Raoul excused her after briefly conferring with Flynn; they agreed to keep her secret. They even assured her they would keep it between them even within the camp, though Raoul asked for permission to inform the king. Arie nodded in agreement and left to make sure all of her things would be ready. Outside the tent was Lerant, he was trying too hard to appear causal. She clenched her teeth and did her best to bite back the angry remark. As it was her words came out harsher than she intended,
"Have something to say?" If she wasn't feeling so raw, she would have felt guilty about that. Even her mother would have scolded for that kind of response.
Lerant looked surprised by her outburst and maybe even a little guilty himself. He certainly realized the information she had shared had been heavily personal. Arie started walk away angrily when Lerant caught her wrist and pulled her into a hug. She was so startled that for a moment all she could do was stand there.
"I'm sorry," was all he said before letting go. His face was colored red with blush as he rubbed the back of his head. "I'll gotta get going. I have to look after my lord." Then he walked into Raoul's tent at a very fast pace preventing her from saying anything, including sorry. Blinking, Arie moved off towards her tent in a daze. The warmth from Lerant was lingering on her. It wasn't until she was about to pull the flap back that she heard the person behind her. She turned, ducked, and backed away from the blow. The left fist missed, but she couldn't get back fast enough to avoid the right. It connected just below her chin, hurting her but it didn't knock her out like her attacker had intended. Left-handed, Arie thought. She inspected her attacker. He was wrapped in dark clothes his face hidden behind a strange mask. His clothes she noticed were slick with tacky substance.
Arie took a step to the side of her tent, making sure she was out of immediate striking range and she wasn't penned in. She watched her attacker and circled him in slow movements. Reaching down she grabbed out her sole knife and raised it up between them. Her attacker swung at her again, this time he was faster than the first time; like a force was driving him forward. Fists rained down on Arie's defenses. She snarled, blocked, slashed, and dodged. Finally, when she realized she wasn't getting anywhere she reached for her Gift. Gathering it in her palms she discarded her knife.
"Enough," she snarled as leaped for the man.
He let her get close then raked sharp nails down her exposed skin and smearing the slick substances that coated his clothes on her open wounds. Arie hissed and gripped the man's hands. Already her Gift was working against him. Aging his body.
"Arie!" Kel came around a tent, her strange spear in her hand.
"Stay back!"
The man clawed at her ignoring the fact that his body was deteriorating. She kicked the man's feet out from under him and wrapped an arm round his neck. The man continued to claw and rip at Arie's skin not so much to escape but injure her. Seconds later the man went limp in her grasp.
"Go get Sir Neal! Keep your weapon out."
Kel; a woman after Arie's own heart, asked no questions, simply ran off to find Neal. Arie let the man drop and looked down at her body. Blood had been smeared all over her clothes and exposed skin. She swore and looked at the man through her Gift. His outer clothing was soaked in poisoned blood. She didn't bother with protection. Already she knew the poison was moving through her body and Gift. Ripping away his outer clothing she found the man underneath was clear of poison. He was here willingly. Reaching out with her Gift she felt her anger spike. She was tired of being hunted, attacked, and belittled. Arie grit her teeth and shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts. In those thoughts lay danger. The poison must have been working through her anger and fear. Quickly she checked his pockets for anything that might help identify him. Nothing.
"Arie," Neal called.
She turned to see the other healer with Kel and was about to snap something at him when she saw another person slinking up behind them; a knife in his hands. She snatched up the knife she had dropped and threw it with every ounce of strength she had. The blade whistled past Kel's face and thumped into the man's throat. He gurgled and clutched his throat before dropping to the ground. Arie felt the man's death, but somehow it was less of a blow than a sudden death usually was. A small part of her mind realized that was not a good sign.
"They are here to infect people," she told them. Neal looked like he was going to go off to check Raoul when Arie grabbed his sleeve. "Wait, you need to purge my body of the poison."
His eyes widened. She felt his Gift rise and he gasped. "How, it's so far along."
Arie bit her lip.
"I've got nasty things in my past. Anger, a lot of it. The poison is thriving on it. Please hurry." She could feel her anger at her family rising. A voice whispered insidious things. It certainly hadn't helped her telling Raoul and Flynn; the anger was now at the forefront of her mind. Then Neal's Gift flowed into her. She gritted her teeth and the her anger spiked and she felt the knee jerk reaction to fight, lash out. Revenge. The word whispered across her mind and she shoved it aside then she threw her memories to Neal. She refused to fall to this, she swore to avenge the dead. The cut on her palm stung and the ribbon on her wrist heated up. Neal shuddered as everything rushed past his mind. Her mother's death, the whispers, the looks for people, the night she woke to find her small hut on fire. Fear and anger burned with the flames as she fled with people chasing her screaming for her blood. Not even a month previously she had healed many of them. Then it was gone, all the memories, the poison, and the voice that had been driving her on. She sighed in relief and sank to her knees. "Thank you."
