The office was arranged like a cozy living room, the size similar to that of the library she’d helped with though without the incredible height. Off the back was the greenhouse, and as a result the rest of the space was warm enough from the concentrated sunlight that I shrugged out of my coat. Tap reached over to take it, adding it on top of his own folded over his forearms. As I looked past him, I saw that Seir, who was last in, had propped the door open with a carved wooden cat for a doorstop.
“There are several things I’m starting off for Rylan. They haven’t yet figured out where they want the new garden. It’s difficult because it needs such special preparations but I wanted to get the seeds in soil before…”
My ears began to ring as I recognized several of the plants. Memories came in bits and flashes, panic taking hold despite my intentional slow breaths and the reassuring mental chant I started out of reflex.
This was not then, here was not there. I was fine. Nothing like that would ever happen to me again.
But it made no difference. I was not stronger than the wave of numbness that crashed over me. I glanced at Tap as my fingertips went numb and I lost all control of my muscles.
His panicked face hovered over me as I fell to the floor.
Chapter 14
Tap
The fugue state Phin had gone into at the church had been peaceful compared to whatever this was.
She’d paled, gone still, then collapsed like something had physically crashed into her. It was lucky I’d had our coats on my arm, they served to cushion her fall as I dove to reach for her.
“Phin?” I couldn’t resist calling out to her, even though I knew she couldn’t respond.
“What can I do?” Merry asked, urgency in her tone.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted.
“Let’s get her on the sofa,” she suggested.
I scooped her up, unnerved by the complete absence of her as she continued to blink and breathe, but not respond.
“This is kind of how you were, Merry,” Hailon said tensely.
“Yes, it does seem rather familiar, doesn’t it? It’s definitely no fun from that side of things, I can tell you that much. Does this happen often?”
“I’ve only seen her do this once before. It was triggered by the church bells. There are obviously none here, so I’m not sure what may have caused it. If it’s the same, she can hear us, she’s just… stuck for a bit.”
“Mmm. So very like how it was for me, then.” Shadows passed by the front windows. “Sorry, looks like I have other company, I’ll only be a moment. Hailon, could you maybe make her something to drink? I still have some of the elixir as well, it’s the pink one in the cabinet next to the stove.”
“I’ll come with you.” Seir followed Hailon out the door, leaving me and Phin in one part of the room while Merry opened her lovely stained-glass window and two huge birds came to perch on the sill. It seemed Archimedes, my brother’s black owl, and Belmont, Greta’s raven, were also making a visit.
I sat on the floor in front of the sofa and took one of Phin’s hands in mine. I angled my grip so that my first two fingers could press into the vein in her wrist, the painful flare of the bond reassured by her heartbeat steady under my fingertips.
“One of my sisters-in-law is an alchemist. I’m betting there’s a remedy of some kind she could brew up for you. She did the same for Merry when she was unwell.” Phin’s eyes blinked slowly. “We’ve got several healers in the family as well. I should have thought to ask if you wanted to be examined after having seen this happen at the church.”
Merry smiled as she approached us again, leaving the window open, the familiars watching us with interest. “Well, there’s no better place for this to have happened, I can assure you that, Phin. These folks all got a good trial run caring for me in such a state not all that long ago. I was new to this place, this life, and all the animals decided they wanted to start talking with me. Problem was, I wasn’t really prepared for it and when they all tried to do it at once … it kind of broke me for a little while.” Her smile was gentle. “I’m no stranger to being trapped inside yourself. If you want to talk to anyone about it…” She let the thought dangle and rose to help Hailon and Seir with the tea.
Phin’s fingers twitching was the first sign she was coming back to herself, the second a low groan.
“How embarrassing,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“None of that,” Merry insisted. “This is an elixir Greta made for me when things were bad,” she said, holding up the vial with shimmery pink liquid inside. “Do you want to try some?”
“I have a healing ability as well,” Hailon offered. “If it’s something I can mend, I’m happy to help.”
Phin opened and closed her mouth twice, clearly awed by the attention. “No, thank you. I don’t think any of that is necessary, but I appreciate the offer. Odd as it seems, this is pretty normal for me.”
“Well.” Merry handed over a cup of tea. “Should you change your mind.”
“Thank you.” Phin went quiet as she coddled the tea, but she had regained her coloring and otherwise seemed recovered. “The plants,” she said cryptically.
