Death Wind (Elven Alliance #3) - Tara Grayce Page 0,97

sides, sweat trickling in rivulets down his temples, though he had stepped back as if to prove he wasn’t a threat.

Weylind braced his hands on the table, only moving when the new elf healer spoke to him quietly, and finally nudged him out of the way to continue bandaging Farrendel.

Edmund and Jalissa remained sitting near the wall of the tent, Jalissa resting her head on Edmund’s shoulder. It would have been an adorable sight, if Essie hadn’t been so worried for Farrendel and if Jalissa’s eyes weren’t red and puffy.

Essie glanced at the head elf healer and the Escarlish surgeon, trying to ignore the surgeon’s red-stained fingers. “Will Farrendel be all right?”

“Thanks to you, yes, I believe he will.” The elf healer pushed away from the pole, stepping forward on shaking legs. “We removed as much of the stone as we dared, but he is too weak for us to risk more today. We have stabilized him, at least, though I will be more optimistic of a full recovery once he has rested and gotten some fluids in him.”

“But there’s still stone in him? Won’t that hurt him?” Essie leaned against Averett, thankful that he had put an arm around her shoulders.

“Yes, there is still stone in him, and, yes, it will continue to hurt until we can do a second surgery to remove the rest of it. But, right now, the strain of all the competing magics is too much for him and for you.” The elf healer shook his head, swaying as if the movement made him dizzy. “And for us as well. After the troll magic and his magic have had a chance to dissipate and he has regained some of his strength, it should be a simple matter to remove the rest.”

The surgeon stepped forward, his fingers now clean. “We will use morphine to keep him comfortable in the meantime.”

Essie nodded, letting out a long breath. Surely Farrendel would be all right once he rested and healed.

She rested a hand on his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his skin and the pain still coursing through him.

But he was alive. And he would heal. Eventually.

WHILE ESSIE DASHED to the shelter to retrieve her things, Edmund and Jalissa set up Essie’s tent, the one she hadn’t used for most of the march across Kostaria since she had been sharing a shelter, first with Jalissa, then with all the brothers.

Weylind and Averett went with Prince Rharreth to see to settling down all three armies, finding shelter for the captured trolls whose fortress had been destroyed. They had agreed to meet in several hours to discuss a peace treaty.

By the time Essie returned, her tent had been set up outside of the hospital tent beside rows of other large tents, probably more recovery tents for the wounded. She raced toward it, flung open the tent flap, and smacked into Edmund’s chest.

Edmund stumbled back a step, as did she, though neither of them fell. He pointed over his shoulder. “He’s stirring.”

“Already?” Essie hurried past him.

Farrendel lay on an Escarlish army cot, blankets piled on top of him and drawn up to his chin, leaving only his wan face and shortened hair visible. Jalissa sat next to him, her hands clasped in her lap.

A few feet away, a small wood-burning stove kept the tent warm while a few foldable stools provided extra seating if necessary. The floor of the tent had even been covered with a canvas rug, cutting down on the chill coming from the stony ground.

Edmund held out a hand to Jalissa. “Why don’t we fetch some hot broth and some fresh water?”

“But...” Jalissa glanced from him to Farrendel, her face twisting.

“You don’t have to go.” Essie stepped forward, doing her best to put on a smile. Honestly, she’d rather have a few moments alone with Farrendel. But Jalissa was Farrendel’s sister. Essie wasn’t going to tear her from Farrendel’s side now. It might even do him good to see at least one of his sisters worried about him.

“Let’s give Essie some time with Farrendel first. By the time we come back, he will be more awake and ready for visitors.” Edmund beckoned with his hand.

Essie tried to pack all of her gratitude for her brother into the look she shot him. Hopefully Farrendel really would be up for visitors, and not just promptly pass out after being awake for only a few seconds. Or he might only toss and turn at the brink of consciousness before sliding back into