Free Finder: First Ordinance, Book One by Connie Suttle Page B

nodded as if bored by the whole thing, I was tossed in Stepper's saddle and off we rode. That day is a hazy memory, now, as I went in and out of consciousness and Stepper moved drunkenly at times, weaving to keep me in the saddle. The pain of it was terrible and I thought many times of begging Amlis to leave me at the side of the road so I might sleep.
    Fever came to call, too, and I blinked away double and triple visions repeatedly. I could not recall later exactly how or when, but when we arrived at the inn that evening, I was wrapped in Rodrik's cloak and sitting before him on Midnight's back, with Stepper tied to the saddle.
    Perhaps in another life I might have cared for Rodrik—he was still young as men in Fyris went, and handsome enough, but he'd beaten me quite hard, and he had a wife. I had no desire to become a gossiping maid, waiting until a man found the time to dally with me behind another woman's back.
    As a lowly servant, I had no hope of ever finding a man of Rodrik's status—one who might think me more than a page or kitchen drudge who was subject to his every whim. No, I would remain alone, since the options available to me weren't really options at all.
    After Rodrik handed me off to one of his men, I was carried into the smallest inn we'd found as yet and put to bed first, with instructions left with a kitchen girl to find suitable food while the local physician was sought. The healer was a woman and fairly young; she frowned at my wound as she pulled linen bandages away that were crusted with blood.
    "Men," she growled as she cleaned the wound and gave me warmed willow bark tea to drink. By that time, I was grateful for the relief the bitter brew offered and drank it willingly. "They should have tended to this." I was bandaged again while the woman, who had long, reddish-brown hair and eyes nearly to match, railed against the ignorance of males in general. This was one who might even give the Prince a tongue-lashing, as dangerous and ill-advised as that could prove to be. Amlis might let a slight pass, but Rodrik certainly wouldn't.
    * * *
    The man who'd lifted me down the night before carried me on his horse the following morning. Rodrik must have chosen him—Deeds was his name and he was the eldest of Rodrik's men. He whispered to me when we started out that his youngest daughter was my age. He felt safe to me and I admit I slept most of the time, swaying with him in his saddle. The final two days of our journey to Vhrist went the same, although my fever came down with regular doses of willow bark tea and I was handed over to Queen Omina's personal physician the minute we rode into Castle Vhrist's courtyard.
    * * *
    "This is no ordinary half-breed, as your son and Rodrik believe," the physician wiped his hands after washing them. Omina had come to check on the girl—Amlis had given her the truth of Finder—although he'd warned Rodrik's men to keep her information hidden. She'd saved their lives, so they all agreed readily enough.
    "What makes you say that?" Omina, her hair still thick and brown, although strands of gray were finding their way into the wealth that hung nearly to her waist, gazed at Farin Wold, the palace physician. Farin was of an age with the Queen, and they'd known one another growing up. He was going bald, however, his blue eyes faded from long service as a healer.
    "The nubs are growing."
    * * *
    "Mother, I've only seen one before, and he was dead. It only appeared to be raised lumps of skin on his back," Amlis paced beside the fire. "What do you think this means?"
    "I do not know," Omina sighed, accepting a cup of tea from Rodrik, who stood by, listening to the conversation between his aunt and cousin. "It could be that the poisoning has affected her, as it has so many others. Farin delivered a child just the other day—stillborn, thankfully—that had three eyes and three legs."
    "That could explain it," Amlis nodded at his mother's logic.
    "Still, I do not wish to touch them,