The Dragon Eaters

by Duke Kittle

  Chapter 13

  While Tina was aware that Kravek could have made the run back to town carrying Luna and her on his own, she had summoned Shasta to hasten their return to Likonia. With Little Bit in tow behind the construct, their return had been swift.

  Upon arriving back at the city, Tina had then dismissed Shasta, and Kravek led the way to the nearest of the three surgeons in town, a tall, thin, male weasel. While Luna was mostly out of danger, it would take a more practiced hand than Tina's to minimize the damage to the mink's body. At least the surgeon didn't have to worry about removing explosive rock shards while he worked. The surgeon's home was small, but there was a room set up in the back of his house for just such an occasion. Tina was thankful for there being so many ex-military in the town with useful skills.

  Tina and Kravek waited outside in the surgeon's living room while the surgeon worked on Luna. The surgeon's wife, a middle-aged badger woman, had joined him in operating on the mink. Tina guessed the badger must have been a field nurse by the way she and the surgeon had begun to work immediately once Tina, Kravek, and Luna had arrived.

  Tina sat on the arm of a rocking chair next to a larger cushioned chair, both of which faced the fireplace in the surgeon's home. Kravek, unable to find a chair which might not collapse under his weight, remained standing while he leaned against a kitchen counter. His arms were folded, and his tail was brushing the wooden front of the counter.

  “She's going to be all right, isn't she?” Tina asked from her position on the arm of the chair.

  Kravek nodded. “You did a good job. She wasn't bleeding any more, and she was still breathing. The surgeon can handle the rest.”

  Tina rubbed her fingertips across her brow and sighed. “I can't help but feel responsible.”

  Kravek pushed off the counter and walked to the rocking chair to rest his hand on the back of it while he looked down at Tina. “Put it on the one who set the trap.”

  Tina huffed. “Too bad he's supposedly dead.”

  Kravek's eyebrow arched. “Supposedly?”

  “I had more time to think on the ride back.” Tina rested her elbows on her knees and steepled her fingers in front of her muzzle. “It's only speculation, but I can't come up with any logical reasons for the wizard to leave a trap like that behind unless he didn't want someone who was poking around to find anything, or if they did find something, to be able to leave with it.”

  “Why would he do that?” Kravek's tail swept around to slap the tuft of fur on the end of it against his side.

  Tina was briefly silent before she settled her hands in her lap. “Kravek, do you know where the wizard died?”

  “No. I wasn't there.” He raised his hand to pick at the tip of one of his horns. “There was a handful of town folk who were, though. I think Lazur was there.”

  Tina snapped her fingers. “Lazur. Beth told me last night he wanted to see me about something.” She folded her hands in her lap. “Once we're sure Luna's all right, I need to go see Lazur.” The mouse looked up at Kravek again. “Would you mind being my feet a little while longer?”

  Kravek chuckled, “Why not. You've paid me up through lunch, after all.” He gestured toward his backpack sitting next to the front doorway wherein lay the package of food Tina had provided.

  Tina giggled. “I'll buy more from Mr. Kilba for you if that's not enough. I imagine someone of your size has a healthy appetite.”

  Kravek chuckled before the two became quiet again.

  Tina broke the silence as she rubbed the bridge of her muzzle. “Before we go anywhere, I should retrieve my spare set of glasses. We're still dealing with magic, and I need to be able to see it.” She laid her hand back into her lap. “Not to mention wanting to be able to see the rest of the world as well.”

  “How bad are your eyes?”

  Tina shrugged. “Not bad enough I can't live without my glasses, but enough to make my eyes tired without them.”

  The surgeon's wife emerged from the back room with a rag turned red with blood and threw it into the sink. She opened one of the cabinets built above the counter and pulled out a small handful of clean rags before she headed back to the doorway.

  Tina stood up. “Ma'am.”

  The badger woman stopped and looked back. “Vira.”

  “Vira, how is she doing?”

  “Well enough.” Vira rested her hand on the door. “She's going to be fine, but she needs to rest for a few days. A couple of the wounds needed to be opened again for proper stitching,” the badger woman smiled comfortingly, “but you don't need to worry. It was smart to burn the wounds so she wouldn't bleed out on the way back. You did well.” She then turned and disappeared into the back room again.

  Tina watched the door close and then seated herself as she turned her gaze back to the unlit fireplace. Her thoughts turned to her own fireplace wherein rested a bottle full of everglow flames. She rubbed the bridge of her muzzle again. “I have things I need to do,” she put her hand back down in her lap, “but I'd like to be here when Luna wakes up.”

  Kravek looked down at Tina with his arms folded across his chest. “You want to make her pain worthwhile, you do what it takes to put the monsters to rest.”

  Tina looked up at Kravek standing next to the chair. The corners of her mouth rose slowly before she wiggled her whiskers and got to her feet. “I need my glasses. And then, we need to go see Lazur Thulfa.”

  Kravek nodded and offered his hand down to Tina. She stepped onto it, and Kravek lifted her to his shoulder. “Back to the Stumble Drum, then?”

  Tina took a last look over her shoulder at the closed door leading to the room where Luna lay. She drew in a deep breath and then let it out. “All right. Let's go.”