The cursed towers 225
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nudged him anxiously.
"Nay," she said, tears pouring down her cheeks. "No' quite. He breathes—just."
Meghan dropped her face into her hands. "No, no," she whispered hoarsely. "It is too much! Both Iseult
and Lachlan—and now Tomas."
Johanna cradled the little boy in her arms. "Is Iseult hurt too?" she said in dismay.
Meghan raised her harrowed face. "She was with babe. She was sorely wounded and when we found
Lachlan like this, it was all too much. She lost the babe."
Johanna laid Tomas's head in Dillon's lap and rose to her feet, her face grim. "Where is she? I will go to
her."
Meghan pointed to one side. Through the uncertain light of the dusk, they saw Iseuli lying wrapped in
cloaks under the trees, Iain kneeling beside her. Johanna hurried to her, a ghostly white figure in the
twilight.
Gwilym bent and seized a branch from the ground, lighting it with a thought and setting it in the ground so
Johanna could see her patient. "Night comes," he said, his voice hollow.
The Banrigh lay still, her knees to her chest, dry-eyed and grieving. Nothing Johanna said would make
her look up or respond, and so at last the healer made her drink some poppy syrup and Iseult fell asleep,
hunched over still.
Lilanthe had gone beyond exhaustion to a strange, floating state. She stood, hands hanging limply, tears
hot in her chest. Vainly she tried to rouse herself to go on helping the injured, but it seemed she could
bear no more of the smell and sight of death.
The nisses flew all around her head, trilling loudly. Elala caught hold of one of her flowering tresses and
swung, both diamond-bright wings fluttering madly. Lilanthe wiped her eyes and tried to swallow her
grief. She cupped the little faery in her hand and looked into her green-flame eyes. What is it? she
asked.
Time for the eating devouring of the bloom blossom? Time for the healing unharming?
Lilanthe stared at the nisse in complete stupefaction, her tired mind refusing to work. Then suddenly her
hand flew to the pouch at her belt where she had hidden the flower of the Summer Tree. In the confusion
of the battle she had never given it a thought.
"Ye want me to eat the flower?" she whispered.
The nisse hissed and bared her sharp fangs. Bloom blossom belongs to the Stargazers. It is their
lifeblood bloodlife that is spilled to bless the tree, it is the child's loved beloved who dies.
Lilanthe stared at the tiny faery. It took a while for her to understand, then her breath caught. I see, she
said and went over to where Tomas lay. She knelt by his side and withdrew the great flower from her
pouch.
Although they were brown and crumpled, a fragrant odor still clung to the petals. Lilanthe held it under
T6-mas's nose and the rich, spicy perfume roused him, faint color coming again to his cheeks. He opened
his eyes and gazed blankly at Lilanthe.
