Read The Crystals of Tlalli: Awakened Affinities Page 41

Liberation Army.”

  “The Conkingsly Liberation Army?” Nab raised one brow.

  The Captain smiled, “Yes Sir, the men liked it better than ‘The Opia Liberation Army’ so it stuck.” He shrugged.

  “Shaleant de Curria is gravely injured and will require medical treatment. We will require food and tents. We will stay to recover then be on our way.”

  The guard who had untied them said to Nab so only he could hear. “Glad to see you Your Highness.” Then he bowed. “I would like to put myself at your service sir.” Nab looked at him considering.

  “You would abandon your post and betray your fellow soldiers?” Nab’s voice was dangerously calm.

  “No sir, I request I be a part of your contingent. A transfer if you will.”

  “Do I know you?”

  “I am Vorest Velinter of the province of Tailent in the North. My father served with yours at the academy. He was -“

  “General Velinter. Yes I remember. His service and loyalty are not in question. If you wish to serve me I will require more than words. Do not approach me about this again. Your actions have already spoken volumes.” Nab’s eyes narrowed. At one point in his life he would have been flattered to be approached like this, would have expected it, but since his mothers machinations he would always look at such instances with a touch of paranoia. Could he trust this man? Nab decided if the man wanted to be trusted and transferred he would have to prove himself somehow. On the other hand, his father had always taught him to keep his friends close, and his enemies closer. Which was this man, friend or potential enemy? While Nab spoke with the guard the Captain ordered a Medic be brought to tend to Moyo.

  The other troops were still standing around gawking at the Prince. “Get the wounded and dead tended to!” The men moved out to do as the Captain ordered. Nab joined the Captain as he walked presumably toward the Command Tent.

  Rica picked up her staff and backpack. Then she turned and walked over to where Moyo and Zafira were. Moyo was lying on the ground, his face paler then she had ever seen it. A man Rica took for a medic was looking at his wing. Moyo had lost a lot of blood. Zafira was crouching beside him with her hands on the place where the wing and shoulders (he had two shoulders on each side) met. Zafira was concentrating. Rica joined them.

  “I’m sorry,” the medic said, “but it looks like he will never fly again. The bones of the wing here and here are completely shattered. I’m going to set it anyway. At least to give it a good look. The cut on his side here can be stitched up and will mend. He has lost a lot of blood. He will take time to heal.” The medic did look as though he was sorry it had happened. Zafira was using her green affinity to stop the bleeding.

  The man bent over to examine the wound again. “It looks like you have stopped the bleeding from the cut to the muscles there. We will have to stitch it up now. Lets take him into the tent and get him off the ground so we can work. I don’t know what else to do. We don’t have a doctor and no Magi to assist.” The medic continued to bandage the wounds to Moyo’s arm. It looked like he had gone through a meat grinder. Rica felt sick, and then tried to control that. No she told herself this was no time for helplessness. Two of the men standing around were put to the task of moving Moyo to the tent. They put him on a cot they had set up inside. The medic washed the blood away and started getting supplies out of a bag to begin stitching him up.

  “Maybe I could try.” Rica heard herself say.

  “It couldn’t hurt.” Zafira sounded hopeful.

  “I don’t know. Is she a healer?” the medic didn’t sound sure.

  “I’m a magi in training and I can use the green affinity. What do we have to loose? I can’t hurt him for trying.”

  “All right you can try but if there is no discernable change I’ll take over again and he will just pull through or not.”

  “That’s a little callus don’t you think.”

  “No. It is reality. This is no hospital and I am no doctor. I’m a medic and this is a war camp.”

  “Fine I will have to do my best then.” Rica was now determined more than ever to get this right.

  Rica carefully placed her hands on the broken parts, spreading her fingers over as much of the damaged areas as possible then thought of Moyo flying of the way his wings looked in the sun light as they stroked powerfully up into the air. Rica could feel heat flow through her to her hands, but this heat was different then when she started fires this heat was like a ray of light from a warm summer sun. There was a since of calm and peace in her being that seemed to flow from her into Moyo. Rica heard Zafira gasp and a startled cry from the medic. Rica opened her eyes. Moyo was looking at his wing in amazement. Rica looked at Moyo’s wing and frowned. It looked perfect. What were they all so amazed about?

