Sara Douglass – The Serpent Bride – DarkGlass Mountain Book 1

asking one of the other soldiers to build up the fire.

“He”s in shock,” Zeboath said. “He will need the warmth.”

“Shock?” said Axis. “Why?”

Zeboath held up a hand, silently asking for time. He knelt at Madarin”s side, and very

gently persuaded him to uncurl so that Zeboath might examine him.

For long, tense minutes, Zeboath probed at Madarin”s chest and belly. At times, when

Zeboath”s fingers dug too deep, Madarin let out a shriek and Zeboath muttered an apology.

Finally, Zeboath patted Madarin on the shoulder, told him he would mix him a pain remedy, and

stood and motioned Axis and Insharah to one side.

The tight, anxious faces of the troop followed them.

“It is not good news,” Zeboath said. “He has an obstruction within his bowel, and his

bowel has gone into spasm and twisted about itself. Now Madarin”s entire abdominal cavity is

inflamed and, as you have seen, he has gone into shock. I need to give him some pain relief,

fast.”

“But you can fix it,” said Axis.

Zeboath looked him directly in the eye. “It may resolve itself, Axis, but, no, I cannot „fix

it.” More likely he will develop such a massive infection within his belly from the inflammation

and obstruction that he will die within days. I can relieve the pain and the spasms, but that is all I can do.”

Axis stared at him, then gave a small shake of his head. So be it.

“There must be something else!” said Insharah.

“I”m sorry,” Zeboath said. “I just can”t—”

“Perhaps I can,” said Ishbel, and all three men turned about in surprise.

She stood just a pace away.

“How?” said Axis.

“I have some skill in the, um, unraveling of intestines.”

“Skill?” said Zeboath.

“Please,” Ishbel said, “will you trust me? I can help this man, and even if not, what harm

in allowing me to try?”

Axis and Zeboath exchanged a glance, then Axis nodded. “Very well.”

Ishbel nodded and stepped over to Madarin.

Like Zeboath, she sank down on her knees next to the man. She put a hand on his

shoulder—Axis thought she might smile in reassurance, but her face remained grave—and rolled

the man fully onto his back.

“I need you to stay straight, and still,” she said. “Can you do that?”

Madarin”s eyes were glassy with pain and shock, but he managed a tiny nod.

“Good,” said Ishbel, then she pulled back the blankets covering the man, unlaced his

breeches, pulling them down to his hips, and ran a hand gently over his abdomen.

As she did so, the man”s abdomen roiled, and he cried out in pain.

There were gasps from about the circle, and many shifted uneasily.

Ishbel”s hand continued to move slowly over Madarin”s abdomen. She closed her eyes,

bowing her head, concentrating, and her hand stilled.

No one moved. Every eye was fixated on Ishbel.

“You have not respected the Coil,” Ishbel muttered, her head still down, her eyes still

closed. “It rebels.”

“The eel pie—” Madarin began, his voice rasping.

“Be quiet!” Ishbel said. Then, suddenly, her hand dug deep into Madarin”s belly, and he

screamed in pain, his back arching so far off the ground his weight was supported only by his

shoulders and hips.

Everyone moved then, stepping forward, but Ishbel”s head jerked up and her eyes blazed.

“Stay back!”

Axis raised a hand, stilling everyone”s forward movement. “Stay back,” he said, “for the

moment. Gods, Ishbel, I hope you know what you are doing…”

She ignored him. Her hand continued to press into Madarin”s flesh, so deeply it appeared

almost to disappear from view.

Then she released its tight grip and, very gently, very quietly, began to rub her hand in a

complex pattern over Madarin”s belly.

He was still shrieking, but his body had relaxed back to the ground.

Ishbel”s hand continued to move, slowly, gently, and now her own body swayed back and

forth, slowly, gently, following the movement of her hand.

Axis was fixated. He could not drag his eyes away from Ishbel, now weaving back and

forth almost as if she were cradling a child, her eyes closed once more, her face peaceful, her

hand moving, ever more slowly, ever more gently.

She was using a power he”d never seen before.

Madarin”s shrieks eased back to moans.

“That is amazing,” Zeboath whispered at Axis” side. “Astounding!”

