Chosen (26 page)

“Just hold it right there, General. Let me take a look.”

“It's nothing. One of the girls has already seen to it.”

Mark fixed him with a flat gaze. “So, you are a medical expert now, are you? I suppose you will be wanting my job next, eh?” He turned the General forcibly and pushed him forward, to get a better look at the injury. Ted bit off a retort and simply stood in the ridiculous position.

“The wound is clean.” Mark poked his fingers on the injury, tsk tsking as the General tensed and tried to stand upright.

“Stop being such a baby! I've seen worse cutting myself shaving. You'll live.”

Ted made to reply but stopped short. The Sawbones was already making his way to his next patient. The General stood and pulled his shirt back down, wincing a little as he straightened.
Gotten worse shaving indeed!
Ted continued to grumble to himself as he got closer to Mark's badly injured patient.

Ted spotted Valery, holding Amber's limp hand.

Amber lay on the table, a huge gash running from neck to navel. Large amounts of blood ran onto the table, and slowly dripped to the floor. The General stared at the drops, mesmerized by their rhythmic falling.
Plip. Plip. Plip.

The girl's face was pale and covered with a thin sheen of sweat. Ted was surprised the girl still lived; the wound was horrific.

Valery used a rag soaked in cold water to soothe Amber's brow. Amber's eyes were open, staring at nothing. Her breath rattled in her ravaged chest. She began to mumble incoherently.

“Sshhh, I am here Amber, dear. The Sawbones will see to your injury.” Valery stroked the girl's hand, not even bothering to sop up the blood still seeping from the gash in her chest.

“Here, Valery. Give this to her. It's all we can do.” Sawbones handed her a bowl. Valery's dark eyes filled with tears as she took the bowl in a trembling hand. She knew what the white sleep was for.

She stood over the dying girl and slowly poured the contents of the bowl into Amber's mouth. She choked, coughing feebly, and the liquid ran out of her mouth and down her cheeks. She managed to swallow some of the concoction.

Valery stood and noticed Ted's presence for the first time. She stared at him, face blank, eyes unfocused, almost staring right through him. He grew uncomfortable under that stare.

“Valery, I never had a chance to thank you for—” But he was brought up short by the look of pure venomous hatred in the girl's eyes. Valery snarled low in her throat, an animal sound of pure menace and started to advance on Ted. He took a step back, reaching for the knife at his side.

“Valery…” The dying girl's whisper stopped Valery in her tracks. She turned to Amber, whispering words of comfort, brushing her hair back from a sweaty brow.

“I want to go home, Valery. I don't want to die here.” Her voice was so soft, filled with fear. Blood ran from the corner of her mouth, a crimson line marring her pale cheek. Her eyes were feverish and frightened.

“We will both go home, honey. I promise you.”

“I'm scared, Valery. I don't want to die.” The white sleep had deadened her pain and her voice became a little stronger, clearer. “Help me, momma. I'm so scared, momma!” Amber feebly reached out a hand toward nothing at all, tears falling freely, sobs tearing from her clenched throat. “Please, help me momma!” Her breath came in short, shallow gasps. “Please, don't let me die.” Amber's voice faded as her eyes began to glaze over, chest convulsing
struggling for breath. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to speak, more blood flowing from her open mouth. The final breath left her ruined body in a rattling sigh.

Valery sat for a time, holding Amber's cold hand. The General stood silently, unwilling to impose
.

Valery stood and kissed the girl's brow. She ran her hand gently down Amber's face, closing her now sightless eyes. Valery turned to face the General, face blank once again, all signs of rage gone.

Ted Smith did not know what to say. Though the girls had been in the encampment for quite a few months, they did not fit in. Valery kept all of the townfolk at arm's length, never really bothering to make friends. She acted like a spoiled child, growing angry and impatient when asked to pitch in and help. Her attitude had caused several fights that required intervention from others before they came to blows. It did not take long for the Jhinn to avoid the girl, which seemed to suit Valery just fine.

Amber, though never angry and always ready to lend a hand, kept to herself or stayed at Valery's side. The other women tried to draw Amber out, to include her in their chatter and gossip, but the girl showed no interest and simply performed the chores she was asked to do.

