"You see?" She waved with a sachet of herbs. "Impeccable manners. Now, invite the boys to sit because poor Codric looks like he's going to keel over."
"I'm sorry." Kailin's father motioned to one of the long wooden benches. "Please, take a seat."
The girls flanked Kailin's mother on the other bench, and as Kailin took the trembling Chicha from her mother and held the little dog on her lap, Shovia turned to Milly. "Are my parents okay? Did you tell them I was fine?"
Kailin's mother nodded. "They were home when the explosives detonated, and your father ran out to ask what happened. He was trying to get to the square, but the guards wouldn't let him through. Thankfully, one of them knew you and told your father that you were fine and helping with the wounded."
Shovia let out a relieved breath. "I should call them."
Kailin's mother put a hand on her shoulder. "It can wait. They know that you are okay. Have some tea first."
"Yeah, I could use some." Shovia sighed.
During their exchange, I'd taken the opportunity to glance around the apothecary's back room, feeling like I had been admitted into a secret society or a witch's kitchen. Dried herbs hung from the rafters, filling the air with a blend of aromas, andjars of all sizes lined the shelves on two sides of the large room, containing items that I didn't want to contemplate.
"Tea will be ready in a couple of minutes," Kailin's grandmother said. "We all need something to calm our nerves after all the excitement."
"Can you make something for Codric?" Shovia asked. "His stomach is bothering him after overeating at lunch." She gave him a fond smile. "Though after the hard work you've put in, I would think that you burned through all that roasted goat meat."
"It's better than it was," he admitted. "But I still need to use the restroom."
"Out the back." Kailin's grandmother pointed to the back door. "There is a sign you can't miss."
"Thank you." He rose to his feet. "I'll be back soon." He clutched his stomach. "I hope."
Kailin's grandmother gave him a warm smile. "Take your time. The tea needs to steep for a while."
Codric managed a weak smile. "Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate it."
"Call me Jaida," she said, pouring hot water over the herbs. "Everyone does."
He smiled again and ducked out the door before anyone could stop him.
Stroking Chicha's fur, Kailin murmured soft praises to her, but the little dog kept shaking. Her eyes were alert, watching the door as if she expected more trouble to enter or maybe just for Codric to return.
"This dog is a treasure," I said. "She has better instincts than all your fabled Elucian Guard put together."
Kailin's father winced. "Normally, I would be offended by such a remark, but I have to agree with you. I don't know how they allowed something like that to happen."
He walked over to a small, old model television set that perched on a tall wooden stool next to the stove and turned it on.
The news was covering the attack. "Six confirmed dead," the announcer was saying, her face grave. "Fifty-two injured, five critically. All victims have been evacuated to the infirmary and are being treated by our medical staff. May Elu grant them all a quick and complete recovery."
"I should go help." Jaida set cups of tea in front of us.
"They have enough medics." Jayron curled his large hand around the cup that must have been scorching hot. "There are plenty to help the injured. Because of the pilgrimage, there are probably more trained emergency medics in Skywatcher's Point right now than can fit in the infirmary."
Jaida's face fell. "No one respects the skills of the elderly anymore. I've been treating wounds since before most of those medics were born."
"We need you here, Mom," Kailin's mother spoke up. "The infirmary might need more supplies, and you're the only one who knows where everything is in the shop."
I sipped my tea, trying to focus on the television while appearing merely casually interested. The camera showed several of the planters, destroyed along with the paving around them. I'd seen those firsthand, but given the camera angle, I could now see how large the radius of destruction was, which attested to the substantial explosives that had been used. The announcer was explaining that they had been strategically placed to cause maximum casualties.
That wasn't news to me.
What they needed to focus on, though, was how close the Shedun had come to dealing a fatal blow to Elucia. If they had gotten the shaman, I don't know if the Elucians could have recovered. So much of their society and customs relied on that one man.
He should have trained an apprentice a long time ago. Maybe he had, but was keeping it a secret?