Ishbel drew in a deep breath, and opened her eyes.

Her hand paused, then moved up to the bottom of Madarin”s rib cage.

Then, very slowly, very deliberately, Ishbel traced out a serpentine path with her

forefinger from the man”s rib cage down to his groin.

“You are the servant of the Great Serpent now,” Ishbel said to Madarin, who was

completely quiet and staring at her with wide, shocked eyes. “Revere him.”

Then she stood, slow and graceful, and walked back to the campfire she shared with

Zeboath and Axis.

Far to the north, in Escator, Maximilian rode through the night. He”d led his party out of

Ruen at noon, having convened a hasty meeting of the Privy Council of P referred Nobles. He”d

left his crown and his authority with the Council, Lixel as its head, and vowed to them that he

would return.

As he rode, Maximilian often glanced to the east where the Outlands warred with

Pelemere and Hosea, and imagined he could hear the opening clash of steel in battle and the

screams of dying men.

With him rode two Emerald Guardsmen, Serge and Doyle. Egalion had recommended

them highly, saying they were men of particular resource and skill.

At that, Maximilian”s mouth had twisted wryly. In their lives before they”d been

condemned to the Veins, Serge and Doyle had been assassins for hire.

But Serge and Doyle did not quite make up Maximilian”s entire party. During the

midafternoon Serge had gestured into the sky, and Maximilian looked up to see BroadWing and

three other Icarii descending.

“We will come with you,” BroadWing had said, refusing to listen to Maximilian”s

protestations. “You are not our king, so your commands have no force with us. We can help you,

Maximilian. Do not refuse us.”

Maximilian hadn”t. The Icarii would be useful—more than useful—and he liked their

company.

So now they rode through the night, their horses” pounding hooves eating up the miles,

while the Icarii wheeled overhead. The traveling eased Maximilian”s mind. He was doing

something, he was taking control rather than being battered by circumstance, and he was

traveling to snatch back the woman he loved.

Elcho Falling could wait until he had Ishbel again.

“Just a ward of the Coil, Ishbel,” Axis said as he sat down. “Really? Perhaps you may

now like to explain that a little more fully.”

Ishbel sighed as Zeboath also sat. She felt drained from the energy expended in healing

Madarin, but also, conversely, energized. She had always worried that the baby within her would

disrupt her Coil and separate her from her powers as archpriestess.

But tonight had proved otherwise. Her Coil was as strong as it had always been.

“You are a member of the Coil?” Zeboath said, his eyes wide. “I have heard of them!”

“Well,” said Axis, “according to Ishbel she is only—”

“Peace,” said Ishbel, sighing again. She hesitated, reluctant to speak the truth even

though it must now be blindingly obvious she was far more than just a ward of the Coil. But

what would Axis and Zeboath say when they knew the truth? She liked both of them, and

enjoyed their company, and wouldn”t want to—

“Ishbel,” said Axis, very gently, “I don”t want to judge you. I am intrigued by you, and

by what you said to me last night about the ancient evil. Tell me of Serpent”s Nest, and of your

life there. If you have heard anything of my life, then you must know some of my stupidities.”

Axis gave a small deprecating smile. “I am the last person to judge you, and I think that after tonight”s little display Zeboath admires you far too much to even consider it. Trust us, Ishbel.”

“Yet you were willing enough to taunt me the other night with your „rather vile band of

psychic murderers.””

“I was wrong to say that, Ishbel, and I apologize to you for it. Tell us about Serpent”s

Nest. Tell us about you.”

Ishbel studied her hands for a long time. Then, when she finally raised her head, she

spoke calmly, and Axis had a glimpse of her inner strength and dignity.

“As you know, Serpent”s Nest is home to the Coil, an order that worships and tends to the

Great Serpent.”

“The Great Serpent is a god?” said Axis.

“Yes. We only ever see him in visions during Readings, or on other very rare occasions

when he reveals himself to us.”

“You are a member of this order,” Axis said.

“Yes.” Ishbel tilted her chin slightly. “I am its archpriestess.”

Axis drew a soft breath between his teeth, and heard Zeboath do the same. He glanced at