by Tamie Dearen
“Then who closed the portal? Has Jireo discovered yet another gift?” Morvaen seemed quite pleased by this prospect.
“No, the person who sealed the portal after Jireo and I passed through was a boy from Water Clan. If I’m not mistaken, he and his brother are hiding behind those trees.”
Graely’s gaze followed the line of Charles’ extended arm to a dense thicket on the side of the clearing. “I don’t see anyone.”
Charles walked to the bushes. “You boys can come out. No one here is going to harm you.”
“What about that really huge warrior?” A small voice came from behind the foliage, which began to shake. “He never stops moving, and he always looks like he’s itching to kill someone.”
Charles grinned over his shoulder. “Morvaen won’t hurt you. I promise.”
“We’ve been following you from Portshire, but no one knew. So how did you find us? We didn’t make any noise.”
“While I was sitting across the way, I saw a rat amble over here. I thought it was odd he was out in the daytime. When he returned the way he’d come with a piece of cheese, I put two and two together. It’s okay; you’ll be safe with us.” Charles smiled as two boys emerged from their hiding place.
The shorter one punched the taller on his arm. “You see, Haegen… I told you not to feed that rat.”
*****
Jireo tried to cushion Kaevin’s head as they landed. Alora did it; she transported us. Where are we? She didn’t move us to the healing house in Montana. His heart raced, declaring Kaevin was still on the verge of death. He heard someone groan.
“Alleraen, what are you doing here? You were supposed to release Alora’s hand before she transported.”
Alleraen lifted his head, but if flopped back to the floor. “I tried, but her hold was like iron. I couldn’t pull my hand free until we landed here and she fell asleep again. Where are we? Is this the healing…” His voice trailed off.
“Alleraen? Alleraen? Are you awake?”
“Jireo? What are you doing here?” Wesley entered the room.
“Alora was supposed to transport us to the healing house. I suppose she accidentally moved us to your home instead.” Jireo placed his hand on Kaevin’s chest, willing his heart to continue beating.
Staring at the two soulmates, Wesley looked as if he’d eaten spoiled meat. “Are they… are Alora and Kaevin dead?”
“They aren’t dead, but death could come at any moment. Alora’s badly injured, and Kaevin is dying with her.”
“What about that other dude? Is he dead?”
Relief flooded Jireo when he saw Alleraen’s chest moving. “I think he simply passed out. It’s a long tale. At the moment, we must get Kaevin and Alora to a healer.”
“I could drive them to the hospital, but it’s about thirty minutes away. Dr. Sanders is probably at Beth’s house, and it’s close by. Let me call her.” Wesley picked up a flat box and tapped it with his thumbs. “What happened to Alora and Kaevin? I mean, I don’t see any blood.”
“Vindrake tortured them… mostly Alora, but they both feel it.” Jireo swallowed bile in his throat as he reached across to lift one of Alora’s arms, showing Wesley the ravaged skin.
“Oh my God!” Wesley turned his face away.
“He burned her, over and over again, on her arms. Then his shaman tried to kill them. They died, but their lifeblood returned.”
“If you don’t mind, I’ll leave out that last little detail.” Wesley held the box up to his ear. “Dr. Sanders is having a hard enough time accepting all this without talking about rising from the dead.” Wesley spoke into his box. “Hey, Beth. Is Dr. Sanders at your house right now? Yes? Great. We’ve got a little emergency….”
*****
Beth swiped at her wet face with the back of her hand. Wesley’s description of a “little emergency” hadn’t prepared her for the horrific sight of her best friend lying limp and pale against Kaevin, who appeared equally lifeless. As Dr. Sanders lifted Alora’s arms, exposing the burns—raw, red, and weeping—Beth turned her head away, gagging.
“These are second degree burns. Her heart and breathing rates are elevated, so she’s probably septic.” Dr. Sanders’ voice trembled with emotion. “I don’t even know if we’ve got time to get her to the hospital.”
“Alora can transport to the hospital,” Beth told him. “She could take you and Kaevin, and we’ll drive and meet you there.”
“But she’s too weak to transport again; we can’t even wake her up.” Jireo stayed glued to Kaevin’s side, sitting next to him on the floor, despite the offer of a comfortable spot on the couch beside Wesley.
Pacing across the back wall, Daegreth kept his distance from the others. Though Jireo had declared Daegreth was no longer a danger, he obviously felt nervous without his customary restraints. “Was it because of my maps? Was there an error in my recollection? Is that why they were caught? Is that the reason they weren’t rescued in time?” He ran his fingers through the sandy brown hair falling across his shoulders, loosed from its typical leather tie.
