They hadn't gone more than a few feet when Dina and Ertik came running from the house. They gingerly lifted Gewey from the wagon and rushed him inside. As soon as Martin saw what they were doing, he directed them to a nearby study where they laid Gewey down on a couch. Kaylia knelt down beside him, holding his hand.

"Get me something to make bandages," she cried. "I must stop the bleeding."

Martin went to a closet and retrieved a linen sheet. Kaylia began to tear it into strips and bind Gewey's wounds.

"I'll fetch a healer right away," Martin said, bolting from the room.

"What happened?" Dina asked. "Who did this?"

"It was Harlondo," Kaylia told her. "He is an agent of the Dark Knight."

"Where is he now?"

"Dead," Kaylia answered.

"Are you sure?" Ertik asked.

Kaylia shot to her feet, suddenly noticing the new face among them. "Who are you?' she demanded.

"It's alright," Dina a.s.sured her. "He's a member of my order. He's here to help."

Kaylia looked at him for a moment. "Do you have skills as a healer?"

"No. But if we can get him to Valshara, there are those that can help him. We have the best healers that have ever lived."

"How far is it?" Kaylia asked as she knelt back beside Gewey.

"We can be there in two days," Ertik replied.

"We leave as soon as the local healer arrives. Go get the carriage ready."

"We should wait until he's been treated," Ertik advised. "That will take time."

"No need," Kaylia replied. "Whoever Martin brings will be coming with us." She brushed back Gewey's hair. "She can treat him on the way."

"Kaylia," Dina said. "We should-"

"I said get the carriage ready," Kaylia yelled, cutting her off. "Now."

Dina nodded and left the room. Ertik followed.

A few minutes later, Lee came running in. He saw Kaylia kneeling down at Gewey's side, her eyes closed. "How is he?" he asked softly.

"He lives," Kaylia answered. "But not for long if he doesn't get help."

"Dina said a healer is coming. She also told me you plan to take him to Valshara tonight."

Kaylia nodded.

Lee stood there for a long moment, considering. "You need to tell me exactly what happened. I'm sorry, but I need to know before we leave."

Kaylia recounted what happened. She was unable to hold back her tears when she told him of the fight between Gewey and Harlondo.

"Then I should make ready," Lee said once she finished. "Harlondo may be dead, but there's no guarantee he's alone. I'll gather your things as well. Don't worry, he's strong. He'll make it."

"Thank you," Kaylia said, wiping her tears. When the healer arrived, she told everyone to get out.

Kaylia resisted, but Lee a.s.sured her it was for the best.

"I need to treat his wounds before he is moved," the healer explained. "Otherwise, the wounds may open on the road and he'll bleed to death. How he's alive now, I have no idea, but don't worry- I won't leave him until he is stable."

"Then you will accompany us," Kaylia said flatly. "We leave in two hours."

"You're joking of course," she said, not amused.

Lee reached into his belt and pulled out a pouch. "This should compensate you adequately," he said, handing her four gold coins.

The woman stared at Lee and then the gold. "Well then. My name is Ezmerial, from the temple of Helenasia, G.o.ddess of Healing and Knowledge, and I am at your service." She bowed. "Now get out."

Lee, Dina, and Kaylia waited just outside while Ezmerial went to work. Ertik left for his home to gather his belongings.

"It must have taken great strength to carry him to the city gates," Lee remarked. "Let me find you a chair, you must be exhausted."

"I don't need to sit," Kaylia said, as she anxiously paced back and forth.

"Please," Dina said, grabbing Kaylia's hands. Kaylia winced in pain. Dina saw the burns made by Gewey's sword.

"It's nothing," Kaylia said sharply, shaking herself free of Dina's grip "I'll be fine."

"It's not nothing," Dina replied, then turned toward Martin. "Please, bring us some water so that we can get her cleaned up."

Lee brought a chair from the next room, and Dina sat Kaylia down to clean the dirt and grime from her burns.

"How will you be traveling, my lord?" Martin inquired. "Should I ready your horses?"

Lee thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Gewey, Sister Ezmerial, and I will ride in the carriage. Ertik can take my horse for now. The one remaining will stay here until it can be sent back to Lord Broin."

Martin nodded curtly and left.

"How were you captured?" Lee asked Kaylia.

Kaylia scowled. "She must have had something on her gloves; she took my hand just before she led me outside. By the time I got to the door, I could barely stand. The next thing I remember is lying on the ground, bound and gagged, in a clearing."

Lee nodded and put his hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault. It could have easily been Dina or me. You couldn't have seen this coming."

"I should have," she spat, shrugging off his hand. "The bond between Gewey and me has blinded me."

"That bond is what gave you the strength to save him," Lee said. "While I don't understand elf ways, I do know that with injuries like those, Gewey should be dead right now. And if it wasn't for you ... he wouldn't have made it."

"If it wasn't for me, he would have never been there in the first place," Kaylia shot back. "They used me to get to him."

"Don't be foolish," Lee scolded. "They would have found another way. We are lucky that you were there to help him. If he had been alone, he would still be out there...probably dead by now."

