Can We Catch It?

They’d thought Karlani dead. The Turhmos paper had reported as much. Memories of the other woman moving in dance-like combat moves with Jonas, and, worse yet, holding Llew down as Aris thrust a knife into her gut, replayed. Sweat tingled across Llew’s skin and fury simmered. A rage tempered by fear. In theory, Karlani could kill Llew before Llew took a breath. How a confrontation between them would play out in practice – a Syakaran with her exorbitant strength and speed versus the draining power of a Syaenuk, if the Syaenuk could get a grip on the Syakaran … Llew left those what-if calculations to whir in the back of her mind while she assessed the reality of now. She didn’t like her odds.

Karlani paused her surveillance when she saw Llew looking back at her and crooked her lips in a smug smile. Llew swallowed, forcing Alvaro’s words and intent behind her. Karlani was a new challenge and deserved her full attention. Llew may have bested Karlani in a fight once before, but she no longer had the physical advantage. As much as she loathed the thought, any dealings with this woman would have to be diplomatic.

“Stay.” Llew signaled both Alvaro and Rowan, drew in a breath, and walked towards the well, remembering the first time she’d seen Ard, and him her. On the run in the heart of Turhmos, Llew had stopped for a drink at that well, and Ard had invited her indoors and offered a meal, courtesy of Merrid. Ard had credited the well for drawing in other Aenuk fugitives the couple had helped over the years, hiding them in the bunker beneath their home, and seeing them safely to Quaver or Brurun, or beyond. How many lives had that well saved?

She used her momentum to perform a graceful swing with both legs clearing the waist-high wooden fence and allowed herself a little self-congratulation for the ease of the move. Petty and meaningless as it may be to celebrate her physical prowess when facing a full-strength Syakaran, she had to take every win. Besides, she still had to approach Karlani from downhill.

Llew paused briefly, knowing full well that in doing so she lost some of her edge in Karlani’s eyes, and also acknowledging she was too close if Karlani decided to go full Syakaran and attack. Llew’s hands flexed, ready to pass the pain and damage right back, if she had time. Karlani could break Llew’s neck, and Llew would survive, out here on this lush ground. Would Karlani? And how much of Merrid and Ard’s farm would suffer? Not too much, if Llew could grip Karlani in time. Llew judged the farm safe enough should Karlani turn violent. But it was still too much risk for Llew to volunteer the first move.

She walked on.

“Technically, that’s thieving, that is.” Llew drew strength in emulating Ard as she approached the other woman. The farmer wouldn’t brook nonsense from the likes of Karlani, and neither would Llew. She folded her arms across her chest.

Karlani pushed herself off the well to stand and hesitated only a moment, looking Llew up and down before retorting. “I suppose you would know all about the technicalities of theft, leech. Aris filled me in on your previous career. He didn’t think too highly of you.”

“The feeling was mutual.”

Llew stood watching Karlani, leaving the other woman to decide what she wanted to do, and still unsure how to take this woman who had done so much to hurt her, but now seemed in need.

Karlani looked up and down the road, down at the bucket, picked it up, and took another swig. She placed it down and stood back with a casual air, pursed her lips, then looked back at Llew. “Is Jonas with you?” she asked.

“Yes.” Llew filled the word with the assertiveness she needed when facing Karlani.

“And his friend?” Karlani looked beyond Llew, likely seeing Alvaro, for she narrowed her eyes at the unfamiliar man.

Though Llew kept her mouth shut, she couldn’t help glancing towards the hilled paddock over which Hisham may still have lain. While Karlani believed herself underpowered, Llew had time. She could send Karlani away, but that didn’t guarantee they wouldn’t cross paths again, and next time Llew might not be fortuitous enough to spot Karlani first. Attempting to kill her was a risky option, no matter how much she deserved it. If Llew had a weapon in her hand, if she knew she could strike true before Karlani could defend or counterstrike, the Syakaran woman would be dead already. But she didn’t have a weapon, and she’d mock battled Jonas enough to know he always had the upper hand. Karlani would, too. Llew tamped down the impotent rage that flowed through her. It did no good here. And, though she loathed to consider it, if Karlani would lend her strength, there was little doubt they could put it to use. That fact alone had her cursing under her breath.

Karlani cast her eye over their surroundings, lingering on the bodies hanging at the main entrance to the property. She lifted her chin at them. “Your work?”

Llew clenched her jaw against tears and shook her head. She gathered her strength through a deep breath and said, “Look, I’ve got work to do. Despite my better judgment, I’m going to give you the choice between joining us or moving on and fending for yourself.” Without awaiting an answer, Llew turned for the homestead. Karlani could be a powerful ally or foe, neither of which appealed.

