The Fragile Fall At Tallow Bridge (The White Blood Chronicles Book 1) Read Free Page B

hand and saw that it was now wrapped in cloth, slight off-white stains marking the coarse material.
    “ I’ve put a poultice on your back, shoulder and hand my dear. A tincture would be too much at this stage but you will need one presently, that much is sure,” she remarked moving back to kneel beside him and looking into his eyes.
    “ Thank you,” said Thaindire his voice croaking.
    “ Poor love, you must be as dry as a desert, here let me,” she added as she picked up a cup and raised it to Thaindire’s mouth. The cold liquid spilled into his mouth and he gulped at it, savouring the taste and effect.
    “ Steady, steady,” continued the woman before she mopped a stray drop from his lips and placed the cup back down on the tray.
    “ Father said he found you out on the road all chewed up by those wretched wolves. You know they become bolder this time of year and especially once winter arrives. Sometimes they even come into the village, snuffling at the doors and howling in the square. Fair makes me shiver when I am tucked up in bed. Mind you, there must have been a pack of those beasts to best a fine man like you,” she smiled letting her fingers play through the front of his fine white hair, moving a few strands of hair away from his eyes.
    “ Anyways, in case you hadn’t guessed I am Kathryn, Ben’s daughter,” she explained and stood up giving a short curtsey and giggling again.
    “ I have brought you some broth for you to eat, I will feed it to you as you can barely move, but it needs to cool first. I’ve added some bits from the apothecary on Alyssia’s advices to ease the pain and aid your sleep. We don’t want you trying to run away now do we?” Again Kathryn let out a short delighted giggle.
    “ Thank you, Kathryn. Tell me, where am I?” asked Thaindire, his speech less rasping after the drink.
    “ You are a guest at the Last One Inn, my father’s tavern,” she answered waving an arm about her as if introducing the building.
    “ Which is where?” pressed Thaindire.
    “ Why Aftlain, silly, where else were you heading? Didn’t you know that’s where the road led to?”
    “ Yes, yes of course, the fall has left me dazed.”
    “ The fall?”
    “ Yes, I fell from my horse when I was attacked by…..when I was attacked.”
    “ Ah, I see. That’ll account for the egg on the back of your head then. I applied a compress to it while you slept but it will need more.” Kathryn commented. She paused, looking Thaindire up and down.
    “ What is your name then traveller?”
    “ Samael. Samael Thaindire,”
    “ Samael, hmmmm,” murmured Kathryn as if trying to resurrect a memory linked to the name.
    “ Who were you coming to see in Aftlain then, Samael, got a girl here have we?” she laughed and glanced away.
    “ No, no. I was coming to see the place rather than a person,” answered Thaindire slightly perturbed by Kathryn’s flirtatious manner.
    “ The place? How so?” she asked as she leant over the bowl of broth and began blowing across its surface to cool it further.
    “ I am a cartographer,”said Thaindire. Kathryn frowned. “A map maker. I have been commissioned to update the Duke’s maps,” he explained.
    “ Ah, that will explain the fine make of your clothes and also that purse of gold you keep in your boot. Your cloak is beautiful, I love the colour, but the wolves tore it. I hope you don’t mind but I have sent it to Metylda, she is our seamstress. She will soon mend it. She can weave the sky into your cloak such is her skill you know.”
    “ Er no, that’s fine thank you,” replied Thaindire noting that the landlord’s daughter had comprehensively been through his clothing and attire.
    “ You didn’t have any maps on you when father found you though,” she remarked as she moved back to Thaindire bowl in hand.
    “ No, they were in my saddle bags on my horse. It must have bolted through fear,” countered Thaindire.
    “ Well it never bolted to the village. Most