Moonshadow (Book 1 of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Nineteen: The Captain of the Fort

Katerin entered the Hobling Leper, made her way past the bar and through the door into the back with only a wave at Mary on her way. It was a very comfortable private room, with a hearth and an assortment of padded couches and lounge chairs that always smelled faintly of smoke and spices. Large, low tables left plenty of room for food and drink and games of chance. She heard people talking with enthusiasm as she entered. Then she heard a gruff guffaw, but loud and cheery as a laugh could be. First, she saw Fykes and Arjiah, seated to face an overly plush arm chair, that nearly shook with the laughter.

"Jon?" she asked, rounding the corner. And there he was, sitting on a chair, red-cheeked and smiling, alcohol wafting from him in an inescapable odor.

One leg missing all the way up to the knee.

She had been worried about him since they heard about the attack on the fort. Fykes had let her know when they got back to O'siaris that he was here, though unable to leave the infirmary, but he had not elaborated more than that. She had barely seen Fykes at all for their first days back in the town, and she knew he was likely with Jon, trying to keep the man's spirits up. The rumors were wild, as small towns tended to make them, and she had considered going and visiting more than once. But the infirmary was in the keep, and it was a place she had been doing her best to avoid.

"There she is! Just as pretty as last time!" Jon's words were slightly slurred, and as he winked at her, his drink wobbled in his hand. "I told ya they were gonna come for us! So I struck a fuse and sent em' packing! Right back to the door where their mothers were born!" He leaned forward as she took a seat in one of the chairs.

"You... blew them all up?" she said, eyebrows raised, trying to hold back her laughter. Though it was not that she found it funny. Jon had a penchant for embellishment, and in his drunken state, this tale sounded about as likely as Tumble's adventures.

"Aye! Don't think they expected it." He grinned and leaned back in his chair, "I got all the way out of the gates before it blew... thought I was gonna take a nice swim in the sea, for certain."

Katerin heard the laugh, but his eyes were dark and pained. As much as he joked, it had been a terrible thing, and she guessed he did not wish to talk any more about it. She looked at his leg as she leaned forward in her chair. "With my help, can you do anything about this?" she asked Arjiah while gesturing to Jon's leg.

Arjiah's pointed teeth showed as she pondered the idea.

"Sahn-Raidar healers are working on it every day. Already got me most of a knee back," Jon said, a hint of disdain in his voice. "They said they can heal it back completely within a few months if I treat it right, but I'll limp the rest of my life." He sounded defeated as he took another long pull from his drink.

Arjiah nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. "We can't do much about the limp, or how you treat it, but I think we could try something."

"By all means!" he said, with a smile that faded as he narrowed his eyes. "Wait... is it gonna hurt?"

Arjiah laughed. "It will itch, and you'll be uncomfortable, but I doubt it will hurt, much." She knelt by his leg, and Katerin sat on the floor across from her.

"All I'm going to do is direct the magic to heal the leg," Arjiah said to Katerin, rolling up her sleeves. "I just need you to give me more magic to direct."

Katerin nodded. She was familiar with the technique. She held out her hands to Arjiah, taking a steadying breath.

Arjiah gave Jon another smile as she unwrapped the bandages. He pointedly kept his pipe close to his face and refused to look down.

The leg was not as gruesome as Katerin had assumed it would be. It was still an odd sight, but it was mostly pink skin and healthy scabs. The Sahn-Raidar healers had made sure to keep it free of infection and had cared for it very well, so far, though there was an astounding amount of scarring.