Naamah's Blessing - Jacqueline Carey [145]
“Then you’ll let me come with you?” I asked.
He nodded. “I will.”
With relief, I let the twilight fade, causing Temilotzin to jump nearly out of his skin. Chuckling once more, Eyahue patted the Jaguar Knight’s arm. “There’s something I need to tell you about your little warrior,” he said to him.
Although the shore wasn’t suitable for making camp, there was a good-sized cave halfway up the cliff, accessible by a steep path among the moss-covered rocks. When we reached it, there were signs it had been used before, markings etched onto the walls of the cave and ashes from an old campfire. It made the presence of unseen hostiles all the more palpable.
Still, it was shelter and a level space on which to make camp, and we had little choice but to avail ourselves of it. With some difficulty, we managed to get everyone into the cave, the hale helping the ailing make the ascent.
“I know what you’re about, Moirin,” Bao said to me as we half carried, half dragged Balthasar into the cave. “You don’t imagine I’m letting you go alone into the jungle with that old man, do you?”
I smiled tiredly at him over the top of Balthasar’s sagging head. “Not for a minute.”
He eased Balthasar to the cavern floor. “Good.”
“I wish to Blessed buggering Elua that both of you would listen to reason.” Slumping against the cave wall, Balthasar closed his eerie eyes, his breath rattling in and out of his lungs. “Stop wasting time. I’m dying.” He shivered, wrapping his arms around his knees. “Don’t pretend I’m not. This jungle is killing me. The bad spirits have won. They know I don’t belong here. They’re burning me up from the inside out. Do you really think there’s some magic tree bark out there that will cure this?”
“Actually, I do.” Bao hunkered on his heels before him. “Balthasar, listen to me.”
The blue-and-yellow eyes cracked open.
“It’s not bad spirits,” Bao said firmly. “It’s a disease that insects carry. We’ve known about it in Ch’in for four thousand years. My mentor Master Lo would have prescribed qing hao to cure you. It would have worked, too. I’ve seen it before.”
Balthasar tilted his head back, regarding him under his eyelids. “You didn’t see fit to mention this earlier?”
Bao shrugged. “That herb does not grow here. Until today, I did not know there was another medicine that might prove effective.” Reaching out, he took one of Balthasar’s limp hands in his own. “Try not to die until we find it, huh?”
Balthasar’s laugh turned quickly to a rasping cough. Closing his eyes once more, he rested his chin on his knees. “I’ll try.”
Once our company was situated, we set out for the top of the cliff, following a narrow, winding path that forced us to climb with hands and feet, nails digging into the moss-slick rocks, the river dwindling beneath us as we ascended into the jungle heights. Our wiry pochteca Eyahue led the way, with Bao and me close behind him. Brice and a handful of others followed us in order to forage for firewood. Behind us, we left Septimus Rousse in charge of the expedition, with Temilotzin to provide whatever guidance he might should we fail to return.
Atop the cliff, we parted ways.
Brice de Bretel inclined his head to me. “Good luck, my lady. I will pray for your success.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
Eyahue beckoned, pointing to a faint path. “This way.”
As soon as we were out of sight of the others, I called the twilight. Safe in its embrace, we followed thin trails forged by hostile inhabitants, many of them doubling back on themselves in an inexplicable fashion. The soft dusk of the twilight made everything dim, frustrating Eyahue.
“I cannot see!” he complained. “I cannot tell one tree from another!”
“Hush.” Bao pointed. “Moirin?”
A small flock of ground-fowl rooted in the undergrowth before us. My heart quickened. Unslinging my bow from my shoulder, I nocked an arrow and took aim. I got two shots off before the flock scattered, taking down two plump birds.
Eyahue smacked his lips. “At least it wasn’t a wasted trip! But if you want me to find you