The General had had to stop the constant surveillance he had placed on the girls when they first arrived in the camp. The fighting had been relentless, but for small lulls, and he had needed every Protector in the field. Even during the quiet periods, he had needed everyone's help in the clean up. Though unfriendly and standoffish, neither girl had ever done anything to warrant his distrust. They never made any moves to escape or do any harm to the Jhinn.

“Why don't you go and get some rest, Valery. I will see to Amber.” Mark Halliwell took her by the shoulders and walked her toward the door. She shrugged him off and continued to walk unaided into the darkness. She never looked back.

“She is in shock. I will make something to help her sleep.” Mark turned to face the General. “I will make something for you as well. For the pain.” He brushed past the General where he still stood next to the table. The Sawbones made his way to the cupboards covering one wall and began to rummage inside. He mumbled to himself as
he grabbed vials of this and bags of that, setting them on the counter. He laid down two leather squares and began to measure out the ingredients, placing them in the center of the leather square. He added a pinch of this, a palm-f of that, a dash of liquid from a vial. Mark gave a grunt of satisfaction as he folded the square up on the sides, tying it with a cord, fashioning a bag of sorts.

“Mix a little of this with boiling water and make a tea. Drink it hot. Don't let it get cold. It will ease the pain and help you sleep.” He gave the largest of the bags to Ted. “Bring this one to Valery.” Mark handed the General a smaller bag. “The same instructions apply.”

Ted took the second pouch with a sigh.
My bath will have to wait.
He thanked the Sawbones and walked outside. The thoroughfare was still bustling with people, even though the hour was late. Most were right here at the Sawbones', lending a hand to do whatever they could to help make the injured comfortable. Food was being prepared at the large fires and handed around to all of the helpers. They set to eating with vigor, wolfing down meat and potatoes and bread as if this were their last meal. After handing their dishes to someone to wash, Mark's temporary nurses went back to work.

General Smith walked next door to the blacksmith's home. Jeb Masters answered after the first knock. The light from the candles emphasized the shine of his bald head. Jeb was tall, his arms and chest bulging with muscles.

Jeb's wife, Sarah, sat in front of the hearth, mending several items of clothing. She was plump, with brown hair streaked with silver in a braid as thick as her wrist draped over one shoulder. She hummed softly to herself, the firelight dancing across her smooth cheeks.

She jumped up as soon as she saw Ted enter. She gave a quick hello before bustling off to fetch a kettle to boil water for coffee.

“Is Valery here? The Sawbones sent her away to get some rest.”

Jeb nodded. His eyes turned sad. Valery and Amber had come to stay with the Masters' soon after arriving in the encampment. Several families had offered to take the girls in, but the General had wanted them close, so that he could have them watched. It had been crowded at the Masters'. They had five children of their own, but they had put the oldest boy, Mikah, in with the younger two,
Brandon and Pete, allowing Amber and Valery to have the largest of the rooms. Melisa and Niome had been ecstatic about the older women coming to stay. The strangers fascinated them. But neither girl showed any interest in spending time with the Masters'. They even took their meals to their room they shared and ate alone.

“She came in covered in blood and went straight to her room. We assumed the worst.”

“Amber sustained a grievous injury. Sawbones made this herb mixture to help Valery sleep.” Ted handed the pouch to Sarah, who had returned with the kettle.

“Poor soul. Now she is alone.” Sarah sighed. “I can only imagine the horrors those girls must have witnessed, being held captive by the Horde. It would be enough to drive anyone mad.”

Ted had assumed time was all Valery and Amber needed to come out of their shells, to accept and embrace the Jhinn as their new people. If anything, the time spent among the Jhinn worsened Valery's angry demeanor, her disdain, her anger. Amber had only gotten even more quiet and withdrawn.

“You should be in your bed, General.” Sarah gave him a sidelong glance, nose delicately wrinkled. “On second thought, you need the attentions of Mistress Foster.”

“You are the third person to mention my need for a bath!” He picked at his grime and sweat hardened clothing. “The truth
is
the truth, though.”

“Here, take these. They should fit.” Sarah handed him a shirt and pants she had been mending for Jeb. The clothing was two sizes too big, but both garments well made and clean.

