The Imposter Read Online Free PDF Page B

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    I inhaled swiftly,
and my eyes darted towards Leti, “You need to go,” I said sternly.
    “No.  I’m staying
with him, Kate,” her eyes were full of challenge.
    I sighed as I
turned back to Brennan’s leg. I had never seen such a grave injury before and I
was taken aback as I exposed it’s entirety to view.  The gash went from
Brennan’s lower abdomen and stretched towards his groin and down his upper
leg.  His flesh looked like it was about to explode from the pressure of the
infection that had overtaken the wound.  Thhe edges of the cut were a
frightening, angry red.  There were clear red lines radiating from both the top
and the bottom of the wound.  My heart sank. I knew what these streaks meant. 
Brennan had blood poisoning from the infection. 
    My stomach began
to churn and roll as I took in the situation at hand.  I felt like I was going
to be sick from the smell emanating from Brennan’s wound coupled with the fear
of knowing that I would likely not be able to do much to save him.  Poor Leti. 
My eyes darted back in her direction, and she looked back at me encouragingly. 
She thought that I knew how to handle this!  I faked a smile, exhaled slowly,
and turned back to Brennan’s infected leg.
    I tentatively
probed the wound with my fingers, applying light pressure near the swollen cut
inflicted by the sword.  The flesh felt sickeningly full and tight beneath my
fingers.  I pushed back my gag reflex, knowing what lay inside the wound.  I
would have to abrade the wound.
     “I need the
whisky,” I said, as I looked hard in Leti’s direction.  “I need you to leave
for a few minutes, and no matter what you hear, don’t come back until I tell
you to.” I ordered, challenging her with my eyebrows knit together to disobey
my orders.  “Nathan!” I shouted across the hall to the older clansman.  Nathan
and I had become bonded after he had discovered me in the forest.  I knew that
I could count on the clansman to not only help me care for Brennan, but to keep
Leti away while I worked. “Can you take Leti out for a few minutes?” I asked,
although it was meant more as an order than a question.
    Nathan scurried
over to our table, looking ragged from assisting the wounded.  He nodded in
reply to my request as he pulled Leti away from Brennan and whisked her from
the hall.  He shot me a nervous glance from under his bushy eyebrows after
looking at Brennan’s leg.  I could tell that he thought that Brennan didn’t
have a chance in Hell of making it.
    “We’re going to
open the wound,” I stated matter-of-factly to the kitchen maid.  She nodded
briskly in response and let out a heavy sigh, preparing herself for what lied
ahead.  “I’ll open it, and we need to flush out as much of the infection as we
can with the boiling water.  I need you to hold down his shoulders in case he
wakes up.” 
    Without further
prompting, she moved around to Brennan’s head and stood behind him, placing one
hand on either of his shoulders.  Her freckled face was red from exertion and
her brown hair was a frizzled mess. 
    She rolled her
shoulders in a final preparation and said, “Go to it, lass.  I can be braw
enough when I need to be.” Her muscles tensed and she pressed down on his slack
shoulders with all of her might.
    I took a deep
breath and placed one hand on either side of the wound.  As I slowly exhaled, I
pressed both hands down and slowly drew them apart, causing a thick stream of
pus to flow from the gash on Brennan’s lower torso.  The amount of pus and the
smell that leached from the wound caused me to choke and gag and I turned my
head away as I continued to drain the wound.  I moved my hands up the entirety
of the wound, repeating the same movement and releasing the infection from
Brennan’s fevered body. 
    The maid had been
holding her breath with her eyes clenched tightly closed for what felt like
minutes, but was probably only a few seconds.  She finally exhaled