Talon the Black (Dragonwall Series # 1)

Chapter 23 - Contending With Poison

Apparently, he'd marched right in to Esterpine, right up to their queen, and demanded they return the Dragon Stones to their rightful owners. Despite the warnings given, and their need for Sprite protection, he took them anyway. There was no way the Sprites would forget the offense.

Reyr's forehead furrowed. She swallowed. "What...what makes you so sure that I will get help in the forest?"

"I cannot be sure. Perhaps if you ask nicely, the Sprites might take pity upon you."

She snorted. He really had no idea, did he? No idea what happened when Cyrus took the Dragon Stones. How could he? He'd hunted Cyrus for weeks, following the bond they shared, sending him straight to the Gate. It was likely that Reyr had never entered the forest in search of Cyrus—never visited the Sprite queen to find out what happened.

Reyr stood and walked away to speak with Jovari. Their voices were low, so she heard nothing of their conversation. But not long after, they woke Koldis in preparation to leave.

"How is she?" Koldis yawned as he looked over at her. Upon finding her eyes, he quickly looked away and didn't bother waiting for an answer. He merely rose and stalked off. She had no idea what to make of him.

Several minutes later, he returned. After having a quick look at her leg, he went to the fire and removed a pot, pouring some of its liquid contents into a bowl. "Drink this," was all he said before leaving her alone.

She smelled it apprehensively. Tea, perhaps? It was odorless. She drained it. The effect was almost instant as her pain numbed.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she did her best to stand and quickly pack up her belongings, limping pathetically around their little camp. The others did not pity her, and she was happy for it. The last thing she wanted was consolation from any of them, especially after the way they had treated her over the last week.

She was even more relieved that they said nothing about the attack. She expected to be bombarded with questions, but their demands never came. They must have been in a real hurry to resume their journey.

They were soon airborne. She sat nestled in the dip of Reyr's neck, right where it met his wing joints. It hadn't been easy climbing up to her perch. All the technique she had developed was no longer useful with a wounded leg.

Despite their lack of conversation on the ground, in flight, their words flowed freely. They wasted no time in erupting into an open discussion regarding what had happened.

"They were after Claire," Koldis started by saying. "Surely none of us can argue with that." She did not miss the hint of both confusion and surprise in his telepathic voice.

"No. I cannot argue it, Koldis." Reyr gave a mental sigh. "It was obvious to me as well."

"I grow tired of her silence," Koldis continued. "She knows the exact reason for the attack. Yet we are left in the dark. It angers me. She may have known they were coming for us. She could have warned us!"

"I understand, your frustration. But what would you have me do? Torture the poor girl into disclosure?"

Jovari spoke up then. "She has been tortured enough. The blade of a Vodar wraith is lethal. I cannot begin to imagine her pain." The others in turn agreed. "It is a lucky thing, Koldis, that you were there to save her." A short silence followed before he spoke again. "Her wound, the black poison. It reminds me of what we saw on Cyrus."

"So you think it was the Vodar who killed him?" Koldis asked with obvious skepticism.

"Aye, I am beginning to wonder," he answerd.