“Now you tell me,” I shot back.
He scowled at me but didn’t say anything else. My eyes moved to where Rhys cradled Savannah in his arms. Tears streaked down his face as he smoothed her hair away from her pale face.
My own pain was forgotten when I saw the scorched remains of her dress. I glanced at Kerry and she returned my gaze. We both knew what was happening. Savannah was dying and there was no way to heal that wound in time. The life was draining out of her before our very eyes.
Kerry leaned over Savannah and I stiffened when I saw the listless way my friend’s eyes moved to her.
“Heal her,” Rhys demanded. His voice was rough and the words broke as they fell from his lips.
Kerry kept her focus on Savannah. “You’re badly injured, Savannah. I can save you but I’ll have to use a spell. It’s not for healing, but for binding. I can bind your life force to Rhys and your body will use his power and abilities to heal your wounds.” She paused. “I’ve done it before. But, in the future, if either of you dies, the other will follow.”
“I don’t care,” Rhys said. “I won’t survive without her.”
Kerry’s eyes moved to his briefly. “But it’s her choice, Rhys.”
He snarled at Kerry but Savannah’s weak voice interrupted the conversation.
“I don’t want to go,” she murmured. “I want to stay with Rhys.”
Kerry nodded and twisted her head toward Finn. “Get me a bowl, my herbs, and my athame.”
He vanished into the house, moving so quickly he was a blur.
“What can I do to help?” I asked her.
Kerry shook her head. “Nothing. I’ve done this spell before.” She laid a hand over Savannah’s chest and I saw the golden glow of healing magic beneath her palm.
I realized then what she was doing. Savannah was at death’s door. If Kerry didn’t heal at least a portion of her wound, she would die before the spell was complete.
I couldn’t allow that to happen.
I tilted my head back and looked up at Macgrath. “Move closer and crouch down, please.”
To his credit, he didn’t argue. He did as I asked. Somehow he understood what was at stake. I reached out and placed a hand on Kerry’s shoulder and took a deep breath. The wound in my side ached with the movement but I ignored it.
The well of power within me was still full, brimming with magic. It wasn’t the power that was used up. It was my body. But it didn’t matter. My body would have to endure for a little longer. I siphoned a small, steady stream and pushed it into Kerry, giving her healing magic a boost. Immediately, some of Savannah’s color returned and her breathing improved.
Kerry didn’t take her eyes off my friend, but I could feel her gratitude through the bond. What we were doing wouldn’t heal her completely, but it would help her hold on. Now that I was touching Kerry, I could feel the extent of Savannah’s injuries and there were too many for us to fix in the time we had left. Too much blood and too many broken bones. Her spine was broken in two places.
I felt tears slip out of my eyes as I saw all the ways that my friend was shattered. I refocused my efforts on easing her pain and noticed that her chest rose and fell with larger breaths.
Finn appeared with a bowl of water, a knife, and a pouch filled with glass and metal vials full of dried herbs. Kerry took the items and set to work.
Moving quickly, she added herbs to the bowl, murmuring the words of a spell as she stirred them.
“Rhys, your hand,” she demanded abruptly.
Rhys held his hand out to her, palm up. He didn’t even wince as she pierced the tip of his finger with the knife and held it over the bowl until several drops fell into the water.
My eyes widened at the sight. It was familiar somehow, as though I’d performed the spell before, though I couldn’t remember doing so. Which was strange. This was old magic, a spell lost eons ago.
“Hold out Savannah’s hand,” Kerry stated.
Rhys complied and Savannah groaned as the knife pierced her finger. Once her blood joined Rhys’ in the bowl of water and herbs, Kerry continued the invocation, the water trembling and swirling inside the bowl.
Then she lifted it to Savannah’s lips. “Drink. At least two or three swallows.”
Savannah choked a bit as the liquid trickled into her mouth, but her throat moved as she swallowed the brew.