“Thank you.” Ted took the clothes gratefully. He said good night to the Masters' and closed the door softly behind him. The bathhouse sat just to the west and a little behind the Masters' residence.

No one was around, which suited him just fine. Mistress Foster bid the General a good night, and she and her family retired. One of the boys ran around to the front of the bathhouse and tied a white piece of cloth to the door. That was the signal that meant that the patron inside wanted complete privacy.

Forka stripped down and tossed his filthy clothes into a basket. He would have the widow Foster dispose of them. He filled the tub with mostly hot water and slowly eased himself in. The water
burned his wound but it soon numbed and he relaxed. He scrubbed himself from head to toe, the blood and grime sloughing off along with some of the aches and pains. After he had rinsed, he lay back against the tub and closed his eyes, arms draped over the sides.

* * *

Ted awoke to a blade biting into his throat..

Sloan stood to his left, leaning over the tub. His green eyes blazed with a feverish light.

Ted feared to move, to say a word. His mind could not grasp what was happening; it was so surreal. Screams and shouts were coming from outside the bathhouse. Protector Brent Fields burst through the front door.

“Sloan! What do you think you are doing?” Brent held up his arm in an effort to calm the agitated Sloan.

I wish I were dressed.
The thought was so absurd he almost laughed. The feel of the iron at his throat kept him from doing so.
One cannot possibly assess a situation when naked in a tub full of lukewarm, bloody water.

“Is he in there?”

Ted could see Robert Marshall standing outside, dressed in his black leathers. His hair was disheveled, and he was still covered with grime and dirt. The man had been seeing to the burials and hadn't yet cleaned up. He motioned to someone also standing outside and entered, followed by Mark Vincent.

Mark had Valery tied at the wrists, a gag in her mouth. He shoved her roughly to the floor, ignoring her muffled cry of pain as she landed hard on her side. Ted noticed that her hair and face was covered in sticky, wet blood.
My God, what has happened?

Martha burst through the door, hair in disarray, blue eyes wild and frantic and red from crying. She barreled into the back of Protector Fields. Her face registered shock, then fury as she saw Sloan with a knife to General Smith's throat and Valery bound and gagged on the floor.

“You! And
her!
” She moved toward Sloan, hands forming claws, a low growl emanating from her throat.

“Stop, or I slit his throat.” Sloan dug the knife deeper into the General's skin, drawing blood. Ted could feel it slowly dripping down his neck.
This man means to see me dead.
“You and all of your precious Protectors will pay for what you've done.” Sloan's green eyes were unfocused.

“What have we done?” Martha asked.

“Ask him! Ask your precious
General!”
Sloan's voice rang out in the bathhouse, full of venom and hate. His hand shook with the force of the emotions raging through him, but the blade never strayed from the General's neck.

Valery lay on the floor where Mark had unceremoniously dumped her. Her dark eyes held a look of triumph.

“
You killed them!”
Sloan screamed. He pulled the knife from the General's throat. He kneeled next to the tub, point of the blade now resting above Ted's quickly beating heart. His green eyes flashed jade fury. “Butchered them like animals!” Spittle flew from his lips as he screamed in the General's face. “My mother, father, and sisters. All dead by your hand.
I saw you!”

Dear God!
The realization hit him like a blow to the gut.
I did not know!
Ted closed his eyes as the full weight of his guilt came crashing down.
I had no choice.
Ted wanted nothing more than to shout these words to those in the room, to explain his actions.

“You remember now, don't you?” Sloan backed up, his eyes wide, back facing the other Chosen in the room.

Mark, acting quickly, struck a blow to the back of Sloan's head.

The General leapt out of the tub and grabbed the blade from the man's hand as he fell to the floor. Mark had hit him hard, but Ted did not want to take chances.
I can't lose another one.
Sloan was alive, though unconscious.

“Will someone kindly tell me what is going on?” Ted glared at the disheveled group around him. Something bad had happened while he lay dozing in the bath, and Valery and Sloan were at the bottom of it.

“I came back to the bunkhouse and found
her…
” Mark indicated Valery with a twitch of his head in her direction. “She was straddled over someone's chest. I thought I had walked in on something….” He waved his hand. “When she heard me approach, she turned. That's when I saw the knife.” Mark's voice tightened in anger.