Stone of Tears

Then will you please take Lady Ordith somewhere where she will not… where she will be more comfortable while you tend to her.”

Kelley glanced down at the woman Zedd had a comforting hand to, to the rip across her abdomen, and back up to his eyes. “Of course, Wizard Zorander. You look to be very tired. If you would come to me later, I will fix you a stenadine tea.” The small smile touched the corners of her mouth again.

Zedd couldn’t keep a grin from his own face. Besides restoring alertness, stenadine tea was also used to give lovers stamina. By the glint in her eye, he judged her to be a fine brewer of stenadine tea.

He gave Kelley a wink. “Perhaps I will.” Any other time he might have given it serious consideration—Kelley was a handsome woman—but right now that was just about the farthest thing from his mind.

“Lady Ordith, what is your body servant’s name?”

“Jebra Bevinvier. And a worthless girl she is, too. Lazy and impudent.”

“Well, you will not be burdened with her inadequate service any longer. She is going to need a long time to recover, and you are shortly going to be leaving the palace.”

“Leaving? What do you mean leaving?” She put her nose in the air. “I have no intention of leaving.”

The palace is no longer safe for a lady of your importance. You will have to leave for your own protection. As you said yourself, the guards are asleep half the time. You will have to be on your way.”

“Well, I simply have no intention of…”

“Kelley”—he gave her a firm look—“please help Lady Ordith to a place where you can tend to her.”

Kelley was dragging the Lady Ordith off like a load of wash before she had a chance to cause any more trouble. Zedd turned a warm smile to Jebra and brushed some of her short, sandy hair back off her face. She held one arm across her grievous wound. Zedd had managed to halt most of the bleeding, but that wasn’t going to save her; what was outside had to be put back in its place inside.

“Thank you, sir. I’m feeling much better now. If you could help me to my feet, I will be out of your way.”

“Lie still, child,” he said softly. “We must talk.”

With a hard glance, he moved onlookers back. Soldiers of the First File had only to see that one brief look and they were already pushing people away.

Her lip trembled as her breast rose and fell more rapidly. She managed a little nod. “I’m going to die, aren’t I?”

“I won’t lie to you, child. Your wound is at the limit of my talents were I well rested. You don’t have the time for me to rest. If I don’t do something, you will die. If I try, I might hasten the end.”

“How long?”

“If I do nothing, maybe hours. Maybe the night. I could ease the pain enough to at least make the last of it tolerable.”

She closed her eyes as tears seeped from the corners. “I never thought I cared to live.”

“Because of the Seer’s Stone you wear?”

Her eyes snapped open. “You know? You recognize the Stone? You know what I am?”

“I do. The time is long past when people knew a Seer by the Stone, but I am old. I have seen such before. That is why you didn’t want me to help you? You fear what the touch might do to me?”

She nodded weakly. “But I find I suddenly care to live.”

Zedd patted her shoulder. That is what I wanted to know, child. Worry not about me. I am a wizard of the First Order, not some novice.”

“First Order?” she whispered, wide-eyed. “I did not know one was left. Please, sir, do not risk yourself on the likes of me.”

Zedd smiled. “Not much of a risk, only a little pain. And my name is Zedd.”

She thought a moment; then her free hand clutched his arm. “Zedd… if I am to have a choice… I choose to try for life.”

Zedd smiled a little and stroked her cold, sweaty forehead. Then I promise to give you my most earnest effort.” She nodded as she gripped his arm, gripped her only chance. “Is there anything you can do, Jebra, to hold aside the pain of the visions?”

She bit her lower lip and shook her head as tears sprang anew. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, barely audible. “Perhaps you shouldn’t…”

“Hush, child,” he comforted.

Zedd took a deep breath and laid a hand over the arm that held her guts back. He put the palm of his other hand gently over her eyes. This was not something he could fix from the outside. Tt had to be repaired from within, with her own mind’s aid. It could kill her. And him.

He braced himself and released the barrier in his mind. The impact of pain took the wind from his lungs. He didn’t dare to spare the energy to draw a breath. He gritted his teeth and fought it with muscles hardened to stone with the strain. And he hadn’t even touched the pain of the wound yet. He had to deal with the pain of her visions, get past them, before he could cope with that problem.