A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (66 page)

“
Amerdan,
”
he said with a smile and pointed towards the well in the middle of the yard.
“
I’m afraid this is the best I can do, though I can find some rags for you. And some soap.
”
He glanced back into his shop.
“
I have to get back to work. I’m sorry I can’t offer more.
”
With a curt nod, he left them.

Elpidia took a step after Amerdan.
“
I’ll fetch the rags. You two…
”
She broke off and rushed away. Miranda and Caldan both frowned at her retreating back.

“
Strange woman,
”
remarked Miranda.

“
She’s pleasant enough. Odd, but nice.
”
With a groan, Caldan sat back on the bench. Quickly, he outlined his escape to Miranda. As his tale unfolded, her stomach churned.
“
How did you find me? I mean, I’m glad you did, but it couldn’t have been easy.
”

“
Elpidia did it. We… I went looking for you at the Sorcerers’ Guild.
”
At the look of alarm in Caldan’s eyes, she quickly blurted,
“
I didn’t get there, though. I saw smoke from a distance. Elpidia was following me. She said she saw me in the street and decided to follow me to see where you were. I don’t know why she would be so concerned with you.
”
Could Elpidia also be interested in Caldan? It seemed unlikely but…
“
Is there anything I need to know?
”

“
What? No! Of course not.
”

Miranda sniffed.
“
She had a compass made so she could track you.
”

“
She must have saved some of my blood,
”
reasoned Caldan.
“
That’s… disturbing. Why would she do that?
”

“
I don’t know. She’s up to something, nothing good. You know about these compasses?
”

Caldan nodded thoughtfully.
“
Any competent journeyman can make one.
”

“
All she said was she needed to see you for her research. I don’t trust her.
”

“
It’s odd she saved some of my blood. From when I spoke to her before, I think she’s working on something. Most alchemists have side projects, the good ones anyway. They can’t help themselves. The thrill of discovering something new.
”
With a shrug, he poked at the hole in his pants with a finger.
“
I’m going to need new clothes.
”

Miranda grimaced at his blood-caked pants.
“
How did you make it this far from the Sorcerers’ Guild with a wound like that?
”
She took a closer look at his leg.
“
Isn’t it bandaged? How…?
”

Caldan met her eye then glanced over her shoulder to confirm Elpidia hadn’t returned yet.
“
Don’t say anything, but something strange happened. The… invaders — I don’t know what else to call them — one stabbed me with his dagger when I tried to resist. It was pretty bad. He wasn’t trying to kill me, though, just hurt me.
”

“
They’re from Indryalla, or so they say. That’s the rumor in the streets. Then… why isn’t your leg bandaged?
”

“
When they threw me in a cell, I passed out. When I came to, the wound had healed. I don’t know what happened.
”

Elpidia appeared in the doorway, rags in one hand, soap in the other.

“
We’ll talk of this later,
”
said Caldan to Miranda softly. She saw the direction of his look and nodded in agreement.

“
Amerdan was good enough to provide some scraps of cloth and a bar of soap. Here.
”
Elpidia stepped close and held them out to Caldan.

Miranda moved in and took them from her.
“
I’ll get some water,
”
she said. She walked over to the well and began drawing up a bucket, while keeping her eyes and ears on them both.

“
Caldan,
”
said Elpidia. She wrung her hands and glanced around.
“
Listen. Please. My research, it’s important. I need a favor of you.
”

“
Can’t it wait? I’m tired and wrung out. I need to rest awhile.
”

“
No. I mean… yes. Of course. It’s just that—
”
She broke off as Miranda returned lugging a bucket, which she dropped next to Caldan. Water sloshed over the side.

“
Here. Do it yourself. I’ll see if Amerdan has some pants for you.
”

“
I can pay him. Just nothing too fancy.
”

She nodded and turned to give Elpidia a calculating look before going inside the shop.

