PANACEA-Book One-By Hell or High Water

28. That's the Plan!

Luckily, I didn't end up having to carry him. I might have been able to drag him with breaks in between, but I was in no position to carry him. I didn't even want to think about how much he weighed.

That being said, he did need to lean on me often enough. I was glad I was above the average female height, or he may have sent me toppling over. Nyx insisted on walking on his own for a good part of the trek, though, which annoyed me greatly.

I understood he hadn't gotten through his life being carried all the way to adulthood, but when he wasn't well. I feared his stubbornness would cause his leg to collapse under him. He just waved it off, and limped through the woods. He argued he would grab a tree if he almost fell, but I didn't believe that.

We were only walking for an hour before we reached a village. It was part of the cluster of villages that built themselves by the rushing river that filled a pond in the middle of the woods. The ground was sandy, and wet, with sugar cane growing everywhere. Dried stalks of the plant built walls and fences.

It took a moment for us to get past the gate guard, but once she saw Nyx's condition they moved their long spears out of our path.

We wandered for awhile, trying to find where we needed to go. The people in the cobblestone streets made way for us. They did so silently, which made me wonder if it was Nyx's size that made them want to steer clear, or just the smell of his blood stained clothing. I still felt bad that Tristan hadn't laid much of a finger on me.

We finally reached the building where a doctor was located. It was smaller, with black, red, and green planks. That and lanterns on posts out front.

When we entered, the man said we would need to pay for service. The big problem with that, was that we had been robbed of everything we had. All I had to give up was my whip and swordbreaker, but those weren't on the table. Just as I thought we would have to leave, Nyx started crying, and the doctor got so uncomfortable he left the room to gather his supplies right away. I gaped at Nyx, wanting to ask if he was okay, but he just wiped his eyes, and gave me the thumbs up, paired with a triumphant grin. I was speechless.

The doctor returned momentarily, and started cleaning Nyx's collection of cuts. He paused when he saw the javelin stab, but didn't ask. In under an hour, Nyx was clean, bandaged, holding a crutch, and in a pair of spare slacks that puffed at the ankles on any other man, but for him only reached his mid calves. They were black, and paired with a red sash. He still held onto his jeans, though, arguing he could just wash the blood out.

I walked out of the building with him, and we started to discuss where we would head next. It was just barely mid day.

"Well, we need money to stay at an inn later tonight," he said. "Either that, or we sleep in the middle of the desert, and or woods. I'm oddly opposed to sleeping on the ground, though."

His sarcasm and satire nature were becoming no more surprising to me than his height. "We have half the day. I don't know how you think we're going to acquire any money, unless you plan on crying for that, too."

"I would, but I don't think it would work now that I'm not completely crippled."

I was thinking. Sleeping safely in an inn sounded nice. That way I could at least be sure we wouldn't get jumped again. We needed to get to Tristan as soon as possible, to be sure he didn't sell anything of ours for money.

"Let's worry about at least getting to Red Gate, first," I said. "Then, we'll get some money together. Street performers are all over the place. We can make quick money by pretending to be magicians or something."

Nyx gave me an incredulous look. "Maybe I can do a few backflips while I'm at it."

I sighed. "Nyx, I know you said I shouldn't ask, but I will anyways. I've noticed you have...a talent for lighting things on fire."