The Battle Lord's Lady by Linda Mooney Read Free Book Online

the second time that night the
surrounding Cleaners went totally silent. For a long moment the
only sound she could hear was the distant crackling of the fire,
the uneasy rustling of the horses, and a lot of struggling breaths
against the cold. Atty felt a shudder go through her.
    “It’s a badger in the pit. Dressed at
around four hundred pounds. It was rubbed with herbs and salt and
some pepper root and onion, and there’s onions and potatoes in the
cavity. It should be enough to feed the compound and your men.” Talking was difficult,
but not impossible. She addressed Yulen directly, since the man was
staring at her in shocked silence like everyone else.
    Another minute passed. Then Yulen, in
voice laced with amusement, inquired, “Don’t tell me... you killed the badger,
right?”
    “If I admitted it, you wouldn’t believe
me.”
    “With a bow and arrow?” Karv interjected.
    Atty’s first reaction was to give a smart
answer but common sense suddenly interceded. “We needed meat. This
winter’s been harsher than usual, and most of our hunters have been
ill.”
    Yulen sighed loudly. “Well, this seems to be
getting stranger and more interesting with every passing minute.”
He started to say more when they were hailed by the sentry.
    The Cleaner known as the physician was
escorted through the gate. Atty surmised the man had been sent on
his way to the compound soon after the second phalanx had set off.
The physician gave a cursory glance to each body before approaching
the leaders.
    “Somebody has an extraordinary eye,” the
elderly man reported. His brown hair was shot with gray but his
face was nearly seamless. Atty couldn’t begin to guess the man’s
age. The physician gave her a quick stare.
    “Look after her,” Yulen ordered.
    The man started. “Is she a-”
    “Doesn’t matter. Wrap up her face or whatever
you have to do, but I want her able to make the trip back to the
compound with us.”
    Karv opened his mouth but was waved silent.
However, the physician was less inclined. “I thought I was told I
don’t heal Mutah.”
    Yulen smiled, but it was neither warm nor
friendly. “You’ll heal who I tell you to. Just do your best. It’s
all I ask.” Having said, he pushed his way through the knot of men
and headed toward the open market area.
    The physician frowned. Atty got the
impression that, despite his personal grievances, he was obligated
to do as he was ordered. Waving for a couple of men to help him, he
had them take her into a nearby shop.
    They gained entry by breaking in the door.
Atty managed to recognize the building as the place that sold
candles and soap. The room smelled of lye and old smoke. She was
laid upon a back table and several candles were lit to provide
adequate light. The physician began by poking and prodding around
her temple and jawline. Atty flinched whenever his touch brought
additional pain. At one point she cried out when his fingers ran up
her throat underneath her chin.
    “Well, your jaw’s not broken but it could be
cracked. You won’t be able to have any solid foods for at least a
week or so, unless you’re one of those Mutah who heal more rapidly
than normal. You,” he ordered one of the guards, “this one has to
survive long enough to make it back to camp where I can wrap her up
properly. See if you can find something soft that she can swallow
whole, like oatmeal.” The man turned back to give her a knowing
look. “I can hear your stomach rumbling. How long has it been since
you’ve eaten? A day? Two days?”
    She nodded.
    “Ah. And another question. Why does the
Battle Lord want you taken back to camp? You’re female. That
doesn’t surprise me. But I can’t see him bedding a Mutah, much less
you. So it can’t be for that reason.”
    Atty glanced over at her bow and empty quiver
that were propped against the far wall of the shop. The physician
followed her gaze and immediately understood. “You’re the one with
the deadly aim. Well, that