Neal only stared at her. He had seen quite a few nasty things in his life, Arie could tell, and as he turned to Kel, they shared a look that made her think that Neal thought her and Kel had something in common.
"Arie-."
She waved him off. "We need to sweep the camp for more of them. Travel in pairs."
Neal looked like he was going to argue, but he must have realized Arie had a point. These men where here to infect those who could draw out the poison, but it was unlikely to be the only thing they were doing here. Realization hit Arie and she turned and bolted back to Raoul's tent. She saw a shadow sliding around the back of the tent. Another would be assassin, she wondered and followed. Sure enough, the man was dressed as the other two black clothes slick with what she assumed was poisoned blood. Raoul had promised to protect her where others had hunted her, she would not allow harm to come to him.
Arie drew out a knife and came up beside the man. He didn't turn until it was much too late. A blade buried in his side. She had been sure not to hit anything vital. He howled and Raoul, Flynn, and Lerant came out of the tent all of them drawing weapons. Arie restrained the man, then carefully burned away the blood and outer clothing with her Gift.
"You are going to answer my questions or I will twist this knife and make life very unpleasant for you."
The man looked at her with a glazed over look. He had stopped howling and was now unnaturally quiet. Unease slithered through Arie.
"I don't think you'll get anything out of him. I think his mind was wiped."
Arie swore and reached out with blue green fire. She felt the man's mind and there was nothing. It shocked her to find it completely devoid of emotion, pain, or even thought; almost as if his soul was no longer there. He was a lump of flesh being directed by something nasty.
"He's a shell," she said in horror, and very nearly let go of him. He collapsed and sickly grey Gift rushed out of his mouth and flew off. Straight for Raoul. A light blue barrier came between Raoul and the mist. What was left of Ark's Gift disintegrated against the blue Gift. Arie turned and saw Zev panting with her hands up.
"That was close," the hedge witch said. Arie had to agree, but she looked at her friend. She was a hedge witch, she shouldn't be able to use her Gift in such a way. Zev looked at her with a slight smile. "Later."
Arie grunted and looked to Raoul.
"I think everyone who is able, should be woken up and summoned. We need to check everything in the camp. Then I think we should pack up and leave tonight. Everyone. I won't leave the wounded here even under a guard."
Raoul nodded and turned to Flynn, he whispered to the man who nodded in response. Flynn took Lerant with him and Raoul looked between the two women.
"Are you two my guards?" He wasn't insulting them Arie realized. He was grateful. Arie remembered he had no Gift. She guessed fighting the Gift without one could be frightening. Zev smiled and gestured for him to go back into his tent. Arie heard horses whiny. Glancing at the other woman she nodded, Zev would watch Raoul. She walked out towards where she heard the sounds. It was the strangest thing Arie ad seen in while. Horses, dogs, cats, even some smaller animals gathered in a circle. At the center were two men. One dressed in black like the others and the second dressed in grimy clothes that were smeared in blood. They both had weapons drawn and facing each other.
"Enough," Arie hissed.
SandStorm stepped aside. The man in black looked like he was going to bolt, but NightSky reared threateningly. Her hooves came dangerously close to his face and made the man stagger back. Arie moved through the small gap between her two horses. Her Gift spilled out of her and she sent it seeking to the man in black. He ran towards the opposite side, a vain attempt to try and duck around the animal barrier. He didn't get far before the other man tackled him.
"Where ya goin," asked the young man who sat on his back.
"Step aside Avery."
"Hello pretty-."
"Avery," Arie snarled.
The young man grinned and pushed himself up away from the man he had tackled. Blue green fire raced over the man in black. His outer black clothes were devoured by her Gift. Then her Gift sank into his skin seeking the foul Gift or more poison. She found neither. Then she turned to the young man and directed her Gift around him. Where most people would have flinched away, he actually opened his arms wide in welcome. Once she was sure there was no poison on him or in him, with a sigh Arie drew her power back into herself.
An arm was thrown over her shoulder. She scowled at the grinning boy. He was tall well-muscled, deeply tan, and had the strange eyes. Both irises where a startling glowing silver. His long fiery red hair was tied back with a thin strip of leather, somehow his hair still appeared silky and smooth despite the tussle with the man who was now unconscious at Arie's feet.
"Hello my sweet."
Arie grabbed one of his fingers and bent it in a very uncomfortable position. Avery yelped and dropped his hand. Once Arie let go his grin came back.
"Did ya miss me?"
Arie snorted. "Depends, did you get the wagons?"
He bobbed his head eagerly. "Sure did."
"Good, wake everyone and get the wounded packed up into the wagons. We are moving out."
The young man nodded.
"And Avery."
The young man looked at her grinning. "Yes, my sweet?"
"I'm not your sweet, but make sure you shower before you handle any of the injured folk. We got enough problems without spreading infection."
He chuckled and saluted her before walking off. Arie turned to eye the man at her feet. Why wasn't he possessed the same way the others were, she wondered as she hauled him up. But she had the sinking feeling that he was a messenger.