Steel nodded when she looked up at him. “Agreed,” he said with some reluctance.
“Secondly, his hands are relatively unmarked. There’s no dirt beneath his nails, no sign that he grabbed at the dirt or anything else in an attempt to stop his fall. Thirdly, his right shoulder isn’t broken as I thought at first. It’s dislocated, and look here, at his arm.” She pointed to Dirk’s right upper arm where a set of dark bruises wrapped around it in the shape of a hand were clearly visible. “When I heal him, those bruises will fade, but I wanted you all to see them first.”
“I cannot imagine anyone harming a child like this,” Drya said hoarsely.
“Whoever did this isn’t right in the head,” Astra said.
“I agree,” Tani said. “Hopefully Dirk will be able to tell us what happened when he wakes up. But whether he does or not, I think it’s safest for Dirk if everyone thinks we believe he climbed the mountain and fell.”
“Do you think a Nomen could have done this?” Steel asked.
“I don’t know, Steel,” Tani said. “I don’t know what sort of security you have around here, or how easy, or difficult, it would be for a Nomen or anyone else to do something like this in broad daylight without being seen.”
“It would be easy enough for one of our own people, much as I hate to admit it,” Steel said reluctantly. “There aren’t enough personal Blind Sights to go around, but there are about forty of us who have one.”
“And the moment someone with a Blind Sight got within wingspan range of Dirk, he’d be invisible too.”
“Yes, that’s right,” Steel said, then shook his head firmly. “No, it can’t be one of our people. It makes no sense. It has to be someone else.”
“I suppose it’s possible that the Nomen have personal Blind Sights too,” Tani said, but she knew it wasn’t likely. This was the second time he’d displayed a reluctance to think badly of his own people, and this was neither the time nor the place to attempt convincing him otherwise. “Right now, I need to put this baby back together.”
“How can we help?” Drya asked.
“I’ll need the bone annealer, the steri-lamp, and another tub of soapy water to finish cleaning him with. If you can handle that, I’ll start healing his head injuries.”
“Yes, of course,” Astra said, then led Drya to the supply cabinets.
“What can I do, Khalute?” Steel asked.
“I’ll need your help in a few minutes with his shoulder, and then with his leg,” she said. Steel nodded. She took a breath before placing her hands on Dirk’s head and closing her eyes. A few moments later she was very glad that she’d decided to start with the head injuries. One was bad enough that the skull had a small crack in it, and Dirk’s brain was swelling alarmingly. She took her time, removing the swelling first since it was the most dangerous symptom. When she was satisfied that it was back to normal and there was no bleeding anywhere, she healed the skull and removed the surface swelling. When she opened her eyes she swayed dizzily, relieved that Steel was there to help her to a chair.
“I need protein,” she said.
“We have protein bars,” Astra said. “You want some?”
“Yes, please,” she said, then leaned back in her chair. She reached up to her pendant, realizing that it hadn’t gotten warm this time. She didn’t understand it, but she knew that she’d healed Dirk’s head injuries, and his internal injuries. A flash of something red flitted through her mind quickly, then was gone before she could decipher what it was. She shook her head and released the pendant, deciding that, for the moment, the mystery would have to wait.
“You can stop, you know,” Steel said after handing her a container of water which she accepted gratefully. “You’ve done so much healing today already. No one will think badly of you if you need to rest and finish this tomorrow.”
“No, I can’t,” Tani said. “I’d never rest knowing this poor baby was lying here, hurt. You know that.”
“Yes, I know that,” Steel said, smiling. “I had to make the offer. I’m so proud of you, Tani.”
“Thank you, Steel,” she said, reaching out to touch his hand lightly.
“It took a long time to heal the head injuries,” he said, clasping her hand gently. It was so tiny compared to his, but so strong.
“Yes, they were worse than I thought,” she agreed. “Another half an hour and he would have died from the internal pressure caused by the swelling. But they’re fully healed now. I expect him to wake up soon.”