Llew cleared the fence again and kept walking. She no longer had the benefits of Syakaran strength and speed – or had it been Immortal? – but her own fitness had improved over the preceding months. At least, she didn’t think she had Syakaran strength and speed. No. If she did, she would also have been able to heal Jonas with a touch.

The soft crunch of Karlani alighting on the cartway behind her halted any thoughts Llew might have had regarding babies.

“This is Karlani. She’s Syakaran,” she said offhandedly as she passed Alvaro, leaving Karlani and Alvaro to figure out their own next moves, and rolled her shoulders, trying to shake the tingle down her back at having the Syakaran woman behind her.

Focusing on building her inner strength, Llew didn’t look back again, even when Rowan asked “Who’s that?” as she stepped up to the porch. She didn’t know how to explain Karlani, anyway, and would really rather not, so she just carried on into the kitchen.

Anya and Elka stood by the bench and cooking range, having a murmured conversation, and Jonas was standing by the wall at the other end of the table. It took Llew a moment to realize what was odd about the scene. While Jonas still used his crutches, he was stepping forward on his right foot. She blinked, but it remained true.

Rowan came through the door behind her. “Now he’s healed as much as he can, we thought he should make a start on getting used to a prosthetic. That’s the one I brought with me. I’m not sure if it’ll be enough when he’s full power again, but it’s a start. Takes time to get used to them.”

Jonas eased his weight onto the prosthetic and shuffled his other foot along the floor with a hiss between his teeth.

“It’ll take some getting used to,” Rowan said. “Your thigh’s never taken your weight like that before, and the skin hasn’t toughened up. It will.”

Jonas stepped onto his own foot and brought the crutches forward, then swung the prosthetic through again. When he shifted his weight to the prosthetic again, he kept any expression of discomfort to himself, probably for the best, as Alvaro and Karlani arrived at the door. Llew heard them and moved farther into the dim dining area to allow them room.

“What’s she doing here?” Llew didn’t think she’d heard such vitriol from Anya before.

“I stopped for a drink,” Karlani said.

“ So ?”

“She’s here because where else would she be?” Llew said. Llew still couldn’t decide if it was luck or punishment.

Jonas eased himself onto the bench seat at the table, leaning his crutches against the far end, in the deepest dark of the room.

“Whoa. Something’s gone down.” Alvaro placed himself at Karlani’s shoulder. “Had a bit of a girly spat, did we? Oh!” He laughed. “Karlani’s Syakaran.” He looked at Jonas, then back at Karlani. “Did you meet Aris? Jonas is weak and missing a leg, you know?”

Llew had the urge to punch his smug face.

“Weak?” Karlani asked.

“I ain’t Syakaran no more.” Jonas sounded vexed to have to say it. Llew had hoped to hold Jonas’s presumed superior strength, speed, and skill over Karlani a little longer, too. Damned Alvaro.

“How?”

“He’s sick. He just has to fight the bug.” Llew fought the urge to fold her arms. Despite all the truths standing between them, she did not want to appear weak in front of Karlani.

“Bug?” Karlani glanced around the room.

“Microorganism. An infection,” Elka said. “Ins— side his body.”

Karlani took a step back towards the door. “Can we catch it?”

Llew almost smiled to see Karlani’s fear, but it was justified. “I don’t know. None of the rest of us seem affected, but we’re not Kara.”

Karlani took another step back, putting herself just outside the door again. Alvaro took a step closer to her. He glared at Llew, but said nothing.

“The only people I know have been infected are Braph and Jonas. Braph did it knowingly and used his magic to fight it before it did too much damage. Jonas …” Llew glanced his way to find him scowling at the table, and cursed Alvaro again. “… didn’t know what he was dealing with until it was too late.” Llew shifted her weight. For a second there, she’d forgotten this was Karlani she was talking to, until a wave of fear and rage washed over her, neither of which she wanted to show. She lifted her chin. “You’re welcome to leave.”

Karlani shrugged, though she flicked a glance Jonas’s way. “Got nowhere else to be. I can, I don’t know … maybe help?”

Llew clamped her lips tight on the urge to laugh. As absurd as working with Karlani seemed, there was little doubt a Syakaran was handy to have around.

Rowan cleared his throat. “Anyone else hungry? I’ll grab what’s left in the carriage and we can all have a decent lunch. Might be enough left to make a good start at dinner, too. That should give us the sustenance to look for more food. This is a farm, after all.”

