The Floodgate - Elaine Cunningham [112]
Dhamari's spell of summoning had let more than a score of the fey monsters slip through the veil.
Suddenly the weird music stopped, and the Unseelie attackers drew back.
They milled uncertainly about. Tzigone's heart leaped with sudden hope, but Matteo let out a heartfelt, barnyard epithet.
Her head whipped toward him. "What?"
Matteo backhanded a streak of blood off his forehead. "I've seen this formation," he said, "but not in battle."
Even as he spoke, the dark fairies began to circle. Their song erupted in a keening, triumphant frenzy. Like small, fey wolves, they closed in for the kill.
Chapter Twenty-One
A brilliant light poured into the clearing, sending the dark fairies whisking off into sudden, eye-searing flight. Matteo shielded his eyes with one hand and glanced toward the source. His shoulders rose and fell in relief as he recognized Basel Indoulur's ship. The battle over, he dropped to both knees at Themo's side.
At first glance it appeared that the big jordain's wounds were not so badspiteful, superficial cuts such as he himself had sustained. The dull, haunted look in his friend's eyes suggested otherwise.
Crimson silk rustled as Basel dropped to one knee beside him. "How can I help?"
"The Unseelie folk can mark a mortal like a vampire," Matteo said. "Themo needs to be healed and cleansed, or he may never be more than you see him now. Have you a priest with you?"
The wizard shook his head. "We'll take him to the nearest temple." As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the edge of the clearing, when Tzigone stood with her chin tilted stubbornly high, nearly toe to toe with a very irate Iago. The jordain appeared to be railing at Tzigone, blaming her for what happened. For once the girl held her tongue. Matteo, knowing her quirky sense of honor, understood that she already felt the weight of her miscast spell.
Basel quickly placed himself between the angry jordain and his apprentice.
"Board Avariel, Tzigone," he said calmly. "Get the others."
Iago spat. "I will not travel the same ship as that witch!"
"You're not invited to," Basel said coolly. "Take the mercenaries and ride to the nearest town. Or stay here and face those creatures again, as you prefer."
The jordain stalked off and held quick, angry speech with Dhamari's men.
After a moment the mercenary captain came over to Basel, dragging Dhamari by the collar of his tunic. "Can you take one more? He can't ride in this condition, and every man here would rather kill him than tend him."
Basel gave a curt nod. Two of the men carried the wizard ungently up the long plank that led to the deck of the hovering ship.
Matteo hoisted Themo over one shoulder and carried him up the plank, unsure whether to stay or rejoin the other fighters. The skyship began to rise before he had time to disembark, settling the matter. He settled down beside Themo's cot. One of Basel's men brought him water and linen, and he busied himself cleaning and bandaging the jordain's many small wounds.
After a few minutes, Tzigone peered around the corner of the small cabin.
She took in Themo, who by now was swathed nearly as thoroughly as a Mulhorandi mummy. Distress and guilt filled her expressive eyes.
"Don't take this on yourself," Matteo said, gesturing to Themo. "It is not your doing."
"That skinny jordain doesn't agree." She passed a hand over her face, leaving streaks of dirt and blood. "Neither do I."
Matteo beckoned her over. She sank down on the edge of the cot and submitted to his ministrations. When all her cuts had been tended, he sat down beside her and drew her into his arms.
Tzigone leaned her head against his shoulder. Words poured from her, tumbling over each other. Matteo listened without interruption as she told him about her meeting with Dhamari and her decision to travel into the countryside with him and learn what spells she could. "He said the summoning was accidental," she concluded.
"Do you believe him?"
She rose from the cot and began to