  “You are a Magi!” the medic said in wonderment. Rica blushed.

  “No I’m just learning I was only trying to make Moyo feel better.”

  “Well you accomplished that goal. I feel wonderful. My wing feels like it’s completely healed.” The medic came over and looked at Moyo’s wing and at his side. The wing was completely whole. The long cut on his arm was also healed. Rica looked at the cut on Moyo’s side and placed her hands slightly above the skin. She closed her eyes and pictured the wound closing from the inside out sealing with no scar. When Rica opened her eyes Moyo’s cut was closed. It wasn’t completely healed but it was pretty close to it. Rica felt wonderful too though when she tried to take a step she got dizzy and stumbled. It had taken a lot of energy to heal Moyo. Rica sat down, abruptly.

  “Here drink this it might help you gain some energy back.” He put a canteen into her hand and tipped it to her lips. Rica took a swallow. It was thick and sweet, she didn’t know what to think about it. It tasted ok. She started to feel better right away.

  “Maybe you could help with the other injured?”

  “I could try. Sure.”

  Rica guessed that there were next to fifty people here and probably more near by. The army was camped in a cave complex not far from where Nab and the girls had been attacked. Rica and Zafira helped the medic tend to the men and women of the army that had been injured in the surprise attack. After they were finished Moyo and the two girls went to the tent that had been prepared for them. Nab sat on a log staring at the fire that had been placed in front of the tent. He didn’t look up at Rica or the others when they came up. He looked tired as though the weight of the world were resting on his shoulders.

  “Moyo is better now.” Rica said, not knowing what else to say to Nab to get him to talk.

  “I can see that.” Nab looked at Rica steadily. Rica looked away. Moyo went into the tent and lay down saying he just wanted to sleep. Zafira sat down across form them and poked at the fire with a stick.

  “We fixed up the other people who got hurt when they attacked us.” Rica was babbling but this uncomfortable silence was unbearable.

  “Except the ones I killed you mean.” Nab said so quiet Rica almost didn’t hear him.

  “They attacked us Nab. I think they would have killed you if you hadn’t protected yourself. I didn’t think you would care about a few deaths. After all you are the one who keeps wanting to kill helpless men like the ones on the flow near Denham.” Rica wished she hadn’t said it as soon as the words left her mouth. Nab looked like someone had punched him.

  “You killed that Captain on the road when we were escaping Denham. You had no remorse then.” Rica snapped. What was she doing? She couldn’t seem to stop. Nab didn’t get angry at her words though. He just seemed to accept what she said.

  “Didn’t I?” Nab asked. As though he was searching himself for the answer. This new Nab shook Rica’s view of him.

  “I- I don’t know what you felt. You never speak about your feelings to anyone.”

  “That would be a sign of weakness. Or so I have come to know.” Nab said tiredly.

  “Weakness to show regret? That you feel something instead of just operate like
some kind of robot? No Nab you are wrong, showing others that you have compassion is a good thing.”

  “You should ask Moyo about that. Showing others that you are compassionate can get you killed in the king game.”

  “What does Moyo have to do with this conversation? He isn’t even here to defend himself.”

  “Just ask him sometime.” Nab looked at her a challenge in his eyes.

  “Will you two just stop? All you care about is yourself Nab everyone knows it. And all Rica cares about is going to her precious Earth, to leave us all here to our own misery.” Zafira’s outburst startled Rica. She had forgotten she was sitting there.

  “I said I was sorry I ruined your life Zafira. I don’t know what else I can do.”

  “I-, You didn’t ruin my life. I thought I knew my brother, but I didn’t. I didn’t know he didn’t want to go with us. I didn’t know he was involved with that martial arts instructor in Jamara. I didn’t know, I didn’t know!”

  “Zos came with us because your father told him to. And your own parents didn’t know about Petcher. He is a private person. I think he did what he did because he truly thought he was doing the right thing. He wanted to go back and find his girlfriend he wanted to get her out of danger. He put his trust in a stranger. That Captain what ever his name was and was betrayed himself. Am I happy he turned us over to those guys? No. Will I forgive him for what he did? Yes. And so should