Free Cross Purposes (Chronicles of Ylandre, Book 5) by Eresse

blessed with the rare and welcome skill of palliation. Indeed, Eiren Sarvan deemed his gift invaluable, rating it the equal of other skills such as the ability to mend severe injuries and cure or minimize serious illnesses.
    The physician reiterated his pleasure over the matter to Keosqe when the latter came by the University to walk home with Tristen. It was almost the end of the summer session; the streets were neither strewn with snowdrifts and icy patches nor awash in mud and puddles. Therefore walking posed no problems to wardrobes and footwear. It was an easy form of exercise as well and Keosqe liked to take advantage of the pleasant weather.
    “I wish more healers were born with the gift of palliation,” Eiren said as he saw his cousin and future apprentice to the medical college’s main entrance. As Ylandre’s foremost healer, Eiren was sometimes invited to speak to the medical students and conduct a class every once in a while. “The alleviation of pain plays a crucial role in ensuring a patient’s recovery. Thank Veres Tristen is blessed with that particular gift. Can you imagine the good it would do on the battlefield? Or after some horrendous accident? And then there are the young ones. I do hate to see them suffer overmuch.”
    Tristen beamed at Eiren. He did not mistake Eiren’s words for praise of himself but rather appreciation of his particular talent. Therefore he was simply happy to be one of the few to have been so gifted.
    Keosqe smiled. “I’m very glad for both of you.” He regarded Tristen fondly and also with a touch of curiosity. “I wonder though how he came to bear it. His family has no history of the healing gift, Ren.”
    Eiren shrugged. “Perhaps not amongst his immediate forebears. It’s possible one of his ancestors was a healer.”
    “But as far as I know, there are no physicians amongst my ancestors,” Tristen said. “Neither on my aba ’s side nor my adda ’s.”
    “Precisely. As far as you know,” Eiren pointed out. “Not all healers are encouraged or allowed to take up the vocation. My parents tried to dissuade me. Not that they could be blamed. My sire knew what it was like to have a physician for a parent and he didn’t want that life for my children in turn.”
    “Obviously you didn’t listen to them,” Keosqe said.
    “Obviously. And fortunately for Ylandre no one tried to hinder Tris- min either.”
    Tristen snorted. “My brother doesn’t really think about such matters. I said I wanted to train to be a physician and he didn’t question me in the least.”
    Eiren’s eyebrows lifted in some amazement. “He didn’t? Quite negligent of him, I must say. Fortuitous for the kingdom but negligent just the same.”
    Keosqe shook his head. “Say rather too absorbed in his own affairs to examine Tristen’s closely.”
    “Really? Then how is it that you remain so attracted to him, cousin?”
    “Habit,” Tristen muttered before Keosqe could respond.
    Eiren looked at him questioningly. “I beg your pardon?”
    Tristen glanced apologetically at a slightly abashed Keosqe, but nevertheless replied. “Kes- tyar finds it difficult to break bad habits.”
    Eiren stared at him and then at Keosqe. “Does he now? Interesting.”
    “Let us go, Tris,” Keosqe interrupted, his cheeks a tad rosy. “I’m meeting the family solicitor at home this afternoon.”
    He rolled his eyes when Eiren smirked and exchanged an amused glance with Tristen.
    Despite Keosqe’s request for haste, they took their time traversing the four blocks to their street. As they walked, he did not talk much, speaking only when they encountered acquaintances along the way. It seemed the noble did not like his single-minded devotion to Veare to be questioned or called by any other name. Tristen stifled a grin as he remembered Keosqe’s earlier discomfiture. Uncharacteristic of the usually assured noble.
    They were almost at the district’s main intersection when someone hailed Keosqe from across