Chapter 20

When Bash woke up, it was as bright as day. The sun shone through a window and lit up the entire room. Carefully, he turned his head and looked around. He recognized immediately, that he was in Nostradamus' treatment chamber. But he couldn't remember how he had gotten there.

He pushed the blanket aside and looked down at his body. His upper body was completely bandaged. And all of a sudden, he remembered again. The ride through the forest, the villager, who had told them about the plague, Mary's warning, and then an unbearable pain. He tried to sit up, but a piercing pain in his back forced him to lay down again. How long had he been here? he pondered.

He turned his head and saw a bowl of water, bottles with herbs and bandage material on a small table next to him. He was so thirsty! His tongue literally stuck on his gums.

"Hello?" he croaked. "Is anybody there?"

It didn't take long, as the door opened and Nostradamus, the healer, entered the treatment chamber.

"Finally back from the dead?" he asked, leaning over his patient.

"I was dead?" Bash asked shocked.

"It would not have taken much." Nostradamus frowned. "What is it with you and stab wounds? Seems you have an affinity for them." He put his hand on Bash's forehead and nodded. "The fever dropped."

"How... long have I been here?"

"Four days." The healer brought a carafe with water and poured some into a cup. "Here! Drink this!"

Bash took a sip and started to cough. "Damn it! It hurts." He pressed his hand on the painful spot.

"No wonder. This was quite a hole in your back."

"And I have been unconscious for four days?" Bash asked frowning.

"In and out of consciousness." Nostradamus replied shortly. „Turn around! I want to check on your wound."

Bash did as he was told and gritted his teeth, as Nostradamus took off the bandage and examined the wound.

"Heals well." The healer nodded satisfied. "My herbal blend has done wonders on you. There is no infection."

"When can I stand up and start to ride again?" Bash asked impatiently.

"One thing at a time." Nostradamus said calmly. "The wound needs to heal first, and then it will take a few more days until you can ride again without any pain."

"How long?"

"I know that you put no value to my medical advice, but I would suggest to wait three weeks."

"Three weeks?" Bash exclaimed incrediously. He shook his head. "I cannot wait such a long time. I need to find her!"

"Kenna and your son." It was not a question but a simple statement.

"You know about that?" Bash asked surprised.

The healer nodded. "Mary told me everything. And even if she hadn't told me, you called her name when you were delirious."

"Really? What did I say?"

"Well, I cannot remember the details, but it was something like "don't leave me" and "I love you."

Bash smiled faintly. "It's ironical that I can say the words so easily in a feverish dream but not, when she was standing right in front of me." He sighed. „I was too cowardly to tell her."

The healer shrugged. "It is not too late."

Bash shook his head. "I don't even know where she is!"

Nostradamus hesitated a moment, before he pulled an object out of his pocket.

Bash recognized it immediately. "This is Kenna's hair band!" he stammered. He looked questioningly at the healer. "Where did you get it?"

"Mary gave it to me. She said that I probably could use it to make contact with Kenna." His look was serious. "If I do this, it's only because I want to help you and Mary. My visions are not 100% accurate. The future is changeable, as you very well know. There are, sometimes, only brief insights or noises, a place, shreds and glimpses of events, nothing that can be used or makes any sense."

"Try it anyway!" Bash begged. "If there is one person, who can literally see where Kenna's and Daniel's whereabouts is, it's you!"

The healer nodded. "All right." He took the hair band, put it on his forehead and closed his eyes. "I see..." he said after a while..." people, many people,... in panic. "He took a deep breath." One shouts "The plague is here..."

"Where?" Bash interrupted him. "Can you see where this place is?"

"Not now!... Lola, Greer, Kenna..." he mumbled. All of a sudden, he opened his eyes and exhaled slowly. „I know where Kenna is. She is at Greer's place, ... in the brothel."