After giving Zora the command to stay and guard, Rodric approached Celina, who was standing very still and silent. Reaching out, he ran his fingers down the side of her face in a gentle caress. Blinking back tears, she looked at him desolately.
“One thing at a time. It will be okay,” he said quietly so that only she would hear.
Sucking in a deep breath, she nodded, the vulnerable look disappearing. The professional healer’s look replaced it, and her shoulders stiffened as she turned in the direction Connor had indicated. Rodric followed, wishing he could pull her back and hold her while she processed the emotional maelstrom.
A slightly offset shadow in the tree line on the cliffside caught his eye as he walked, causing a few of the knots lingering in his gut to loosen. Seeing evidence that Sev and Cass were nearby as planned lightened the weight he still felt to a more bearable level. He made a near invisible gesture as he passed the shadow, asking them to continue guarding a while longer.
Pausing outside the house, Rodric shifted so that Connor’s focus would be on them, in the opposite direction of the tree line. Though he was ready to make peace with the warrior, he wasn’t about to let his guard down completely.
Seatedinawell-craftedchair near a warm fire, Rodric assessed the living space of the mountain home. Rock walls rose much higher than he would have expected from looking at the outside.
There was a surprising amount of light filtering in from slanted, crosshatched openings in the ceiling and huge windowed spaces in the side walls. It was an oddly appealing design, with almost everything highlighting the natural form of the mountain.
No amount of soothing natural elements could dispel the tension in the room.
Celina’s fingers were curled tightly into the palms of her hands. Connor sat across from them, back rigid and jaw tense.
He looked at his sister for a moment before shifting his focus to Rodric. “Start talking.”
“Is it safe to discuss things openly?”
“There are no other people here, and I trust Daya completely, for what that’s worth to you.”
No people, but there were predatory threats. More than the hawks? Did the huntress control any other animals? He glanced at Celina, who nodded her assessment that they should continue the conversation. Even with his mind injured, she believed in Connor’s strength of character. It was enough for him to go on.
Rodric briefly explained the situation, emphasizing the need for Connor’s unique knowledge and skill set to find and rescue Brenna.
“If what Celina says is true, then it is likely I could have helped you, before. Now though…” Connor gave them a pained look and shook his head. “I’m injured, weak, and have very few memories. The ones I have are mere shadows. Anything I learned or knew that could help you is buried. Even then, I’m not much use in combat at present.”
“I can help you with that.” Celina sat forward earnestly. “I can speed up your healing. A few days and you’ll be back to normal.”
“And my memories?” Connor asked.
“Boosting your natural ability should catapult you the rest of the way and enable your mind to recover fully. At least, that’s my hope. What happened, exactly? Do you remember any of it?”
“Not really, no,” Connor said. Exhaustion lined his features and weighted his voice. “Loud noises, fighting. Thinking I needed to save… someone. Daya found me, brought me here. I’ve been recovering, but it's been slow. Well… normal, not slow, I guess.” He frowned, looking at Celina. Probably wondering why he thought normal healing was so slow.
Celina grasped Rodric’s hand, twining their fingers together. Declaring his mission as her own. As theirs. His heart beat faster, a light, airy feeling weaving through him, warming him from the inside.
“We need your help. Rodric’s soul-daughter is in danger. We can’t wait for you to heal naturally. Please, let me try?”
Connor nodded. “What should I do?”
Rodric breathed a silent sigh of relief and squeezed Celina’s hand. The first of their unexpected challenges—getting Connor to agree to the healing—was overcome. Now, they needed his memories back.
“Nothing, just sit there and relax.” She held out her hand across the space between them, and he took it.
She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing. He could swear he felt her pushing her magic out to Connor. His magic stirred in response to her actions, swirling vividly. Rodric hovered with her like a shadow, not really seeing, but feeling her magic build and release. It was entrancing, really. Time slowed.
Green, gold, and brown trees blurred as he ran past them, stumbling over roots that grew above ground. He had to get a little farther. It was the only way. Shouts and screams echoed in his head as footsteps echoed behind him. He tightened his grip on his sword, but the blood leaking down his arm made it too slick to get a good purchase. Cursing, he moved the weapon to his other hand.
The scene broke apart as Celina jolted, and Connor gave a ravaged cry. Rodric shook his head, blinking to clear the imagery from his mind.
“Connor!” Celina gasped, reaching forward to help her brother.
“No!” The word was choked out as he flinched back from her touch.
Rodric rose with Celina immediately, then paused, not sure how to help the man in such severe pain before him.
