Chapter 5 Brynn #3
Guin licked Lena’s cheek once, signaling her acceptance of the situation.
Lena flinched as if startled but stroked the puppy all the same.
“What should I do?” Esa crouched beside Brynn, eyes wide with worry. She too must see the advanced state of damage in Gistrid’s body.
“We’re going to start with her liver. I’ll direct the healing, but I may need you to channel more power into me.”
It was how they usually did things when the work was too complex for Esa’s skill. The young sorceress rested her hand on Brynn’s shoulder and power trickled into Brynn. With an extra source of ka, Brynn began to work.
Bodies wanted to be whole. They were meant to survive. Even in their battered state, Gistrid’s organs soaked up the healing power. Focusing, Brynn was careful to channel her power slowly enough that Gistrid’s body could soak it up.
Poison, unlike infections, could not be made stronger with ka. Assuming Brynn was right about it being poison and assuming she was right about it already being outside Gistrid’s body, there shouldn’t be any harm to giving her more power.
Brynn did her best to guide her healing spells, but organs were complex. She preferred to let the body guide the healing whenever possible.
Power poured from Brynn and into Gistrid. The liver remained swollen, but it was not so tangled, and Brynn no longer felt the broken fissures.
Moving onto Gistrid’s heart and lungs, Brynn worked to strengthen those as well.
Gistrid exhaled a sharp breath, her eyes flying open.
Her handmaidens leaned over her, flocking to her side with concern. The eldest, who appeared to be the senior, asked a question.
Gistrid answered, shaking as Brynn continued to work.
The extra fluid in Gistrid’s body would need to be expelled on its own when she made water, but Brynn felt the rest of her body sliding into wholeness.
Gistrid sat up, trembling and still yellowed, but alert. She pulled up her sleeve. The bruises remained—bruises were always last to heal—but even they had faded. She turned to Brynn and uttered something low. Brynn didn’t need a translator to know it was gratitude.
Gistrid’s nearest handmaiden let off a cry of relief and a collective sigh seemed to go through them all.
The senior of the servants smoothed back Gistrid’s hair in an almost motherly way. From the age of that servant, Brynn had to wonder if she had been Gistrid’s nursemaid or had some other history with the girl.
Gistrid asked Brynn a question.
Lena spoke. “Lady Gistrid asks what ailed her.”
Now came the difficult part. Brynn didn’t know what to say besides the truth. “You were poisoned, lady.”
Lena blinked at Brynn in shock. It wasn’t until Gistrid demanded a translation that Lena spoke.
As Lena’s explanation poured out, Gistrid’s face hardened. She barked something to one of her handmaidens, then a crisp command to Lena.
“She asks if you were able to spare her child, lady.”
Brynn shook her head sadly. “The child is already gone. She should continue miscarrying over the next few days.”
Lena repeated the words.
Gistrid replied in a firm, insistent tone.
Lena spoke softly. “She asks if there is nothing you can do.”
“I’m sorry.” Brynn ducked her head. “There isn’t. I was lucky to be able to save you.”
Gistrid turned away, her face hidden.
Even if Gistrid had no affection at all for Ovrek, bearing a king a son was one of the surest ways for a concubine to ensure her own status and safety. Brynn’s mother had made it clear Eormenulf had wanted a son and dismissed her when Brynn had been his second disappointment.
Gistrid seemed genuinely upset by the loss, but Brynn needed to make one thing clear.
“Lady, it is possible someone wanted to hurt you or your child or both. You must be careful.”
As the words came to Gistrid through Lena, the consort barked something hard, sounding dismissive.
“Lady Gistrid says all her servants are loyal and none of them would think to harm her.”
“Be that as it may—”
Gistrid gave a sharp order in Valdari, leaning on her nearest servant as she stood.
“The lady thanks you for your service and asks that you leave her.”
Brynn felt she had done something wrong but didn’t know what.
Gistrid made a sharp shooing motion and Brynn didn’t need a translator to understand she was being dismissed.
“The lady says she will inform Queen Sifma, but you are no longer needed,” Lena said.
Brynn bowed. “Please tell the lady to send for me if there is anything more I can do.” She felt defeated, powerless. This girl needed help, protection. Brynn had the strength to offer both, and yet neither. What was she supposed to do?
Lena translated the words as Brynn and Esa bowed to Gistrid one last time.
Leaving Gistrid’s house, Brynn felt her chest tightening with dread.
Ovrek’s concubine had been poisoned, either intentionally or not.
People ate bad or contaminated food all the time, yet it seemed too great a coincidence.
That woman lived surrounded by servants and luxury, why would she be poisoned, but not her servants, unless it was intentional?
Gistrid had been poisoned all at once if the damage to her body was any indication. There had been no fissures in different stages of healing, they had all been about the same.
That meant someone had given her a lethal dose of something that was nonetheless taking days to work. If the goal had been to kill, why not use something that killed quickly? There were plenty of plants that would have made short work of taking a life, even in small doses.
“Well?” Tolvir almost ran into Brynn the moment she emerged from the house.
Brynn startled, sidestepping to avoid him.
“Were you able to help?”
Brynn thought a silent prayer before answering. “I think so. She’s still weak, but she should pull through.” She didn’t add that Gistrid had already miscarried or that her illness had not been natural.
“I am grateful, Lady Brynn.” Tolvir offered a lopsided grin, a look that showed his father’s likeness. “I hope there is some way I can repay you.”
Brynn disliked everything about this situation. She couldn’t stop wondering why Tolvir had been the one to ask for help or why Gistrid had been poisoned. “Thank you, lord. I hope you will excuse me.”
Tolvir inclined his head. “Of course.”
Brynn took Guin back from Lena as she and Esa followed silently. Brynn led them back toward the beach and their camp between Hróarr and Cenric’s ships.
“You think she was poisoned on purpose, lady?” Esa asked quietly.
“Yes.” Brynn inhaled a deep breath. “Maybe. I need to talk to Cenric.” He should be able to give her advice.
“And if she was?” Esa asked. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know,” Brynn answered honestly. She glanced over at Lena, but the girl followed along quietly.