“Be very still,” said Echo. “I don’t want to graze your heart.”
Fahr gritted his teeth.
“Well done, Dev,” said Thanavar. “Almost over.”
The tin slid deeper, but still no fluids tapped.
“Almost…” said Echo, and he changed the angle ever so slightly. “There.”
Immediately, fluid began to drain, and I caught it in a small bucket before it hit the floor. Fahr breathed out deeply, seemed to sink into the table.
“We’re going to leave that in for a few hours,” said Echo. “So, please try not to move.”
Thanavar patted Dev’s shoulders.
“Well done,kel’yion,” he said. “Tomorrow, we make Port Corvallan. They will set you aright.”
“Don’t trade her,” the mate said, his voice thin and reedy. “Not on my account.”
“Never,” said Thanavar.
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
I knew him well enough now. Helied like the rest of us.
“Sleep,” he said. “Aro’el will fetch you some wine when you wake.”
Fahr closed his eyes, and the captain’s face fell like a shroud.
“Stay with him, Ensign,” he said. “Notify me of any change.”
“Aye, sir,” I said.
He and Echo moved to the flap of canvas that served as a door.
“That should give him another day or so,” said the faun. “But he may be too far gone even for the Court of Sand.”
“I will make it sweet,” said Thanavar. “They will not refuse.”
“Are they as terrible as it’s said?”
“They tried to recruit me once,” he said. “I refused, so they tried to kill me. I refused that as well. I am not so easy to kill.”
“They may try again.”
“Likely, but they want theTouchstonemore than they want me. We can bargain.”
“Well,” said Echo, wringing his hands. “Unless we get there soon, we may not need to.”
The captain took one last look before leaving the pit. Echo nodded at me.
“Once the draining slows, pack the trocar with some linen and wrap him loosely. I’ll be back soon. Mr. Broom has a boil that’s festering, and since he’s in charge of our cannons, it’s importantI tend him.”
He ducked under the flap but paused.
“Oh, and well done, Ensign. You may be no greenmage, but you are an able assistant. I’ll have a green thread for your sash in the morning.”
