The Spirit Stone - Katharine Kerr [206]
‘That’s too bad.’ Dallandra dipped a rag in the jug of clean water and squeezed the moisture over the feeding leech. ‘You keep doing this, and when this one looks ready to drop off, put it back in the other jar.’ She handed her the tongs. ‘Then put a fresh one onto the next bit of black stuff.’
Dallandra walked around to Rori’s head so they could talk more comfortably. He opened his strangely human eyes and considered her.
‘Owaen died of wound rot,’ he announced. ‘Is that what’s wrong with me?’
‘No, I’m glad to say. Who’s Owaen? One of the men you fought with?’
‘Yes, back in the Time of Troubles, that was. I was a bard then, a silver dagger’s bard, but I could swing a sword when I had to. Owaen got a deep wound that went black, just like this one. I was wounded, too, but for some reason I survived. I remember lying there in a fever and hearing that Owaen still lived, but he died later that same day. I suppose Nevyn saved my miserable life, such as it was.’
‘What? Rori, have you started remembering past lives?’
‘A good many of them. Dragons do, you see, know their pasts, though they live so long that they only remember one or two old lives. They know a great many strange things, actually.’ He was staring straight out in front of him. ‘Some of them have come to me on their own. Others I suppose I’ll learn some day.’
‘Do you want to go on living as a dragon?’
‘Do I have a choice?’
‘As things stand, no, but we may be able to discover how to give you your proper form again.’ Suddenly she remembered Evandar’s message in the black crystal and the mysterious book. ‘I think Evandar may have left us the key for unlocking his working, if we can find it.’
‘Us? We?’
‘Jill and I. Blast it, I mean Branna! Jill told me when she was still alive that she saw an omen about some evil that would befall you, you see, and she swore that she’d help you lift it. Since she died before she could, the vow’s come to Branna.’
‘Where is this key?’
‘It might be in a book that seems to be on Haen Marn.’
‘Then it’s lost forever.’
‘I wouldn’t be so sure of that. The island may well return. Have you ever flown back to look for Enj?’
‘Many a time. He still keeps his vigil in the wilderness in the summers and goes back to Lin Serr in the winters. He has more faith than I.’ Rori abruptly raised his head and looked back to glare at Ranadario. ‘Careful there, girl! I felt that.’
‘My apologies!’ Ranadario sounded terrified. ‘But we’ve got to make sure the wound’s stripped clean.’
‘You may not eat my assistant,’ Dallandra said. ‘So be a good dragon and hold still.’
Rori growled, but he laid his head down again. His tail slapped the ground once, then quieted.
‘That’s better,’ Dallandra said. ‘Did you see any books when you were on Haen Marn?’
‘I didn’t, no, but that means nothing. Haen Marn showed me only what it wanted me to see.’ He paused for a long sigh. ‘Are you happy with Cal?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good. I knew he loved you. That’s one reason I wanted to leave you and go back to Haen Marn. The other reason was Angmar, of course. Ye gods, I hope she never sees me this way.’
‘Why not? From everything you told me about her, she’s the one woman in all the worlds who’ll understand.’
Rori stared at her for a moment, then laughed, a deep rumble that brought a howl of protest from Ranadario.
‘You’re shaking off the leeches,’ Dallandra said. ‘You need to lie still.’
Rori rolled his eyes in disgust, but he did stop laughing. ‘How long is this going to take?’
‘I have no idea,’ Dallandra said. ‘I’ve never treated a dragon before. Some days, I should think. If we can clear off all the infected bits, then the wound will have a chance to heal normally. I’ll flush it out regularly with herb water, but I won’t be able to stitch it. Your skin’s too thick.’
‘We don’t have days. The Horsekin will reach the ruins long before that.’
‘Then I’ll do what I can now and finish it later. But the most important part of the cure is very simple. Stop licking it.’
‘That’s what Arzosah