Fires of Prophecy_ Book Two of the Morcyth Saga - Brian Pratt [33]
James’ shoulder hurts worse than the day before. When they’re done with removing the horses from their traces and tethering them to a nearby tree, he has Delia take off the bandage and inspect it. The area around the wound is turning red and is warm to the touch.
“I think it’s getting infected,” she says to him, concern in her eyes.
“Great,” he moans. “Is there any alcohol in the wagons?” he asks her.
“Why?” she replies.
“It may help to purify the wound,” he explains. “Maybe even kill the infection.”
“I’ll see,” she says as she goes over and begins rummaging around in the wagons. She returns shortly with a bottle. “This is all I could find,” she explains, holding it out to him. “Not sure what’s in it though.”
“Just put it back,” he tells her. “I’d rather not take the chance.”
She returns the bottle to the wagon and then goes over to confer with Cassie, far enough away where he can’t hear them. They talk briefly for a few minutes and then Cassie walks over and enters the forest. Tinok sees her leaving and runs after her.
Delia comes back over to him and says, “Cassie has had some training with herbs, she may be able to find something that will help.”
James just nods as he lies there, beginning to feel worse. His face is starting to feel flushed and his body aches all over, a sure sign of a fever.
Cassie and Tinok come back after a few minutes with various leaves and petals. She takes a bowl from a wagon and proceeds to mash them all together within it. Once it has been combined, she tears a new set of bandages from a cloak found within one of the wagons and applies the mixture to it before bringing it over to James.
Taking off his old bandage, she tosses it into the fire before she applies the new one. When the mixture touches his skin, it brings a cool, soothing sensation. The pain noticeably diminishes and he is able to lie there more at ease.
“Thanks,” he says appreciatively to her.
“You’re welcome,” she replies with a smile, happy to have eased his pain.
He then closes his eyes and shortly falls asleep.
Cassie says, “I don’t like the look of his wound. The poultice I applied will ease the pain, but will do nothing to stop whatever is causing the redness and fever.”
“What can we do?” Jiron asks.
“Wait,” she says. “All we can do is wait.”
“Can you find more of those herbs?” he asks her. “He may need them again later.”
“I’ll pick more,” she says. She then walks over to the wagon and removes a basket she found inside before returning to the forest.
“I’ll go with you,” Tinok says as he gets up to accompany her. Seeing the look on Jiron’s face he adds, “There may be wild animals out there, you never know.” Then he hurries to catch her.
Jiron turns to Delia and says, “There may be something developing between those two.”
She watches them go into the forest together and replies, “You may be right, but I doubt if they even realize it yet.”
Cassie and Tinok return some time later with the basket full of herbs and roots. She places them in the wagon and then comes over to inspect James. He’s hot with fever and is beginning to perspire. “This is bad,” she says, concern in her voice.
“Bad?” asks Jiron.
“How bad?” asks Tinok at the same time.
“If he gets too hot then he’ll die,” she explains. “I’ve seen people who have died because their fevers became too high.”
“What can we do?” Jiron asks, worried.
“As I said before, wait. Either it will go away on its own or it will kill him, only the gods know for sure.” She takes a moist cloth and dabs his forehead with it as she tries to keep him cool, wiping away the sweat that is beginning to form.
They sit there and wait, afraid of what may happen.
The night explodes with light, startling them out of their sleep. They find James standing up and staring off