They crossed the River Maghu just to the north of the Perquaine city of Gagan two days later and moved into the drought-stricken countryside to the west. Arya Andine had remained semi-conscious, and Eliar had been strangely solicitous throughout the journey. He held her in place in front of him as they rode and lifted her on and off his horse with a peculiar gentleness. He fed her at mealtimes, and his own appetite seemed to have fallen off considerably.
‘Is it my imagination, or is he behaving just a bit oddly?’ Bheid asked Althalus after they’d crossed the river.
‘Eliar takes his responsibilities very seriously,’ Althalus replied, ‘and he’s always volunteering because he wants to be helpful. He’ll probably out-grow that in time.’
Bheid chuckled. ‘From what you’ve told me, I don’t think he should be quite so close to Andine when she wakes up. If she hates him as much as you say she does, she’ll probably try to reach down his throat and jerk out his heart as soon as she lays her eyes on him.’
‘We’ll find out before long, I expect. Emmy’s going to wake our little girl this evening, and you and I should probably be on our toes when Eliar holds the Knife out for her to read. She might take that as an invitation.’
They took shelter in the ruins of a long-abandoned house late that afternoon, and Althalus called up beef for supper before Emmy could suggest fish. Eliar, as he had since they’d left Osthos, cut up Andine’s supper and fed her carefully. She sat placidly with her hands folded in her tap, opening her mouth as he held each bite to her lips, much as a sparrow chick might.
After they’d eaten, Emmy commandeered Althalus’ voice again to give them their instructions. ‘I want you to be standing directly in front of her with the Knife right in front of her eyes when I wake her, Eliar. That way she’ll see the Knife before she sees you. Once she reads the Knife, she’ll be more or less compelled to do as she’s told. She might rant and rave a bit, but she won’t try to kill you.’
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