By the time they neared the mansion, the woman had fallen unconscious again. Ezekiel guided the massive horse towards the guest house. Ibsen was perched on the porch railing, and the jackal healer was standing tentatively, listening to the bird. A sigh escaped the Aquila, though he caught Enkiel’s irritated gaze as he neared.
“I know why you brought her, but Ezekiel, we have so few—“
“That is exactly why I brought her,” the Aquila growled, dismounting. He guided the woman down, holding her in her arms gingerly. If she woke again, he worried she might try to fight. The fact she was a jackal caused a stir of emotion from Enkiel, though it was gone so fast Ezekiel might have imagined it.
“Bring her in. I have prepared a bed.”
The pair traveled into the building, and Enkiel led the older man to the “patient room” he had cleared out the winter before. Talitha had used it while her ribs healed (somewhat, that is) and since then only Gabriel had spent time in it. Directing the golden male to set the woman in the bed, Enkiel moved to examine her. He touched her nose, sniffed her breath, put his ear against her chest. A frown creased his features.
“Do you know what’s wrong with her?”
Enkiel looked up at the Aquila sharply. “Where is she from?”
“I don’t know. She was on the borders.”
“Was she like this when you found her?”
Ezekiel frowned, thinking. “At first. She woke up when I touched her. She threw up and called me Hemsut, whatever that means.”
It certainly meant something to Enkiel, who went wide eyed. Shock looked so peculiar on his features that Ezekiel stiffened. The jackal began muttering under his breath, and it was then that Ezekiel recalled where he had heard the woman’s funny language. “She spoke that too. Whatever it is you speak.”
“Arabic,” Enkiel corrected, moving swiftly now. He reached up to where a metal bucket was hung, and carried it back to the side of the bed. “She is very sick. If you want me to heal her, you must keep everyone away for a time. She may be contagious. You,” he added, red eyes narrowing. “, will come to me if you feel at all ill.”
With a hurried nod, Ezekiel retreated to the door. “Do you need anything?”
“I will be fine. You go to your duties, Aquila.” A faint bow, dismissing the leader with as much honor as duty required.
The healer returned to his room, gathering the clean water he kept there before returning to the patient room. Once she woke, he would question her. If she had what he imagined it to be, this would be something he needed to be extremely careful with.
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