“Now that would be good news,” Steel said just as Astra returned with a box of protein bars.
“Thank you, Astra,” Tani said, watching as Steel unwrapped one for her. “A couple of these and I should be able to get Dirk fully healed.”
“You’ve done so much healing for us,” Astra said. “And it takes such a toll on you. We need to start keeping a supply of these in here for you.”
By the time Tani finished two protein bars and another glass of water, Drya had Dirk thoroughly washed, except for his injured leg which was still in the makeshift splint. “Thanks, Drya,” Tani said. “I’m sure that’ll make him feel a bit better when he wakes up.”
“He’s the only family I have left,” Drya said. “My daughter, Dirk’s mother, and her husband were among those who didn’t survive the mine.”
“I’m sorry, Drya,” Tani said. “But don’t you worry about this little guy. We’ll have him up and running around in no time.”
“You are the greatest blessing the Khun have ever had, Gunji Tani,” Drya said.
“No, Drya, it’s children like Dirk that are the blessings,” Tani said, then got to work. An hour later Dirk’s shoulder was healed, the leg was set with an initial adhesion, and Tani was studying the view screen again.
“It’s perfect,” she said, turning to look at Steel with a big smile.
“Ith it all done now?” Dirk asked in a small voice.
Tani turned in surprise. “How long has he been conscious?” she asked Drya.
“Twenty minutes or so,” Drya said. “He never struggled or even whimpered.”
“Hello Dirk,” she said. “I know that hurt, and I’m sorry, but you did very well. I’m proud of you.”
“It didn’t hurt tho much,” Dirk said.
“That’s good,” Tani said.
“Ith it all finithed now?” Dirk asked again.
“Not quite,” Tani said, “but don’t worry. The next part won’t hurt. All you have to do is try to stay very still. Can you do that?”
“Yeth, I can do that,” Dirk said, nodding.
You’re such a good boy, Dirk,” Tani said.
“Can I have thome water, pleath?”
“Yes, of course,” Tani said. She started to go find a glass and water, but Drya was already moving toward the chiller, so Tani turned back to the view screen.
Once Dirk had his drink, Tani signaled Astra to start the annealer to finish healing the bone in his leg. While she did that, Tani began healing the tissue around the injury. Then she focused on the green stick fractures in Dirk’s arms. None of those was serious, and she had them healed by the time the annealer finished with the tibia.
After Dirk got another drink of water, Tani turned on the steri-lamp and began disinfecting the minor wounds that Drya had cleaned of dust and dirt. “Dirk, do you remember what happened to you?” she asked casually.
“No,” he said. “I woked up and wath here.”
“What about before that?” Tani asked, keeping her voice conversational as she continued to go over his scratches with the light.
“I wath…,” Dirk trailed off, his brows scrunching up in a frown as he struggled to remember. “Oh, I wath playing a hiding game with the other kidth and I hidded in a cave and hit my head.”
“You hit your head?” Tani asked as though surprised. “What did you hit your head on?”
“I don’t member,” Dirk said.
“Does it hurt now?”
“No,” Dirk said.
“That’s good,” Tani said. “What cave did you hide in?”
“I hidded in Grandma’s cave,” Dirk said. “Ith okay to hide there cauth I live there. Right Grandma?”
“That’s right,” Drya said.
“What else did you do?” Tani asked.
“I hidded in Rikard’s cave but I askeded hith mom if I could, and I hidded in Ruya’s cave but no one livth there.”
“What did you do before you played with the other children?”
“I had lunch with Grandma,” Dirk said, “then we played the hiding game.”
“Oh, so you played the hiding game for a long time,” Tani said. “It must have been a lot of fun.”
Dirk nodded slowly, then looked at Steel, then his grandmother. “Grandma, did I do thomething bad?”
“No, you didn’t do anything bad, Dirk,” Drya assured him. “Not one single thing, I promise.”
Tani felt Dirk relax beneath her hands. “Your grandma is right, Dirk. You didn’t do a thing wrong.”
