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“Do you have any a?” Zelandoni asked

“Yes, but no oil,” the girl said

“We can tie back the drape for now He’s right here, just inside the entrance, blocking the way,” Zelandoni said

Ayla found the tieback attached to the drape and wrapped it around the post When she looked inside, she was appalled at the filth There were no paving stones and the dirt floor was muddy in places where liquid of soht some of it was probably urine It appeared that every piece of their household furnishings was strewn across the floor, tattered one, piles of leather and woven

Bones with most of the meat chewed off were scattered here and there Flies buzzed around rotting food that was left out, she couldn’t guess how many days before, on plates h, there were splinters in theht she saw a rat’s nest beside the entrance, containing several squir, red, hairless newborn, their eyes still closed

Just beyond the entrance, a skinny youth was sprawled on the ground She had met him briefly before, but now she looked ht, and his belt indicated he was coe, but he was more boy than an was bruised and battered, and his head was covered with dried blood

“He’s been in a fight,” Zelandoni said “Soed him home and left him here”

Ayla bent down to check his condition She touched the pulse in his neck and noticed more blood, then put her cheek near his mouth She not only felt his breath, she s,” she told Zelandoni, “but he’s badly hurt, the pulsing is weak His head is injured and he has lost a lot of blood, but I don’t know if the bone is cracked So hard Thatup, but he smells of barma, too”

“And I don’t know if he should be moved, but I can’t treat him here,” Zelandoni said

The girl walked toward the entrance, carrying on her hip a thin, lethargic baby of about six h she hadn’t been washed since she was born A toddler with snot running down his nose was hanging on her leg Ayla thought she saw another child behind her, but wasn’t sure She seeht

“Bologan all right?” Lanoga said, a worried look on her face

“He’s alive, but he is injured You did right to coet me,” the donier said Zelandoni shook her head with exasperation and a feeling of anger toward Tremeda and Laramar “I’ll have to take care of him at my place,” she said

Normally, only the most serious ; in a Cave as large as the Ninth, there wasn’t

rooh for all the people ere sick or injured at one tian’s injuries, as serious as they were, usually would be cared for in his own ho there to treat him But there was no one at this home to take care of hi the place,any time there

“Do you knohere your a?”