"Apologize to Counselor Yubrin!" Aunty Hurga yelled at Jallin.
"But Eja. What's...?"
"Apologize now. He saved your life and you kicked him. Tell him your sorry. I won't have someone act that way."
"But Eja," Jallin cried. "Is she...?"
"Say it!" Aunty Hurga said. "Now!"
Jallin turned and quickly said he was sorry, but Aunty Hurga insisted he do better, so he was forced to apologize three times for kicking Counselor Dursus. He wasn't really sorry, though.
"Is she...?"
"She'll be fine. She's passed out. Too much excitement, and too much coughing," Aunty Hurga said like a nurse of the Mercelian order.
Jallin knelt down beside his sister and put his hand on her forehead. He really couldn't explain why he did this; it seemed to be what people did to sick people, put their hand on their forehead, or wipe it with a cloth. She felt...sweaty.
Now he was sure she was alright, or at least not dead or hurt, he turned his attention on the creature lying in the street behind him, between Counselors Yubrin and Dursus. It was like a child with an over-sized head. Its skin was a milky, almost white color, crisscrossed with dark lines like veins. Its arms and legs were long and shiny and each ended in only two very long 'fingers.'
"What is that thing?" he said to them.
"It's a drellorin," Counselor Dursus said, stroking his beard.
"What's a drellorin?"
"Nasty creature. Their poison causes unconsciousness almost immediately. Even in a grown man, it works almost instantly, and then they suck all the blood out of their victim."
"Why's it here?" asked Aunty Hurga.
"The swamps on one of the islands? Escaped from some shipment to the games?" Counselor Yubrin suggested.
Counselor Dursus shook his head.
"The attacks?" Jallin asked. "Does it have to do with the attacks?"
"Probable," Counselor Dursus said. He was staring at the creature, the drellorin, as though he wanted to eat it. Jallin shuddered at that thought. He told Counselor Yubrin and one of the orderlies who stood outside with them to pick the thing up and take it inside the temple. "We must thank Trochaya for this gift. These creatures are very, very valuable. Their venom alone is worth a crown per dram. They don't breed in captivity."
About this time, a huge person came loping up towards the assembled crowd just outside the temple. Jallin looked at the ground, then at his sister. A narg guard, one of the deputies of the putrights.
Easily this narg was two, maybe two-and-a-half, cloth yards tall, and wide at the chest like a big statue. He carried a spear nearly as tall as himself, and he had a club hanging from his waist. His eyes flashed briefly in the moonlight, but otherwise, it was difficult to make out his features. His head turned from side to side, taking in the situation, Jallin standing but wobbling, Counselor Dursus with hands in pockets, Eja lying on the ground and Aunty Hurga cooing at her and trying to wake her.
"What goes here?" the narg's voice like a thunderbolt demanded to know.
"I'm afraid someone tried to rob these kind folks," Counselor Dursus said. "They're alright, but the girl suffered a bit of a shock. Would you be so kind as to escort them to their home. I, and a few others from our gathering, came out and frightened the offenders away, but we did not catch them nor see where they went. With you helping them, I'm sure my friends will be safe."
The narg turned his body to face Counselor Dursus. Jallin watched him examine the old man. Counselor Dursus must have been used to lying. He didn't flinch, nor do anything to betray his story to the narg. But, as anyone knows, a narg's nose is quite keen. Not the nose of a kinto-shah, but equal to a kunjel's. The narg sniffed the air, and his huge muscles seemed to tighten along his arms. He took his spear in both hands, turned in place, and sniffed the air like a hunting gremlin or a raig looking for food.
"What's that smell?" he grumbled. "I've smelled it before. What is it?"
"I'm afraid that must be blood you smell. As I said, my friends here had to fight for their very lives, and I think one of them may have been injured a small amount. Counselor Dursus eyed Jallin, then Eja, then Aunty Hurga. Or, perhaps it was one of them who was injured. I cannot say. As I said, they've run off."
"I don't think it's blood. I smell blood, but not...." The narg shook his head. He looked towards the alley, took a deep breath, and now Jallin felt embarrassed about what he probably smelled from that direction. He was grateful there was no breeze just then. Poor Eja, he thought. She's had a particularly bad day.
"Please, good guard," Counselor Dursus said. "The little girl probably will need some attention. They are guests at Master Tho-Nosho's home, just to the west down that road. If you are familiar with Master Nosho, then I'm sure you're aware of his trade. He will have something for the poor girl's head, and probably some nice tea for my other friends. Your hurry is greatly appreciated, sir." Something flashed in the moonlight then, but it was not the narg's eyes. It passed from Counselor Dursus' hand to the nargs and was gone again before Jallin could see what it was.
The narg picked up Eja from the ground, cradling her entire head in one of his hands, and the rest of her in the crook of his arm. Aunty Hurga and Jallin followed behind. They lagged a little ways, and Aunty Hurga bent close to Jallin's ear. "Don't say a word."
"I didn't say...," but Aunty Hurga smacked him on the back of his head.
"Not a word. No questions, nothing. Not until he's gone. You hear me?"
Jallin looked at the narg, then nodded. Hopefully, the sounds of footsteps, breathing, and the night in a large city kept the narg from hearing anything. For once, Jallin obeyed Aunty Hurga. He didn't have much to say anyway.
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