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Well； thank heaven for very small favors。 If the stopper had not e out…which it had not； his questing fingers soon discovered…wine might help ease the pain； or at least warm him a little； when he had gotten his bearings better。
But first he needed light； and he dared not move from where he was without it； for suddenly he realized the full implications of the roaring sound behind him…the river from which he must have dragged himself； with some vestige of semiconsciousness。 If he was not careful； he would be back in it…and he knew he could not survive another like buffeting。
Very well； then； his light must be handfire。 He should be able to manage that much magic； even with his head still full of water。 But when； without thinking； he tried to flex the fingers of his injured hand in the proper configuration for the spell； pain shot all the way up his arm； making him suck in his breath between clenched teeth and nearly setting him to coughing again。
Jesu； was the blasted thing broken？
Subsequent examination； feeling gingerly with his right hand； convinced him that perhaps it was not broken after all； but only badly sprained； but the distinction made little difference just now； other than the fact that he would not be able to do this as easily as he had hoped。 Under normal circumstances； he had no doubt that he could conjure hand…fire with either hand； but his circumstances were anything but normal just now； and he had never done it except with his left。 Not for the first time in his life； being corrie…fisted had bee a distinct disadvantage…though he supposed that； if he had been right…handed； it would have been that wrist that was injured； for he suspected he probably had sustained the injury while trying to fend himself off a rock with his stronger hand。
Very well； then； he would have to do it right…handed； but light he must have…to look for Kelson； as well as for his own survival。 Taking a slow； careful breath； he cupped his right hand and shifted his usual mode of concentration from left to right； bending the power in his mind。 The resultant glow in his right palm grew a little unsteadily at first； but then it swiftly took on its usual； robust silver gleam。
Thank God！
Not that the light did much good。 As Dhugal lifted his hand to look around him； he saw at once why he had been choking when he first regained consciousness。 He was sitting in water； on a very shallow shelf of rock just at the edge of what obviously had bee an underground stream…or river； at this point； for it was too wide for him to even see the other bank of the roiling water that continued to rush past at such a furious pace。
Sand gritted under him as he shifted to take it all in； and his teeth began to chatter from the cold； but he noticed piles of driftwood and other flood wrack caught along the embankment and looming darker against the sides of the cavern； farther from the water。 Perhaps some of it was even dry。
Very well。 Perhaps he could build a fire。 He was going to have to do something to get dry and warm； and soon； or he might as well have drowned。 He was a well enough trained battle surgeon to recognize the signs of shock in his own body…and God knew what he might have to contend with when he found Kelson。
If Kelson was still alive； of course。 The very thought that he might not be sobered Dhugal fast and lent him strength he did not know he had； to get his feet under him and wobble slowly to a standing position。 The effort made him dizzy； and from more than cold and shock； he suddenly realized。 He had been too dazed to notice it before； but his head hurt from more than just his long submersion； right at the back of the skull。 A quick inspection with his good hand revealed a sizable lump； where he must have cracked it against a rock。 He could only hope he did not have a concussion。
His right ankle twinged； too； when he tried to shuffle to higher ground； swelling already in his soggy boot； out n。。 dared not think yet about whether it might be broken。 It didn't hurt as much as his wrist； but if it was broken and he took off the boot； he might not get it on again。 At least the leather would give him a little support while he tried to search for Kelson。 And he could sense no grinding of broken bone as he hobbled as far as a pile of branches and contrived to break off a piece of wood for a crutch； though the ankle did hurt。
He had best shed his waterlogged cloak； at least for the present。 The sodden leather and fur must weigh nearly as much as he did； and wet； whatever warmth it might have provided was more than canceled out by the energy he would have to consume； dragging it around。 Besides； now that he was thinking a little more clearly； he realized that the air itself probably was not terribly cold down here； even though the water had been and he was shivering from that。 He seemed to recall that underground caverns generally maintained a more or less constant temperature year…round； rather like a wine cellar。 If he could get dry； the cold probably would bee one of his less important considerations。 So if he shed a few layers of his wet clothing…
He nudged his handfire up to hover beside his head and was unlacing his tunic one…handed； anxiously peering into the darkness all around him； when all at once he spied a darker； more regular shape than the piles of flood wrack； lying at the water's edge just a little upstream from where he had e aground。 He froze； his head twinging as he concentrated his powers in that direction； but then he was shoving aside the pain of head； wrist； and ankle to hobble in that direction as fast as he could go。
〃Kelson！〃 he cried。
He got no response as he approached； but he knew it was the king。 The solid silhouette became a lumpy something under a soggy crimson cloak as his handfire drew nearer； and as Dhugal collapsed to his knees beside it in panicked apprehension and began clawing at the wool； he found the prone； scarcely breathing form of Kelson。
〃He's alive！ Praise God！〃 Dhugal whispered； though Kelson was not breathing well at all； his head awash on the river bank where he apparently had managed to drag himself； much as Dhugal had done。
Hoping he was not adding to any injuries Kelson already had； Dhugal carefully lifted the king's head clear of the water and； after some little juggling to spare his injured wrist； unfastened the clasp that bound Kelson to the water…logged crimson cloak…which must be at least as heavy as his own had been。 That done； he could slide two fingers into the neck of Kelson's tunic and feel for a pulse； though he was not happy at what he read。 He tried to get a look at Kelson's pupils； but the angle was all wrong。 In any case。 Kelson was already in shock； in addition to whatever injuries he might have。
〃Got to get him out of the water； get him warm；〃 Dhugal muttered to himself； dragging the rest of the soggy cloak aside so he could shift Kelson partially onto his side。 Thank God they had not been wearing mail or even jazerants in the foul weather！
〃C'mon； Dhugal； you can do it！〃 he grunted。 〃You've got to； or he'll die！ e on！〃
Bracing himself against the pain he knew it would cost him and determined not to succumb to it； Dhugal shifted Kelson's torso upright enough