Kaylia looked up. "It won't happen again," she said with determination. "He will never have to fight alone ever again."

"I understand," Lee said. "But still you must not blame yourself for what happened. What's done is done. All we can do now is hope he'll recover."

Dina finished cleaning Kaylia's wounds. "Please, don't get up. We need you strong if we're leaving tonight."

"No doubt," Lee agreed. "If Harlondo wasn't alone, we may have another fight ahead of us."

Hours ticked by as Ezmerial tended to Gewey. Kaylia checked on her progress several times, but the woman kept telling her to leave her alone to work.

Finally, the door opened. The healer stood in the doorway and sighed heavily.

"How he still lives, I can't imagine," she said. "I've never seen a man as injured as that, who didn't bleed to death."

"Will he live?" asked Lee.

"I don't think so," she replied somberly. "He's beyond my skills to heal. I would say that I managed to stop the bleeding, but I don't see how he has any blood left. I'm sorry."

"We're moving him to the carriage," Kaylia instructed. "Now! You will ride with him, healer."

"My dear," Ezmerial said gently. "There is no hope. It's just a matter of time now."

Kaylia stepped menacingly toward the woman. "I said now."

"As you wish," the healer replied. "I will try my best to help him."

"Is Ertik back?" Lee asked.

"I am," Ertik replied as he walked in. "I was just getting the horses ready. All our things are packed."

Lee gave Martin a letter. "Give this to Lord Ganflin," he said. "It will explain everything. I will send his carriage back as soon as possible."

Martin nodded and put the letter in his pocket. "May the G.o.ds keep you-especially your young friend." They carefully lifted Gewey and brought him to the waiting carriage. His skin was pale, and he looked as though life had already left him. Lee climbed into the driver's seat and took the reins.

"If anything happens, stay close," Lee advised the group. "We will not stop until morning. Ertik will take the lead once we're outside the gates."

Without another word, Lee snapped the reigns and the horses bolted forward.

The gate was still open when they approached. They ignored the guards that were motioning them to halt, nearly running them down as they pa.s.sed. Screams of alarm faded as Ertik led them west toward the Abyss.

"By the G.o.ds!" screamed Ezmerial. "You'll get us killed."

Lee ignored her and pushed the horses to move faster. Time was running out. Somehow, he could feel it. If they didn't get to Valshara soon, all would be lost.

Chapter 31.

The landscape flew by in a blur as they raced into the night. Ertik led them west for ten miles, then north along a less traveled road. They kept going until an hour before dawn, when Lee called for a halt.

"Why are we stopping?" Kaylia demanded.

"The horse you ride could keep running for much longer, but if the ones pulling the carriage give out, we're in trouble," Lee answered. "We need to rest them for a while."

"And I need to check the boy's wounds," added Ezmerial. "And I can't do that when he's being jostled about."

Kaylia grumbled angrily. "One hour. Then we move on."

"You heard her," Lee told the group. "One hour. So rest while you can."

"Kaylia, my dear," said Ezmerial. "I need your a.s.sistance."

Kaylia jumped into the carriage without hesitation. The healer told her to hand her dressings and a sweet-smelling salve. "This should help keep the wounds closed," she explained. "If you would, I could use your help when we stop. I don't know what's keeping him alive, but I believe that the power of love and prayer heals. It's obvious you care deeply for him; I see it in the way you look at him. Your love for him is giving him strength somehow."

Kaylia stared down at Gewey's ghostly face. He looked peaceful, as if merely resting. Ezmerial touched Kaylia's hand.

"I'm sorry for not giving you more hope back at the manor, but I spoke truth. Now, I'm starting to believe you won't allow him to die. Take comfort and stay strong... for him."

"You are kind," Kaylia said. "But you were right not to give false hope. I am bonded to Gewey in a way I am too inexperienced to fully understand, and I feel him fading."

"Bonded how?" she asked in a whisper. "Tell me, my dear. I will keep it to myself."

"He spoke the ancient words of my ancestors to me, and my spirit reached out and joined with his. He is a part of me in a way you couldn't understand; even I don't fully comprehend it."

"Then perhaps your bond is helping him hold on," said Ezmerial. "I have no other way to explain it, but you should be grateful for it."

Kaylia squeezed the woman's hand. "I pray you're right. Thank you."

By the time they finished tending Gewey's wounds, it was time to move on again.

"We are heading north until we reach the Stone of the Tower," Ertik told them as he mounted his horse. "Once we get there, stay close. The road that leads to the temple is hidden, and winds through a labyrinth of jagged rocks."

They hurried on, only stopping when they had to rest the horses. Kaylia rode close to the carriage and a.s.sisted Ezmerial at every stop.

"You should try and sleep, Sister," Lee told the healer. "There's room in the carriage for you to lie down."

"Not until we reach this temple of yours," Ezmerial replied stubbornly. "Is it really the Temple of Valshara?"

"It is," Lee a.s.sured her.

"It's said that within the Order of Amon Dahl there is knowledge of healing, unknown to anyone else. To think, I may get the chance to watch them and learn."