Caldan watched Miranda leave then wrung the cloth out and started wiping his face and hands.
“
I’m not going to take my pants off here.
”

Elpidia gave a wan smile.
“
That’s not what I’m after.
”

“
I didn’t think so. Why did you save some of my blood?
”

“
I… thought I might need to find you sometime.
”

A weak excuse,
thought Caldan.
It has to do with her research.
“
That doesn’t sound convincing. There has to be another reason. What is it?
”

Elpidia folded her arms across her chest.
“
Your leg. Did you get hurt recently? It looks like you were stabbed. The rent in your pants, the blood. It’s your blood, isn’t it?
”

Caldan kept washing but held his tongue for a few moments. She obviously knew something but was asking questions instead of coming out with what she suspected.
“
Yes,
”
he said.
“
I was stabbed.
”

“
But now it’s healed. Already, like the gash to your face healed quickly.
”

“
My leg started healing while I was passed out.
”

Elpidia drew in a sharp breath.
“
A few hours? That’s…
”

“
Strange? I thought they’d done something to me, some sorcery we don’t know about. It makes sense.
”

“
No. I hoped, but… It’s not sorcery. In my years of research, I haven’t ever come across a case where sorcery’s been used to heal. But I have read of a few cases where a person has healed themselves, much like what’s happened to you.
”

“
So… you want to know why this happens to some people and not others.
”

“
Yes. Well… more than that. I want to be able to use it. If I find out how it works, I’m sure I could work out a way for other people to benefit.
”

“
That’s why you saved some of my blood, because you suspected I healed faster than normal.
”

Elpidia shrugged then grinned.
“
I thought it likely and now look! You are the perfect subject! I need to study you. I’ve been searching for years for someone like you.
”

Caldan shook his head.
“
This is going to have to wait until we sort out this situation. I need to find out what’s happened to the Protectors, and to the others in the Sorcerers’ Guild.
”

“
Please,
”
begged Elpidia.
“
I need some of your blood, a vial.
”

“
What?! No!
”

Elpidia clutched Caldan’s arm. Her eyes welled with tears.
“
It’s a small amount, little more than a few drops. You won’t miss it. Please.
”

“
Why are you so desperate?
”

“
I… it’s for my research. That much is true. But mostly it’s for me.
”
She released him, her arms dropping to her sides, shoulders slumped.
“
I’m sick. Dying.
”

Caldan’s heart clenched, and he cringed inside. He hesitated, not knowing what to say, and knowing anything he said would be of no comfort to Elpidia.

“
I wish I had the right words,
”
he managed, throat tight.
“
Is there anything I can do?
”
Caldan stopped. Of course there was something he could do, what Elpidia had asked of him. But his blood? To experiment on? The thought made him squirm.

Elpidia hugged her arms to herself.
“
I just need some of your blood to experiment with,
”
she replied shortly.
“
For years I’ve been researching, looking for a cure, something to delay the disease. Anything to give me hope. I’ve been following several lines of research, but the most promising stemmed from an old manuscript I found, a treatise on curing diseases written by a scholar of repute. According to his experiments, he was able to cure many diseases, including one he was afflicted with. But he needed blood from someone he called ‘
touched
’.
”

Caldan frowned.
“
What does that mean?
”

“
I don’t know, or I didn’t know. But when I saw how quickly you healed, I had a few ideas. There might be people who never get ill, their bodies immune to diseases. Tell me, Caldan, have you ever been sick? A cold? Anything?
”

Caldan thought for a while. He couldn’t recall ever having been ill, not even a cold.
“
I haven’t, but that doesn’t prove anything.
”

“
Good. That’s good. I need your help. I just need some of your blood.
”

“
I’ll think about it.
”

“
But—
”
protested Elpidia.

Caldan held up a hand.
“
Let me think about it. It’s a lot to take in after what’s happened. Everything has changed in the last few days.
”

“
I need your help. This is my life we’re talking about.
”
Her hands clenched into fists, and she trembled.

“
One small vial?
”
he queried. She must have been under a lot of stress, if what she said were true.

Elpidia’s expression brightened.
“
Yes. In the beginning. I might need more. I’m not sure. It’s best I stay close to you until I know more.
”

“
I agree, then, except to the part where you have to stay close. The invasion has changed everything. I need to go back to the guild to find out what’s going on. I need to see what’s happened to the Protectors.
”

“
You can’t put yourself in danger! What if something happens to you?
”

“
I have to. They might need me.
”

Elpidia stood with hands on hips. Her expression became firm.
“
I need that blood sample before you go, then. I know it sounds selfish, but I’ve spent years looking for answers, and I’m not going to let you go without it.
”

“
You can’t stop me. But I said I would let you, and I will. I need to plan what I’m doing, so that gives you… us, some time to prepare.
”

“
Yes. I see. Will you be here, then?
”

“
I don’t think so. I don’t want to put Amerdan out, even if he’s agreeable to us staying for a while. Miranda and I will hideout somewhere. You can always find me, correct?
”