“Why did my leg get brokded?”
“You fell down,” Tani said. “We found you on the side of the mountain, the big one that’s behind the caves. You know which mountain I mean?”
Dirk’s eyes widened as he nodded slowly. “I din’t go there, I promith. Grandma would get tho mad at me for that.”
“We know you didn’t go there,” Tani said. “Don’t worry.”
“How’d I get there?”
“We don’t know, Dirk,” Tani said, turning the steri-lamp off. “All finished.”
“My leg ith fixded?”
“Yes it is,” Tani said, smiling. “How do you feel?”
“Tired,” Dirk said. “And hungry.”
“I’ll bet,” Tani said. “I feel kind of tired and hungry myself. What do you say we both go find us something to eat?”
“Yeth pleathe,” Dirk said, his eyes sparkling up at her as a big grin spread across his face.
Tani stepped back and watched Drya help Dirk up off the medi-cot. “I’ll clean up in here if you’ll walk Drya and Dirk home,” she said to Steel.
“I’ll help you,” Astra offered.
“And I’ll make sure a few people keep their eyes on Dirk from now on,” Steel said. “I won’t be long.” He leaned down to kiss Tani lightly, then left with Dirk and Drya.
Chapter 8
“Tani, do you have a minute?” Astra asked one morning at breakfast, startling Tani out of her thoughts.
It had been a couple of days since Dirk’s misadventure on the mountain, and they still had no idea who was responsible. Everyone appeared to accept the story that he’d climbed up there on his own, but Tani had seen enough people surreptitiously watching over the child to know that most either knew, or suspected, the truth. What troubled her most was Steel’s absolute refusal to discuss the possibility that one of his own people was responsible. He’d seemed to at least consider the idea the night it had happened, but that had changed by the following morning.
“Of course, Astra,” Tani said. “What is it?”
“I’ve been asked to speak with you on a matter of some importance.”
“This sounds serious,” Tani replied, wondering at Astra’s sudden tension.
“For the women, particularly those held captive for so long, it’s very serious,” Astra said.
“All right,” Tani said, frowning when Astra hesitated. “Astra, if I’ve done something to insult or offend someone, you can tell me. I won’t get angry.”
“Oh no!” Astra exclaimed. “It’s nothing like that at all, I promise.”
“Well, whatever it is, it can’t be so bad that you need worry about telling me,” Tani said, trying to encourage her to spit it out before her curiosity got the better of her.
“I’m not nervous because of you, Tani,” Astra said. “I’m nervous because this is such an important issue, especially after what happened to Dirk, and they’ve entrusted it to me.”
“I see,” Tani said, nodding. She set her cup down, then pressed her hands together and bowed solemnly from the waist. “I ask your forgiveness for my impatience,” she said. “Please take your time, and tell me only when you are prepared to do so.”
Astra looked at her in surprise, and Tani smiled gently. “There are times when formality provides you with a path to set your feet upon where otherwise you might flounder.”
Astra gave her a grateful smile, set her own cup down and took a deep breath. “The women of the Khun want to be taught to defend themselves, Tani, but the men refuse to teach us.”
“Why?”
“Why do they want to defend themselves?”
“No, why was the request refused?”
“The men have been trying to teach themselves how to use weapons for a year now,” Astra said. “Unfortunately, there have been some very serious accidents, so they’re not comfortable with the idea of trying to teach the women something so dangerous. In addition, there are now about two hundred and twenty men who’ve spent the past year in the mine who are now trying to learn how to use weapons.”
“Those are good reasons, Astra,” Tani said. Astra’s shoulders slumped with obvious disappointment. “For them.” Astra looked up hopefully. “The men have reason to refuse at this time, but I do not. I’ve studied offensive and defensive arts my entire life. I have enough knowledge to teach the women what they need to learn, and I agree that they do need to learn. If they know that they can protect themselves, it will help boost their confidence after all they’ve been through. Let me talk to Steel about it, all right?”
