Page 61 of Lucie
“Did your eyesight suffer during those times?”
“No, but this is different.”
Iain disagreed. “Sick is sick,Johna. Ifyour body’s been thrown out of whack in the past because of illness, I don’t see how your vision would be affected this time. It’s very possible Luc is either not showing any signs as yet, or…or he’s not going to.”
“How…is that…possible?”Attygasped.
Lucien’s heart withered at the sight of her pale face. At the black circles around her eyes, and her sunken cheeks.Her long, unbound hair looked dull, and had taken on an almost bluish-gray shade. She seemed to have aged twenty years overnight.
“There could be many reasons why,” Iain explained. “But we can’t get our hopes up that the virus has passed him by. He could still come down with the illness within the next few hours.”
“Isn’t there something you can give us? Don’t you haveanymedicantsto help us fight this?”Johnaalmost pleaded.
“There is a serum,” Iain confessed. “It’s made from the blood of someone who’s had the virus and survived. Unfortunately,Mutahcan’t take the serum if it’s derived from a Normal. It has to be from anotherMutah.”
“And there is no other full-bloodedMutahhere in camp,” Lucien finished.
A disturbanceoutside the tent drew their attention to the doorway. Lucien got to his feet asHarankPechardthrew back the flap and entered, obviously without obtaining permission or prior notice.Yulenmade it clear he didn’t appreciate the man’s unwanted appearance. “You were not summoned,Pechard.”
The delegate glared back at the battle lord. “I’ll be happy to leave, but not before I get anexplanation. Why aren’t we moving on to Green River? Your CaptainDestinowon’t tell me anything, other than your men were ordered to set up camp for an indefinite period of time.” The man pressed his lips together, his face filled with indignation as he waited forYulen’sexcuse. Lucien turned to find his father gently cradlingAttyback into his arms, resting her head against his shoulder asshe slipped into unconsciousness.
“I haven’t forgotten Green River or my promise to you, emissary. But I do not owe you any explanation as for why we’re here, or why we shall remain here for at least the next couple of days.” The battle lord barely glanced over where Lucien had resumed his seat next toJohna. “I am awaiting a report from one of my captains, who should be arrivingback at camp any moment now.”Yulengave the man another hard look. “Guard!”
The soldier burst through the door flap. “Sir?”
“Please show the representative from Green River to his tent. Any word yet as to CaptainGrimsy’sreturn?”
“He and his platoon was spotted less than half a mile away,” the guard told him, then gestured toPechard. “Come this way,sir.”
Lucien waited until the emissary had been escorted out, then vented his frustration. “What an ass. He clearly saw that Mom was ill. Surely, seeing her like this must have given him some idea as to why we’ve pitched camp. How can he be so callous?”
“Because he’s concerned about his compound. About his friends and family,”Yulensaid. “Your mother’s health is ofno consequence to him.”
“That’s not…”Johnastarted to speak, then paused to give Lucien a pleading look.
“What?” he urged.
“That’s not what I saw. I mean…”
“What did you see,Johna?” Iain insisted.
“When people speak, depending on their moods, on their feelings, they take on a… I don’t know how to explain it. Their body takeson a shading. When a person’s angry or upset, or in that man’s case, if he’s so worried about his compound, he should be glowing a dark shade. Like an iridescent shadow. But he wasn’t. There was no shading whatsoever.”
“What are you suggesting?” the battle lord asked.
“His indignation is fake. He’s putting on some kind of act.”
Lucien glanced over at hisfather, who frowned at her. “You’re sure of that?”
Johnanodded. “I’m positive.”
“You can tell when someone’s lying?” Lucien clarified.
“Sometimes. Only if there’s great emotion tied to whatever they’re saying. That man is feigning the fact that he’s angry we’ve stopped our progression toward his compound.”
“Which can only mean there hasto be another reason why he’s so adamant that we resume our advance,” Lucien concluded.
“I agree,”Yulenconcurred. “But what?”
“Battle Lord, permission to enter,” a soldier called from outside the tent.
“Enter.”
The guard stuck his head through the doorway. “CaptainGrimsyhas returned.”
“Have him report to me immediately,”Yulenordered. The man saluted and disappeared. Sighing, the battle lord wiped the perspiration from his wife’s face with a rag, then pressed a kiss to her temple. “Fight it, beloved. Fight like you’ve never fought before in your life.Johna, thank you for that observation. Lucien, I want you andJohnato remain here. You, too, Iain. I’m going to need your thoughts on my next course of action,which will depend heavily on whatGrimsyhas to tell us.”
Lucien didn’t question his father’s request. He was aware ofJohnascooting closer to him, unobtrusively slipping her hand into his and squeezing his fingers. If his father noticed the gesture, the man didn’t remark upon it as they waited for the captain to arrive.
