Living Proof

Chapter Two

Kaia sat up with a groan, and immediately regretted it. Everything hurt from her ears down. Her neck ached. Turning her head was nearly impossible. Her arms and shoulders ached. Her back ached. Her backside ached, no doubt from her tumble down into the clearing. Even her fingers hurt. She couldn't recall the last time she'd sewn a person, never mind sewn more than a single wound. Once upon a time, doing so would have been a far more common occurrence, as men injured themselves on her stepfather's farm fairly regularly, and one of her duties was to tend to them. She had a gift, her mother would say, and a way of putting the most worried soul at ease. Her stepfather said she was a natural born healer.

If only...

She shook away the gloomy thoughts as she got to her feet and skirted the table to crouch next to the man. He slept more peacefully now, his breathing no longer fast and shallow, but a bit more normal. The rust-colored splotches on each bandage were larger than they'd been the night before, but as far as she could tell, the bleeding had stopped completely. Good. Her supplies were meager, her skills a bit rusty and her environment not at all conducive to anything more intense than what she'd already done.

The man stretched in his sleep, groaning as he straightened his wounded leg, and immediately brought it back into the position in which he'd been. A muscle bulged along his jaw, where the stubble was sparser and scruffier than his goatee, and he was still so terribly pale. She lay the back of her hand against the man's forehead. Warm, but not overly so. He ran no fever. At least, he didn't for the time being. He could, and most likely would, develop one at some point in the coming days, but as of now, he hadn't.

He stirred then, his lips parting, the tip of his tongue slowly moving along them. Kaia lifted her hand and sat back as the man's eyelashes fluttered and then his eyes opened slowly. They flicked about, that muscle bulging along his jaw once more. He shifted, winced, and his eyes closed once more.

"Easy," she told him softly, letting just the backs of her fingers brush gently along his cheek, the coarse stubble lightly scratching her as she did. "You needn't worry. You're safe here. I promise you, you are."

"And where—" He winced once more, his voice cracking. Kaia rose to fetch him a cup and the ewer of water, pouring him a small bit as he cleared his throat and murmured, "Where is here?"

"My cabin." She brought the cup over and held it out. "One has to be actively seeking me out to find me. Orcs aren't smart enough for that. Here, but small sips only. I do not want it to come rushing back out."

He nodded slowly, lifting his head to take a sip. Then, with a low groan, his head fell back and his eyes closed, his, "Thank you," only barely audible.

"You're welcome. Are you hungry at all? I only just woke myself but I can—"

"No." His head lolled from left to right, then went still. Another wince twisted his features, and he bought his right hand up to his chest, his fingers probing gently against the bandages.

"What happened? I pulled five arrows from you. Why did a horde of orcs attack you and the two halflings?"

His eyes snapped open. "You saw them?"

"Aye," she nodded, "I did, but only briefly. I thought they were children at first."

"Where are they? Did you see where they went?" His deep voice took on a frenzied note and he tried to sit up. "I must find them before—augh!"

He clutched at the wounds across his chest and flopped back into the cushion, his breathing fast and shallow once again. Screwing his eyes shut, he continued panting, his entire body tensing.

"That was a fool thing to do," Kaia scolded him, shaking her head. "I just told you I dug five arrowheads from your body not twelve hours ago and you try to jump up and do what? Go off after the horde that is probably long gone from these shores? Fool."