“What if he says no?” Astra asked. “Will you teach us anyway?”
“Astra, Steel is King of the Khun, not I,” Tani said with a frown. “I will not gainsay him in the rule of his people, nor would I ever go behind his back in an important matter such as this. It would be worse than wrong. It would be a betrayal of his trust, and that is something I would never do.”
“I’m sorry, but in this instance, I feel very strongly that what those women need is far more important than what’s right or wrong, or even what Steel wants. He cares for you, Tani. I know you can convince him to do this, somehow.”
“I promise that I will try to convince him of what I believe to be right and necessary, but I will not attempt to manipulate him. I’m disappointed that you would even suggest such a thing to me.”
“I know, and you’ve every right to feel that way,” Astra said earnestly. “It’s just that those women need help so desperately. They’re in constant fear of being taken back to the mine, and they have nightmares every night, including the children. They all sit around in silence day after day. There’s no life to them any more. If they can learn to protect themselves, even just a little, it may go a long way toward helping them to recover. At the least it’ll give them something to occupy their time and their minds with. It’s the only solution I’ve been able to come up with that might actually work and I’m growing desperate.”
“I understand, Astra, and I agree with you that something must be done. I will do all that I can to help, on this you have my word. But please, for the sake of our friendship, never ask me to do something so dishonorable again.”
“I’m sorry, Tani,” Astra said. “I truly am. I’d never behave that way myself, which makes it doubly wrong of me to ask it of you. I won’t do it again, I promise.”
“Thank you,” Tani said, then smiled to let Astra know she was forgiven.
Steel stood outside the entrance to Astra’s cave, pride filling him as he listened to Tani gently chastise Astra for her suggestion. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but he couldn’t help being glad that he’d heard this particular conversation. He turned and took a few steps away from the entrance so that he could no longer hear them, and looked around at his people.
So many had died in the mines. Nearly half the women, and over forty men. There were now less than three hundred males, and only one hundred and twenty seven females. The Khun were free, but barely hanging on.
It
felt good to see the men out and about, caring for the livestock down in the valley, practicing with weapons, or just sitting outside, relaxing in the warm morning sunshine.
But only a few women were outside, and all of those were women who’d lived in the caves for the past year. He hadn’t seen any of the women they’d rescued since the night of the raid several days earlier. They were all keeping to the women’s cave, even though most were well on the way to recovering their strength, thanks to Tani. Not a single one of them had moved into the caves that had been so carefully set up specifically for each of them. They were afraid to leave the group, he realized. Afraid to be alone.
Astra was right. They needed help beyond the physical healing of their bodies. They needed to feel safe, or at least feel that they could do something to fend off an enemy. They needed confidence. He nodded to himself, then went back to the cave entrance and made his presence known.
“Good morning, Tani, Astra,” he said after Astra invited him in. He bent do kiss Tani on the cheek, then sat down in what was becoming his usual place and accepted Astra’s offer of coffee.
“I have to confess that I overheard part of your conversation about the women needing to defend themselves,” he said calmly. Both women stared at him in surprise at first, then Tani’s eyes narrowed and Astra blushed. “I apologize to both of you. It was wrong of me. My only excuse is that I heard my name and couldn’t seem to stop myself listening. I promise to never do such a thing again, nor to hold anything that was said against either of you.”
“I appreciate your honesty, Steel,” Tani said. Not many people would have made such a confession at all, and it spoke to his character that he had. “Since you heard our conversation, shall we discuss the matter?”
“Yes, I’d like to do that,” Steel said. “Astra, I just took a little time to consider your opinion that the women need confidence, and you’re right. None of them have even left the women’s cave since their return, and that’s not a good thing.”
“No, it’s not,” Astra agreed.
“On the other hand, those of us who haven’t spent the past year in the mines have enough on our hands trying to teach the others how to fight. Since none of us are exactly masters, we’re finding it to be a much bigger challenge than we expected.”
Tani's Destiny (Hearts of ICARUS Book 2) Page 22