“No, Daegreth. Your maps were perfect. Nothing could have prevented it once Vindrake captured them.” Jireo’s words didn’t seem to comfort Daegreth, who only quickened his restless strides.
It hurt Beth’s heart to see Daegreth once again taking the blame for something he couldn’t control. “It’s not your fault, Daegreth.” She bestowed an encouraging smile, to which Daegreth blushed crimson.
“Alora’s in shock.” Dr. Sanders stripped the blood pressure cuff from her ankle, which he’d used as an alternative site to avoid the burns on her arms. His jaw was tight as he fumbled in his medical bag. “We’ve got to go to the hospital now to have any hope of saving her.”
“We have to bring Kaevin, too. Remember, A.J., they’re soulmates. They need each other to stay alive.” Beth squatted on the floor beside Dr. Sanders, staring with such intensity he was the first to avert his eyes.
Rising to his feet, Dr. Sanders offered Beth a hand, pulling her up, shuffling her off to the side and speaking in a hoarse whisper. “I’m sorry, Beth. You need to know they may not make it.”
Something hard and tight cut off the air to Beth’s throat. “No, don’t say that. You’re a doctor; you have to save them.”
His only answer was a squeeze to Beth’s shoulder. Turning, he addressed Jireo. “Can you get Kaevin to the car? Maybe someone else can carry Alora. I’m going to request an ambulance, so they can meet us half-way.” He pulled out his cell phone, striding from the room to make the call.
“Daegreth and I can carry them to the car. Right, Daegreth?” Wesley jumped up from the couch.
“Yes. I can finally use my gift for good.” Daegreth’s face lit up like he’d won the lottery.
“They won’t live. Kaevin’s time is short.” Jireo’s voice was filled with agony.
“Wait… I can give her more strength.” A weak voice called out.
The auburn-haired man had woken up. Beth didn’t even know his name—only that he was Vindrake’s brother, but he was on their side.
“No, Alleraen,” Jireo answered. “Twice already you’ve given your strength. You must have reached your limit.”
“I’m not dead yet; I have more to give. Alora’s life is more important than mine.”
“What are you talking about? If we can give her strength to stay alive, let me do it. I’ve got plenty.” Beth hurried to kneel beside Alora. “What do I need to do?”
Alleraen crawled to reach Alora, pushing Beth aside. He spit into his palm before grasping Alora’s hand. “You must be a blood relative to give strength. I’m her uncle, so I’m the only one here with the ability.”
Alleraen closed his eyes, and a moment later, Alora’s body began to shake. Her lips moved with moaning noises and a few intelligible words. “Kaevin… sorry… it hurts…” Alleraen collapsed in a boneless heap across Alora’s legs.
“Get him away from her!” Jireo shouted as he jumped to tug at Alleraen’s heavy
body. With Wesley and Daegreth’s aid, he pulled Alleraen to the side.
“Is he alive?” asked Wesley.
Beth bent to check his neck for a pulse. “His heart’s still beating, but it’s slow. I can see him breathing, at least for now.”
“He hasn’t enough strength left to bring Alora fully back to consciousness.” Jireo moved back to kneel beside Kaevin, hopelessness written in the slump of his shoulders. “We’re too late. I can feel Kaevin’s death coming.”
“What about Raelene? She’s a blood-relative, right? Couldn’t she give strength?” Beth asked.
“I believe Raelene could give Alora strength, just as Alleraen has, if she were here. But Raelene’s gone to Glaenshire to comb the Craedenza for information about soulmates.” Jireo looked up with tears streaking his face. “I fear Alora’s grandmother has wasted her time and efforts, for Alora and Kaevin will surely die before we can travel to the healing house.”
“Grandmother,” Alora mumbled.
*****
At the end of the second day of travel, Raelene was concerned about Bardamen’s continued brooding. They shared a meal of cheese and bread while sitting side-by-side on a log, and Bardamen’s only contribution to the conversation was an occasional noncommittal murmur.
“The clouds are blocking the moonlight tonight. It’s quite dark despite the full moon, isn’t it?” Raelene tried to prompt a response.
“Umm-hmm.”
I don’t think he’s even listening to me. “I think you should sleep with the horses tonight.”
“Umm-hmm.”
“Perhaps my mare is your soulmate. Have you considered that possibility?”
“Umm-hmm.”
“She told me she thinks you’re attractive. Do you feel the same?”
“Umm-hmm.”
