Janice Hardy - The Healing Wars: Book II: Blue Fire

R esponsibility was overrated. Sure, it sounded goodtake control of your own life, make your own choicesbut that also meant you had to pay for your own mistakes. And if your life and choices hadnt gone the way youd planned, well, then your mistakes might reach deeper than your pockets could afford.

I hoped mine were deep enough for the mess Id caused.

I watered the lake violets in the front sunroom. Just busy work, but I had to do something other than sit in the town house worrying while my friends were out risking their lives. I should have been out there with them, but Id been recognized on our last rescue mission, and it wasnt safe outside for me anymore. Not that Geveg had been all that safe in the five years since the Baseeri invaded; but being hunted by the Duke, his soldiers, Gevegs Governor-General, and who knew how many trackers added a whole new level of danger.

Is Aylin back yet? asked Tali, lurking in the doorway. Some girls hovered behind her, a few Takers wed rescued last week but hadnt managed to smuggle off the isles yet.

No, I said, shes still out looking. So was Danello, but Tali always worried more about Aylin, which was silly. Aylin could take care of herselfDanello was the one with the street smarts of a hen.

Is it bad that its taking so long?

I hesitated. I dont know. It depends if the recruiters are snatching people off the street again.

The Takers behind Tali paled and backed away. None had been grabbed by the Healers Leagues new recruiters, but we all knew people who had been: pulled from their homes, dragged to the League, forced to healeven if it killed us.

It was nine shades of wrong. The League used to invite only Takers with strong healing talents to become apprentices, those who had real futures as Healers. But now? You didnt have a choice. The Duke demanded that any Taker with even a trace of healing ability had to serve at the League. The lucky ones were trained. The unluckythey wound up in a small, windowless room somewhere, being experimented on.

The Duke of Baseer had his war to win, whatever the cost to us.

Im sure theyre fine. Theres nothing to worry about.

I glanced at the Takers behind Tali, slipping away one by one to go cower in their rooms. It shouldnt be this way. The Healers League was supposed to train Takers to heal and help. Becoming a Healer used to be something every Taker dreamed of, like Tali had. Like I had.

Now it was just a nightmare.

Tali hadnt moved, and she had that little-sister-stubbornness look about her again. Should we go look for her?

If only I could. They had been gone an awfully long time. You know we cant leave the town house.

You cant, but I can.

You cant either. It was hard enough rescuing you from the League once. Im not letting them get you again.

She pouted, her brow wrinkling the way it always did when she was trying to decide if it was worth an argument or not.

You can help Soek with lunch, I offered. You know how much he needs it.

Hes making that fish stew again, she said. Took me three days to get the smell out of my hair last time.

Maybe you can

Nya, I can help with the Takers, you know I can. She stared at me, defiance in her brown eyes, and tucked a curl behind an ear. Shed dyed her blond hair red, like Aylins used to be, and it had put some fire into her as well.

Its just too dangerous right now, I said, more gently this time. Can you please check on the others and make sure theyre okay? You know how scared they are. Im fine here, really.

Tali didnt say anything, but the defiance was gone, replaced by concern. Are you sure?

Yes.

Really? Because you dont seem fine.

Thats cause someone keeps pestering me while Im planning how to smuggle people off Geveg. I meant it as a tease, but Tali folded her arms and frowned.

Youre not planningyoure watering lake violets and looking miserable.

I can do both. I grinned, but she clearly wasnt buying it.

Nya, you dont have to be miserable.

My grin vanished. Id earned my misery, but Id paid the price for Talis life willingly, a life for a life. It shouldnt be easy to toss that guilt overboard. Besides, everything here in Zertaniks town house was a constant reminder of what Id done, who Id killed. It didnt matter that he didnt need it anymore, or that it made the perfect hiding place. There was some justice to selling off his stolen loot to help the very Takers hed tried to hurt, but not enough to make it right.

I set down the watering can and sighed.

Tali came over and rested her head on my shoulder. She used to do the same thing when we were little and Mama had scolded me.

Well, youre worrying over nothing, she said, filling the silence when I didnt say anything. Barnikoff will hide them in his boat, same as always.

Someone saw me with him the last time. The Governor-General might be watching now. Which meant there was one more person who might get into trouble because of me. I shoved my hands into my pockets.

Not nearly deep enough.

They saw you? she asked, worried now. Who did? The League?

Im not sure

The front door of the town house rattled. I jumped up and hurried into the foyer, my heart pounding. Please, please, please let them be okay. Tali followed, for once staying away from the door without me telling her to.

Aylin stepped inside and my chest loosened. A boy about twelve trailed behind her. He was pretty grimy, so hed probably been hiding for a while. Skinny, too, and his face lit up at the smell of fish stew. My heart clenched again, but then Danello walked in, watching the street a little too cautiously as he shut the door.

What happened? I said, not as relived as I should be now that they were back. I was getting worried.

We were just extra careful on the way back, Aylin said. She glanced at Tali, then looked at me in a way that clearly said she didnt want to tell me what was wrong in front of Tali. So many things could be wrong, I didnt even want to guess what it was this time. But we found him. She nudged the boy forward.

Winvik, Tali gasped, running over. He looked equally glad to see her. I thought youd left Geveg.

I tried, but I couldnt get a boat to the marsh farms.

You know each other? Aylin said.

Tali nodded. Winvik was in my apprentice classes at the Healers League.

And the spire room? I asked softly.

Yes. A flicker of fear crossed her face. So Winvik had also been forced by the League to heal until hed carried so much pain he couldnt move. No wonder hed risked starvation to stay free.

Welcome, then, I said, smiling. Neither Aylin nor Danello smiled with me. Saints, it must really be bad then.

Footsteps thumped down the stairs and Takers peeked over the railings at us. We had four other Takers in the town house right now, people wed saved who wouldnt be experimented on by the Duke to see if they developed special abilities he could use for his own purpose. I hadnt yet figured out what that purpose was, but that was part of our plan.

Step One: Rescue as many Takers as we could and keep them away from the Duke.

Step Two: Find out what the Duke wanted with them.

Step Three: Stop it.

Of course, steps two and three were turning out to be a lot harder than anticipated, but we were doing okay so far with step one. And truth be told, that was the one that mattered the most.

Danello cleared his throat.