Llew nodded, and Karlani and Alvaro made room for Rowan to slip past them. “Want to help?” Llew said when Karlani and Alvaro refilled the doorway. “Go. Give him a couple of extra pairs of hands.” The pair hesitated a moment before following Rowan.

“Just what we need.” Anya grabbed up a cloth and started dusting it over the bench, probably more for something to do than any real conviction to clean.

“I can’t fight her,” Llew said in some effort to explain Karlani to Anya.

“But you can kill her.” Jonas sat straighter, by all appearances his old self. “She’s fast and strong, but even then, the Aenuk grip is hard to beat. I used to be able to get out of it, but Aris never failed to remind me you were different. I could break your hold when someone else was on the receivin’ end, but at the speed you drain …” He shook his head.

“She’s S— Syakaran?” Elka asked. “What is she doing here?”

“Going by her clothing, I’d guess she’s escaped from the Turhmos prisons,” Llew said. “They must’ve caught her when she was injured.”

Jonas nodded. “They’re built to hold Aenuks, not Syakara.”

“Aenuks who don’t know any better,” Llew murmured, then moved around the table to sit beside Jonas. “Do you feel safe with her here? She could kill us all before we knew what was happening.”

Jonas shook his head and smirked. “She’s not that good.” He placed a hand over Llew’s fingers on the table. “I believe you can survive her. That’s all that matters.”

“Stop saying things like that. You have a son out there. I’m not letting you abandon him.”

Jonas pressed his lips together in some sort of wry gratitude and squeezed her fingers gently.

A deep baying, somewhat ghostly and wholly distressed, sent a chill through Llew. Everyone in the room froze.

“What is that?” Anya whispered.

The sound came again.

“The cows,” Jonas murmured and Llew relaxed. Of course.

Ard’s house cows provided the milk for the homestead. How long had it been since they’d been milked? She’d known mothers in Cheer who’d suffered when their babes weaned, or simply didn’t feed well. And Ard had said something along those lines when he’d had Llew help him milk them the last time they’d been here at the farm.

“Maybe I can help them,” Llew said.

“I can help,” said Elka.

Llew stood, but lingered. If she returned to Anya and Jonas slaughtered …

“She’s lost, Llew,” Jonas said. “We don’t have to like her, but I think we can trust her not to kill us today.”

He was right. Llew bent to kiss him then gestured for Elka to join her outside. As they did so, Rowan, Alvaro, and Karlani were returning to the house laden with sacks and carry boxes, Alvaro listening intently to whatever Karlani had to say. Llew nodded to Rowan in thanks for his leadership and carried on to the house cows’ paddock.

The cows leaned into the fence nearest the shed where Ard had fed and milked them. One simply pushed against the fence, as if she thought she could walk through it. The other pawed the ground and walked agitatedly around its friend. Having little idea what she needed to or could do for the cows, Llew strode over to them. If all she could do was ease their pain, she would start there.

Their udders were prominent and reddened. On seeing Llew, ears laid back, eyes rolled, and feet stamped.

“Shh.” Llew slowed her approach with a hand raised. The nearest cow took a step back into the other cow, who bayed her annoyance and gave no quarter. Llew managed to brush fingertips over the nose of the closest cow. The head swung away, ceasing the tingling in Llew’s fingers. But then the wide nose came back for a tentative sniff. At this second contact, the nose pressed into Llew’s palm. And she burned.

The initial intense pain was short-lived, but a subtle simmering continued through that touch. The cow heaved a sigh, blowing damp warmth into Llew’s palm.

Llew crouched in a patch of grass still green on her side of the fence and sunk her fingers amongst it, then stood and swung herself over the railings, landing softly beside the cow she’d helped, who didn’t flinch. The other cow lunged away but was reluctant to leave her herd-mate. Llew’s own lack of fear standing so near these agitated masses of muscle surprised her, but her need to soothe them was stronger than her need to avoid pain or injury. She reached out with her other hand, sinking fingertips beneath neck hair. The cow froze, wide-eyed as Llew absorbed her inflammation.

“Mastitis.” Elka came to lean on the top rail of the fence.

“What causes it?” Llew turned her attention to Elka while she maintained contact with both cows, aware of a continuing draining of her ghi into them. Whatever she had healed wasn’t the source of their troubles, and Braph’s word “micro-organism” echoed in the back of her mind. “I mean, they won’t have been milked since …” Ard. Llew blinked against her tears that threatened every time she thought of either of the farmers and she fought the urge to look up at the hanging bodies. Now, there was a job for a Syakaran.

