethel or I pose?
“There is more than one thread involved here, as I have said. Aye, there is a man seeking vengeance and a silver bowl, and a number of enemies outside of Bancross working for our fall. But you, dear Yllfa, have also been cursed.”
A shudder went through me at that word. Isa made a light howl. I tried to reach out to her in thought. All will be well.
Though I felt no sense of rejection or even anger, ‘I am dying again,’ was her reply.
The door opened. A blast of cold wind and rain swept Ymma back into the infirmary. In her hands she carried Waelden’s sword, Heruwargr. Isa howled aloud.
