The Healing Wars: Book III: Darkfall by Janice Hardy Page B

about the Governor-General?” I asked, fishing for more information. “Isn’t he doing anything to stop it?”
    “They say he died the first day. That’s what set off the riots.”
    But why would Baseeri revolt against the Gov-Gen or the Duke?
    “Are there a lot of those soldiers in that blue armor?” I said. “I’ve never seen them before.”
    The server gulped. “Just the one. He came over with the Healers. That was the last ferry out of the Isles. Lots of smaller boats docked after that, but nothing since last week.”
    Danello looked puzzled. “The Healers are just staying here?”
    “Seems like it.” He shrugged. “They’re making good money, and it’s not safe to go back to the Isles.”
    I’d met plenty of folks who’d take advantage of such a situation and see it as a way to earn some fast money, but not Soek. Maybe the soldiers were forcing him to do it.
    “Is there any way into Geveg?” I asked.
    “Not unless you wanna swim.” Another customer called, and the server hurried off.
    “Did you see his face when you asked about the Undying?” Aylin shuddered. “I think finding someone willing to take us over there just got harder.”
    We’d be fools to wander in blindly. We had no idea which isle belonged to who, or who we needed to speak to and warn them about the Duke.
    “We need more information about what’s going on over there,” I said.
    Danello nodded. “How do we find out?”
    “Soek? We need to rescue him anyway.”
    Everyone looked at each other as if they hoped someone else had a better idea.
    Danello sighed. “Yeah, we can’t leave him there. And he’ll probably know what’s going on better than anyone else here.”
    “We’ll need a boat too,” I said. “Quenji, see if you can trade the horse or wagon or both for one, even for a day or two.”
    “Can’t we steal one?”
    “As long as it’s not a fisherman’s boat. He can’t support his family without one.”
    Quenji rolled his eyes but nodded.
    “How do we talk to Soek?” Danello asked. “They’ve got him guarded pretty well.”
    Aylin huffed and added more sugar to her coffee. “He’s a Healer. We hurt somebody.”
    “Help, I need help!” Danello carried me into the common room at the traveler’s house, blood running down my face. I groaned and feigned delirium. My scalp stung from the cut Aylin had made, but heads bleed easily, and we needed to put on a good show.
    People gasped and pointed. A woman behind the bar called out to a boy who was washing mugs.
    “Go get the Healer, hurry.”
    Patrons cleared an old couch near a window and Danello set me down. He paced, wiping his upper lip and brow like he was afraid I was about to die right in front of him.
    “I can’t help if you won’t let me through,” Soek grumbled.
    He shoved through the gathering crowd, shooing them back with a sharp twist of his hand. He looked at me and his eyes widened, but he covered his surprise quickly. “What happened?”
    “She fell,” Danello said, waving his hands about as he spoke. “I told her not to walk on the fence, but she did it anyway and she slipped and fell and hit her head on, oh, I don’t know what but it was hard. Her head made this awful cracking noise.”
    “That’s bad.” Soek turned to the crowd. “Stop gawking at her. Go back to doing what you were doing before she got here.”
    The Undying was also in the room but standing back watching the crowd. I didn’t see the other soldier or anyone else.
    “Now, let’s take a look.” Soek pulled over a chair and sat down beside me. He put one hand on my wound and the other on my forehead. My scalp tingled and the cut hidden in my hair closed, but he frowned.
    “She cracked her skull,” he said. “Some brain bruising there as well. You’re lucky you got her here in time.” He turned to the Undying. “I’m going to need the brick for this. The orb won’t be enough.”
    The Undying hesitated, glancing at his pynvium armor as if debating whether