“Almost there.” I worked the salve into every crevice where the Devil’s Breath had touched. The flames began to retract, rising to the surface of her skin rather than burrowing deeper. “Good girl. Good girl.”
“Foster? He’s still—” she started, trying to look over at the wolf.
“Ko’s got him. Focus on keeping still.”
Layer Two: Purification Flush. Cleanse the wound. I reached for the Holy water, uncorking the bottle with my teeth.
“This will sting,” I warned, “but only for a moment.”
I tipped the bottle, letting just a trickle flow over her affected fingertips. It sizzled and sent up small wisps of black smoke, and Seri shivered, but again stayed silent. The Holy water ensured no diabolical influence lingered, not even a trace.
“Foster’s stabilizing,” Koa called. “But his temp’s still climbing. I need the Holy water.”
“Ice packs at his armpits and groin,” I instructed without looking up. “Zane, take the bottle over to Ko. I’m done with it.”
Layer Three: Surface Burn Treatment. Repair the physical damage.
For this, I used one of the ointments from Angelo del Vecchio’s family magic shop, a rare concoction that cost me three of my own recipes in trade. Well worth it. I used a cotton swab to gently coat her fingers with the pearlescent cream.
“This feels cool. Nice,” Seri murmured, some of the tension leaving her face as the ointment began to work.
“It should. It’s drawing the heat out, repairing the physical burns.” I watched with satisfaction as the angry red blisters began to fade before my eyes. “Angelo said his family has been making this for seven generations.”
Layer Four: Containment Wraps. Seal the spirit-body connection.
For Seri, I chose a Spiritbind gauze. Faerie-made, light as air, and expensive as hell, but it reinforced the body-mind-soul connection that the Devil’s Breath tried to sever.
As I finished the last wrap, Seri’s eyes began to droop. The adrenaline crash combined with the healing magic in the bandages was pulling her under.
Andwe’d worn her out in bed before she ever rode to Foster’s rescue.
“Rest.” I brushed a curl away from her forehead. “The salve will continue working while you sleep.”
She nodded, already half-gone, curling onto her side in a little huddle. Her wrapped hand rested near her face, the bandages glowing with a faint, ethereal light as they calmed her soul.
I pressed a kiss to her forehead, then, without thinking, to her bandaged fingers. The gesture was automatic, instinctive, and it sent me flying back to her first days with us, when I’d treated the infected cut on her arm.
“There.” My lips had brushed the white gauze quickly as I felt like a fool. “Now it will heal faster.”
“Because of the kiss?” Seri had stared at the bandage.
“Because I cleaned it out and applied antiseptic,” I’d replied, confused by her question, and a breathy laugh had escaped her.
“I’d rather believe it’s your kiss.”
Behind me, Foster let out another whine, drawing me back to the present. I turned to find my brothers had the wolf immobilized, wrapped in moonstone-infused bandages that glowed with pale light.
“He’s not showing any signs of waking,” Ko reported as he stood. “His wolf’s still unresponsive.”
“Not surprising.” I moved to their side to inspect their work. “His wolf’s been comatose for as long as we’ve known him. Trauma response, best I can tell.”
“Move him to the cot now?” Ko asked.
“If he shifts back to human, but he’s comfortable enough and stable, so just leave him.”
I did another check on Seri. Her breathing had evened out, her face relaxed in sleep.
Good. The best medicine for the Devil’s Breath was rest while the countermeasures worked.
