Savine nodded. “I saw some shifters change forms near her. I shouldn’t have let anyone be there when you landed, but the eagans drew in a crowd. I’m so sorry for endangering you and Morgan.”
Avery stared at him in shock. Was he trying to get rid of her sister? Surely he knew that she’d be sensitive to the shifters. Hell, even Avery would have felt panicked if she’d seen a massive bear in that courtyard.
“You did this!” she shouted at him. “You didn’t want Morgan here, did you?”
“Avery, of course not!” Savine said, hurt in his eyes. But Avery didn’t care.
She turned to get her sister back herself and Savine reached out to stop her. She didn’t even hesitate as she struck him with a powerful green light, and Savine slumped to the ground.
She ran as fast as she could down the stairs back to where she’d last seen Morgan. Kyla and Garnel were on the stairs with some other warriors, talking in low tones as she rushed past.
“Avery! Don’t go down there!” Kyla shouted, but Avery didn’t look back. She just kept running until she reached the bottom of the stairs.
A crowd was gathered at the base of the stairs. Some were holding dead or wounded fae and others were shouting vitriol against Avery and Morgan.
The eagens were gone. There was no sign of Morgan as she began to try and push through the crowd. What if she was hurt, or even worse, dead on the ground? What if someone had taken her sister in the chaos?
Morgan didn’t even want to come to Latiah. She’d even warned Avery that this very thing could happen if she showed up in the capital city. But Avery hadn’t listened. She’d pushed past the fear that they could be in danger here, and thought only of keeping her sister close to her. But by insisting that Morgan joinher in Orofine, she’d endangered her sister in a worse way than if Morgan had stayed in Nephel.
Avery noticed the crowd moving in closer to her. As she began backing up toward the stairs and back to Savine, someone’s essence struck her, sending a shock of pain through her arm and down to her feet. The mob moved in closer as Avery tried to escape, but couldn’t move from where she stood, rooted into the ground.
Avery sent out some of her magic, knocking a few of the fae down, but others were too quick for her. She screamed as large hands grabbed her, pulling her limbs in different directions. Suddenly, she was lifted up and thrown into the air before she dropped to the ground. She heard the crack of bone as she hit the hard wooden ground, then hands were back on her, pulling and striking her. Someone punched her face as she tried to stand, then the kicking began. Avery tried to fold herself into something small, to protect herself from the attack, but there was nothing she could do to stop the assault on her. She tried to yell for help, but her voice was a whimper as someone kicked her hard in the stomach.
Suddenly, a wave of emotions came over the crowd. Avery felt it too. Cold dread coursed through her veins and the hands and feet stopped attacking her. Then an explosion of angry thorns tangled around the crowd. The fae screamed in terror, but there was nothing they could do. They were entwined in Savine’s grip and Kyla’s emotional control. She felt someone lift her gently off the ground, but couldn’t make out the face.
“Oh! Goddess help her,” the voice murmured. Rue. It was Rue who held her.
“Give her to me,” Savine growled and Avery felt her body being passed to Savine’s strong, warm arms. The bond between them sprang to life and she felt the steady beat that only his presence brought her.
She tried to look at him, but could barely make out his face.
“No, my flower, just close your eyes,” he said as he carried her back up the stairs. She felt his essence pulse into her and the pain leaked away as she drifted into a comforting oblivion.
Chapter 18
Savine
Savine sat in a chair next to his bed, Avery’s limp hand in his. She’d been in and out of consciousness since the attack two days ago, and Savine wasn’t going to leave her to wake up alone. Kyla had done what she could to set Avery’s broken wrist, but there was little they could do for the cracked ribs that damaged her frail human body.
Every time Avery breathed in, she’d wheeze and she was beginning to grow unusually hot, her body its own dry furnace.
As he listened to Avery’s labored breathing, Savine felt a chill of cold dread seep down his spine. Avery didn’t have the longlife, natural healing abilities and essence to heal her. She was only human and delicate in a way that was unheard of for the fae.
“Water,” Avery muttered from her sleep. Savine picked up an earthenware cup from the side table and tipped the contents into her mouth. Her cracked lips were temporarily moistened by the liquid and she leaned back down into the pillow.
As she laid back, Savine adjusted the furs around her. Maud, the Bayberry healer who had tended his wounds after the mountain lion shifter attacked, entered the room without knocking. He’d already told her to come in without disturbing Avery.
“May I examine her?” Maud asked. Savine nodded as he watched her pull back the furs that he’d just arranged around Avery. He held his breath as the woman lifted Avery’s nightgown. Across her abdomen was extensive bruising, as well as along her chest. The woman laid her hands on Avery’s injuries, trying again to heal Avery with her essence. The first few tries had failed, and this seemed no different. Savine watched with clenched teeth as the woman forced her essence into Avery’s body.
Finally, Maud sighed and pulled back from Avery. Savine quickly folded the blankets over Avery’s still form. “I believe there was an internal injury to her midsection and her lungs, but the injuries continue to not respond to my healing essence,” Maud said.
“What do we do next?” Savine asked, apprehension in his voice.
“We pray for the goddess to heal her,” Maud responded before excusing herself for the bathroom to wash up.
“But—“ Savine protested. “I need a second opinion. Is there anyone else?”
The woman emerged from the bathroom as she said, “I’m the only Bayberry trained healer in Orofine. Your sister has sometraining, I understand, and there are other Latian healers in Orofine. But nobody who uses their essence to heal.”
