“Ugg,” Xander objected.
Lexi swatted his shoulder playfully. “He will not get the upholstery any more dirty than you do. Be nice, now. Go prepare some tea for our guests. And no cyanide in the sugar this time. It’s just more work for me when I have to heal them.”
Xander grunted in reply and shambled from the room, walking face-first into a door frame on the way out.
“Can’t afford living help?” I asked. Whatever spell had made Xander undead had at least allowed him to keep some of his wits about him. Although he wasn’t the most coordinated bloke.
Lexi waved my question away. “He needs the work.”
I snorted at that. Zombies were an extreme example of spells gone awry. It was rare, and most infected were disposed of quickly, unless deemed not to be a threat to the public. Lexi must have intervened on his behalf, for whatever reason. She always did have a soft heart.
I relieved my arms of their burden, setting Auggie down on a fainting couch. His head lolled back.
“What happened to him?” Lexi asked me. She crouched beside Auggie, eyes flicking back to Freya and lingering on the stitches around her mouth, before focusing on Auggie.
“He was touched by a necromancer’s magic,” I said, pointing to his ankle, where black still oozed from the cut.
“And I hit him in the back of the head,” Freya offered.
Lexi hummed, tilting Auggie’s head to the side to examine a bloody gash on his scalp. I had to look away.
“It doesn’t look too bad,” Lexi said after a moment. “He shouldn’t have a concussion—lucky for you. The ankle might be another thing, however. Do you happen to have chamomile on you?”
I nodded and pulled out a pouch, handing it to Lexi. Lexi dumped the contents into her hand and covered the wound with it. She looked back at Freya. “You. Give me your hand.”
Freya lifted an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Because you harmed him. I’m going to use your energy to heal him.”
Freya hesitated.
“She was under the control of a necromancer at the time,” I explained to Lexi.
“Well, that adds another layer of intrigue, but it doesn’t help him heal any faster.” Lexi held a slim hand out to Freya insistently.
Freya scowled but took it.
Lexi examined Freya’s hand in hers. “Your hand is … not yours.”
Freya grinned widely. “Unsettling, isn’t it?”
Lexi yanked her hand away. “You won’t do. Your energy is … already harnessed for other purposes within your own body.” She looked to me expectantly.
I held my hand out to her. Lexi made a sound in the back of her throat and spit a yellow-green gob of saliva and mucus into her hand before wrapping it over mine. I wrinkled my nose.
“Was that really necessary?”
“Yes. It helps make the connection stronger.”
“But you didn’t do that to her,” I whined, signifying Freya.
“I didn’t want to come across as rude. Hush now.” She squeezed my hand tighter. “Now, this will wear you out. That pod around your neck won’t help. This has to come directly from you.”
I nodded. My pod had little left to offer anyway. I would need to find a green space outdoors to meditate to refill it tonight. The gardens outside would do nicely for that.
My body began to glow softly, a gentle electricity simmering over my skin. It tickled, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sensation. Some of that glow ran up Lexi’s hand and disappeared into her body. Lexi had told me previously that she was a vessel for healing but couldn’t heal without an outside source. Chamomile clearly served as the delivery system of the energy into Auggie, for the dried flowers began to sparkle, then radiate light like tiny suns. After a moment, I had to look away. But it was only for a moment. Then, the room darkened once more.
I blinked rapidly, focusing on Lexi as she wiped her hands, the chamomile having vanished. I felt a little tired from the energy Lexi had taken from me, but that was the only lingering effect I could detect.
