Free Drogoya: Book 3 Circles of Light series by E.M. Sinclair Page B

only now
realised that this was no game. Kwanzi appeared with the High
Speaker and Elyssa, and Soran came in from the main doors. Soran
saluted.
    ‘Thirty two Guards are
outside Lady. I have posted extra Guards around the
Pavilion.’
    Emla nodded. She opened
her mouth to say something to the two old ladies, then shut it
again. Stooping, she gave each a quick hug and a kiss on each
withered cheek, then spun away, marching towards the door, Shan at
her heels. Bagri waited outside and walked with Kwanzi and Shan
behind Thryssa and Elyssa. The Vagrantian women had the image of
Kera’s room starkly clear in their minds, even to the layer of dust
Emla remembered from her last visit.
    The second group halted
with Bagri and Elyssa outside the Pavilion, while the first group
went in. Emla touched Thryssa’s arm lightly.
    ‘You do not have to do
this Thryssa. While I am more grateful than I can say for your help
and support, you do not have to do this.’
    Thryssa smiled.
‘Friends are there to help each other, are they not? In truth, I am
interested in this situation.’ She grimaced. ‘I fear I face a
similar problem when I return to Vagrantia.’
    Emla stared at the High
Speaker, unable to decipher her cryptic remark. She shrugged, took
her place with Soran at the head of the double line of Guards and
followed Thryssa and Kwanzi onto the circle.
     
     
     

Chapter
Six
     
    Berri, the acting Wise
One of the Delvers during Nolli’s absence, came from the Domain to
add her lesser strength to Dessi’s. Four of their most accomplished
healers were to help Dessi focus her power on Observer Babach’s
worst injuries. The burns he had suffered were, in many parts of
his torso, deep enough to bury a fist inside. His body and mind
were severely shocked, his pulse weak and erratic.
    Fenj and Kija were
horrified at the sight of such wounds and they willingly offered
their strength to the healing process just begun. Mim and Ashta had
gone again, to the hidden cave in the Domain, on Gremara’s
instruction. Once more, so she told the Dragon Lord, he would know
which egg to take back to help Babach’s mending. Now Mim leaned
against Ashta, his gold scaled arm draped across her shoulder. He
had no part to play in this, other than to watch.
    Chakar knelt at
Babach’s head, aware of the tremendous surge of magical force
rising around her. She watched the tiny Delver girl Dessi lean
forward, her hands held flat above a blackened hole high in
Babach’s chest. Chakar felt the child falter and she held her
breath. Then she felt Kija’s mellow voice murmuring to Dessi in a
soothing hum of sound.
    Dessi steadied, drew a
deep breath and allowed her mind to sink within the man’s ruined
chest, as once she had watched Tika healing Farn. Chakar watched in
disbelief when slowly the gaping hole turned from black, to red, to
pink, and began to close. Chakar was only aware of the long passing
of time because her legs and back started to cramp as they had when
she had worked so long over Kadi. But dreadful as she had thought
Kadi’s wounds, they were as a child’s grazed knee compared to what
Dessi was trying to mend.
    The Delver shuddered,
moving her hands and revealing a patch of new flesh that looked
sore, but was at least whole. Berri pushed a flask of water at the
child, urging her to drink. Then Dessi knelt straight again and
moved her hands to the next great pit in Babach’s body. The day
passed unnoticed by all those watching in the great hall of the
Stronghold, until finally, Dessi toppled bonelessly to one side.
But Mim was there, waiting it seemed for the moment Dessi reached
the end of her strength.
    All who had witnessed
this feat of healing seemed to exhale their long held breath in
gusty sighs that swept around the hall. Other healers came now to
assist the four who knelt still at Babach’s side. Imshish and Kera
came to help Chakar to her feet, but her legs screamed in agony and
Imshish simply carried her to a chair. Lorak