Chapter 58
Thealina
Everything hurts. Muscles, bones and bladder. I held myself through the night, too scared to move to the privy around the side of the hut, but dawn’s broken, so I make my way over to relieve myself. My movements stiff and jerky, legs waddling as I clamp them shut so I don’t piss myself on route.
I can’t afford to, these are the only trousers I packed, and it’s too cold today for the skirt. Those thigh slits would have an unpleasant draft cooling my most intimate parts.
A long drawn-out moan slips past my lips as my bladder empties. The cool seat of the privy almost burning but nothing can override this blissful feeling of relief.
Godsdamn, it’s good.
The privy’s nicer on the inside than outside. It’s clean, roomy, smells of citrus, though I have no idea where it comes from. She even has moist towelettes. Marvelous. I take advantage and grab more than I need and clean myself up, humming along with the birdsong from outside.
The door whines as I push it open, the beams of the sun blinding me, taking my eyes a long moment to adjust to the light. To adjust to the full-toothed smile greeting me. The hairs on the back of my neck stand as a shiver crawls down my spine and my lungs burn, screaming at me to suck in a breath.
I don’t.
I’m frozen.
My stupid body betrays me, refusing to let the fight or flight instinct kick in. I’m a feeble lamb, frozen in shock, making it easy for slaughter.
“Right, you’re making this awkward now. For the love of Puckfruit say something will ya,” the bald dwarve says, scratching the bearded jaw of his perplexed face.
My lungs choose this moment to suck in a much-needed breath. It rushes through my veins and my head becomes dizzy. I open my mouth to speak, then snap my lips shut.
He quirks a brow. “You a thieving scoundrel?”
I shake my head enough my cheeks wobble.
“You a dark death lord god demon thing come back to haunt us from the Wraithlands?”
A what? And where?
I shake my head again.
“Then what you doing all the way out here, Flower? And on Tes’s land too.”
He knows Tes! I raise a finger in the air, gesturing him to wait as I rifle through my pack, grabbing my book.
‘Tes, I need her. Where is she?’
He leans close to my book, scrunching his nose like he’s struggling to read. Maybe he needs glasses.
“Ah, our young Tes is in Winari. Doing us proud she is by healing folk ripped apart from the blasted demons.”
My jaw drops. ‘Demons?’
“Yeah. After the gateway was opened to the Wraithlands, many demons and bloodhounds escaped. Wreaking havoc they are. Ain’t long got back meself. Weird place, I tell ya. Don’t ever go there.” He waffles to himself, mumblings I don’t understand.
What in the embers is he talking about. Have I missed that much while I’ve been running around consumed with my tongue and Rafe.
It must be written on my face when he says. “You been livin’ in a cave?”
I nod, metaphorically I guess I have. My body is sluggish and weighty as I exhale a slow breath.
“Why you need her for? Maybe I can help, I’m good at fixin’ things.”
I open my mouth at the same time I open the dark cotton parcel in my palm, showing my slab of tongue.
“Yeah. Sorry, Flower, can’t fix that.”
You don’t say.
He holds a closed fist to his mouth, hiding his gag and I don’t know whether to be offended and give him grief or let it go and avoid confrontation.
Picking fights with bald, dwarven males wasn’t on my to-do list today, and I don’t have the energy to make this fella an exception.
Plus, he’s extremely burly. His huge hands and a beard so long he could wrap it around my neck and strangle me.
I let it go.
“She writes my Olive letters, wait here, I’ll go grab her address.”
Hope and light and all things nice flood my veins. All is not lost. He returns my beaming smile, and I almost skip back to the decking steps, plonk my arse down and wait. My heart thuds frantic beats, my leg bobs and I chew through some fingernails as I wait.
All is not lost.
But I need to get a move on, I’m not sure what the shelf life of my tongue is, and I’m running out of the balm she gave me. It’s the only thing keeping the slab of meat alive and healthy.
Please, please, please, Fates, let this work. Keep my tongue alive and let me find this healer in good timing. And if you can get the dwarve to bring some food to that’ll be grand.
“So… the letters didn’t have her address… cause we gots an eagle that couriers our letters, you see.”
I don’t see.
An eagle courier. Who are these people.
The red-faced dwarve tries to hide his gasping breaths, but I see the way he clutches his side. I fight the giggle from escaping.
“But… I asked Liv… and she said if you portal into Worruks, get transport to a town called Wick, you’ll find her at the healers’ station… big manor house mansion thingy right on the square.”
Ok. Worruks. Wick. Manor house mansion healers’ station thing on the square. Got it.
I scribble with haste. Throw myself at the dwarve in a hug he never saw coming and shove my book in his face.
‘Thanks a bunch. Bye.’
And I run, leaving the dwarve spluttering. I run as fast as my weak limbs can muster, and if I continue this pace, I should reach Gilly’s office before he closes for the day.
And if I can’t, at least I know where to find the drunkard.