The young healer’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, and her body remained rigid.
“Naomi,” the old woman said firmly. “Take the needle.”
I slowed my breathing as Naomi’s brows deepened further, her eyes darkening in distrust.Breathe. I could not unleash myself on these people.
Naomi snatched the needle from my hand and turned to face my brother again, her shoulders stiff.
I held Aeriden’s hand, murmuring in his ear as they worked their magic and injected the potion into his leg. Sweat dripped from his brow and off his thick, black hair. Blood spiderwebbed with the dark green poison as it pooled on the worktable, rivers of the rancid liquid slowly dribbling off its edge.
At some point, Raek had left. I wasn’t sure where he’d gone, and I didn’t really care—not with my brother’s life on the line.
Mother Eghan finally straightened, wiping the back of her freckled hand against her brow and letting out a long sigh.
“He needs rest,” she murmured, patting her hands up Aeriden’s side to his chest and neck, feeling for a pulse. She waited a moment before giving a firm nod.
“We’ll move him to the east wing. Get Raek,” she instructed Naomi.
“I can do it,” I cut in. “Just show me where.” I gently slid my hand under Aeriden’s thighs as I gripped beneath his shoulders and straightened, the weight of my soldier brother barely fazing my new elven muscles.
Mother Eghan seemed to track the movement before she turned and murmured, “This way.”
Running water splashed in the wash basin from behind us as Naomi began to clean up, and I followed Mother Eghan through the now bright healing quarters into a softly lit hall, where a line of white doors awaited. She pushed through the first, holding the door open as I took Aeriden inside and lay him gently on a clean bed of linens.
“A Sultiranelf,” Mother Eghan mused as she stood by the doorway with her arms crossed.
I tensed, unsure what reaction awaited me.
She chuckled after a moment before shaking her head. “I wish my eyes were working. I could say I’ve seen it all…”
I released a breath. “Thank you,” I murmured. “I will repay you however I can.”
“We do not heal for payment here,” she replied. “We do it because we can. Those of us who are blessed with these gifts must put them to use. That is our duty. I suspect you know something of that.”
I looked back at the old healer and scanned the spattering of freckles dotting her high cheekbones and small nose.
“I do,” I murmured. “Will he be okay?”
Mother Eghan pursed her lips, the frown lines deepening in her light skin. “I am hopeful, but who am I to say? We’ve given him his best chance. Life will bring people into your world and take them away in unexpected ways. It’s best to remember there’s usually a reason for it, though you may never find out why.”
My stomach pitched at the suggestion in her words, but something deep within my mind nagged at me, as if a small candle had been lit. My brows furrowed.He had to be okay.
A door in the distance swung open, and Honor warmed against my ankle. A pot dropped in the washbasin, and Naomi’sconcerned voice echoed from the healing quarters and down the hall to where we sat. Boots thumped across the stone floor in confident steps.I would never get used to this new hearing.
Mother Eghan let out an exasperated scoff and turned swiftly on her heels and marched down the hall back to the healer’s room with her hands bunched into fists on her hips. Something told me to hurry after her, and I popped to my feet.
The doors to the healer’s room swung open, and she rounded on Kellan, a wave of icy anger riding her squat form.
“A Sultiran Rising!” she shouted, jabbing her finger in the direction of the pirate lord.
Kellan’s wide eyes found mine, sliding quickly up and down my form before returning them to the old healer.
Naomi hovered behind him, a hand reaching for his elbow as her eyes skipped between Kellan and the old healer, who had suddenly become incredibly angry.
Mother Eghan slid her driftwood staff quickly back and forth as she stalked toward Kellan, who had finally stopped.
“Joining a Sultiran Rising!” Mother Eghan repeated in an exasperated huff. “Killing three of the Marisarma Lords! And then back to Sultira to fightsomeone else’s war! And where have you been since then?KAYJ?With nothing but a pathetic note delivered by none other than the first mate of the pirate lord you betrayed. What in the gods’ names, Kellan Alexander Astraeus, have you gotten yourself into!?”
Kellan’s raised hands fell to his side as his eyes softened on the old woman before him.