“Bacteria,” Elka said. Llew nodded, tight lipped, not surprised. “Infection.”

“What do you usually do to fight that?”

“Ex— sternal we can treat by cleaning, and maybe applying ointment, or oils.”

They looked at each other a few moments. What Jonas had wasn’t external. It was deep in whatever made him Syakaran.

“The farmer probably had some treatments,” Elka said. “Let’s look in the shed.”

There were no answers for Llew here, only hurting cows. She swung a leg up and hauled herself over the fence, took a couple of steps and crouched to sink her fingers into the grass on the cartway verge, watching closely as the ring of death spread towards the fence, and beneath. She broke contact before it reached the cows’ feet and led the way to the shed where Ard cleaned and stored the milking buckets. She would have to be careful not to bump into Elka as they worked in proximity.

“Do you think we’ll need to milk them?” Llew remembered all too well the ache in her hands after performing that task the last time she’d been here.

“I think it’s better to let them dry off while we’re here to treat the infection.” Elka scanned the row of bottles, lifting one down to examine its label. “They’re probably due a rest, anyway.”

“Where did you learn about cows?”

“Ma’s treated plenty of ladies weaning babes over the years.” Elka put the bottle back on the shelf and pulled down another. “And Northhollow has a large dairy farm that supplies the town’s milk, cream, butter, and cheese. We’ve helped them a few times.” She turned to Llew, proffering a bottle. “We’ll s— start with this. Your healing of the inflammation will have helped. This can s— sooth in the meantime, and prevent s— secondary infection.”

Llew dashed along the cartway to press her fingers to an Ajnai before running back to open the gate to the paddock for Elka, and the grateful cows stood patiently as Llew and Elka massaged the pungent oil into their udders. Llew could still sense the transfer of ghi from herself to the cow she administered to.

Elka stood from attending her cow, tottered, and landed on her arse. The now-relaxed cows barely reacted, just mulled around testing the grass by the fence for palatability as Llew rushed to Elka’s aid. As Llew pulled Elka to her feet, Elka sucked in a sharp breath. Llew cursed, shifted her hands to support Elka where clothes protected her from Llew’s touch until Elka was balanced. Llew stooped to collect the dropped bottle, and brushed her fingers through some remaining green grass, leaving a small circle dry.

“I’m so sorry.”

Elka shook off Llew’s apology as she brushed dust off her dress.

“We’ll do it again tomorrow morning and night.” She favored Llew with a small smile and turned for the gate. “If you can ease their pain, we can fight the cause with that.” She gestured to the bottle. “It will take a little time, is all.”

Llew held the gate open for Elka. “It’s different, isn’t it?” she asked. “What’s infecting these cows, that we can fight with ointment, isn’t the same as what’s weakening Jonas.” She latched the gate behind them and they dawdled to the shed.

Elka nodded. “It didn’t respond to anything Ma gave him after s— surgery.” Elka turned a considering look on Llew. “How often have you been s— sick? Cough, fever, runny nose?”

“Never.” She’d never paused to wonder about that before, either.

Elka smiled. “Anything that hurts you ends up dead before you even notice.”

Well, not anything that hurt Llew. And certainly not any one .

“What if I can’t fix him?”

“Then you’ll inject him with blood for the rest of his life.” Elka replaced the oil on its shelf.

That was annoyingly practical, and not the miracle answer Llew was digging for. “Which could be how long, or short?”

Elka shrugged again, pairing it with a sorrowful grimace. “I loved him in the books, you know? But he never got s— sick in them, barely even injured. He just rode into town and dis— spatched the bad guys and rode out again. He’s different than everyone else. Better. S— seems he can be broken and healed like most people. But a bug that can break what makes him him? I’ve never even imagined …”

The question had been rhetorical anyway. Or desperate. Or both. Of course Elka had never seen such an illness before. No one had, except Braph, and even he hadn’t seen it progress this far.

“If you can think of anything that might help fight Jonas’s infection … I can reverse the symptoms, but it’s too dangerous to fight the bug itself. Braph said I would have to drain the bug itself, and I don’t know how to do that without draining Jonas, and I’m not sure Jonas can use my blood to fight it himself. If you can think of anything, anything at all.”

“I’ll try,” Elka said.

Llew paused to watch the cows a few moments, while Elka carried on to the homestead ahead. One dropped to her knees, then eased her bulk down to rest, while the other kept nibbling the short grass. They would need to be moved to more grass. Ard had pigs that would need checked on, too. And chickens. How many eggs awaited discovery? The farm needed them as much as they needed its sanctuary, while it lasted.