“Then it’s settled, Bardamen.” She pounded him on the back. “Congratulations! I’m glad you’ve found a suitable girl to marry.”
Bardamen choked on his bread, turning his head to stare at her with wide eyes. “A suitable girl to marry? Are you speaking of Meravelle? She’s completely unacceptable. She doesn’t meet any of the qualifications. Well… perhaps she meets a few. She’s from another clan. And I suppose some men might consider her pretty, in an unusual sort of way.
“I’d never be attracted to her, of course. She’s much too short, and her eyes are almost too big. Her lashes are so long, they’re a bit distracting, and her hair is quite unruly—terribly curly. With that soft skin she has, I’m certain she couldn’t walk more than a few steps in a forest without being injured by some stray twig.
“Even if her physical appearance were acceptable, I wouldn’t be interested in marrying her. She’s much too arrogant and generally disagreeable. No, she’s not suitable in the least. I can’t even imagine why you’d make the suggestion.” He flung his open palm in the air for emphasis.
Raelene gave her head a shake and blinked, realizing she’d stopped in mid-bite, her hand poised with a chunk of cheese close to her lips.
“Pardon me, Bardamen. I can certainly see why you wouldn’t want to marry Meravelle. She’d be too much of a challenge for you.”
“Yes, exactly… Wait. What do you mean, ‘too much of a challenge’?”
“Only that you wanted someone sweet and submissive. I can see why you’d prefer that, though I’d find it a bit boring myself. Yet you’re correct… being married to Meravelle would be too stimulating for you. We’ll continue to search for a more dull and docile candidate.”
“Right.” Bardamen sounded uncertain. “Dull and docile…”
Raelene hid her smile as she turned her attention back to her cheese. But when the log, which had been her seat, suddenly disappeared, she lost her balance and tumbled to the ground, crying out as the cheese and bread slipped from her fingers. The forest floor vanished, replaced by a hard wood surface.
Where am I? What happened? Then her eyes fell on a shocking sight.
Alora.
*****
An agonizing consciousness drew Alora from her serene black well. She fought it, struggling against the persistent awakening pulling her back into awareness and pain.
“Alora. Alora, wake up.”
“Grandmother?” She heard Raelene’s voice, but it must be a dream.
“I need you awake, Alora. That’s right, open your eyes. Don’t you want to save Kaevin?”
“Hospital… We need to go…”
“No! No, Alora! Don’t transport! You’ll take too much from your soulmate bond. Right now, I only need you to accept my strength.”
“The burns hurt so much, and I feel so weak. My head is pounding so hard I can’t keep my eyes open.”
“This is ridiculous! We’re wasting time. We should be on the way to the hospital right now.” A man’s harsh voice spoke from somewhere in the room—a familiar voice—but Alora was too tired to identify him.
“We’ll leave the moment they’re both strong enough to survive the journey.” Grandmother’s terse reply came through tight lips. She turned her gaze back to Alora.
“I’m going to give you a bit more strength, Alora. You need to put that strength into your soulmate bond. I’ve learned much in my studies… too much to explain at the moment. But I know you must somehow isolate yourself from all your hurt and pain. Remove yourself from your senses. Build a wall around your emotions. Think only of your soulmate. Kiss him. Kiss him as if your kiss is the only thing that will save his life… because it is.”
Too weak to answer with words, Alora nodded, though the task seemed impossible. I don’t even have the strength to move. How can I shut out the pain if I’m awake? She felt her grandmother’s gentle touch on her hand. A surge of energy rushed through her veins, along with a renewed clarity of mind and an acute awareness of the ravaged nerve endings in her arms. She felt as if her skin was being branded afresh. A cry escaped her lips and she curled against the agony.
“No, Alora. Don’t listen to the pain. Shut your ears against it.”
“I can’t,” she gasped.
“You can. You have a gift called empathy. You can open and close yourself to pain, both your own and that of others. You can choose to feel it, or share it, or turn it off.”
“I can’t. You don’t understand how much it hurts.”
“I’m starting to feel it. You’re sending it to me.”
Alora could sense her grandmother’s anxiety, and she felt even more desperate as she tried to ignore the pain.
“Alora, you can do this. You’ve always been able to do it, ever since I’ve known you.” Beth’s face appeared in her vision as she knelt beside her. “Remember when we would have those pinching contests? You always won… you never even flinched. You totally ignored the pain.”
“But I could only do it in the snow. I would hold snow in one hand and concentrate on the cold. Then the pinch would go away.”
“Of course! Snow. Water. She gets her power from water.” Grandmother leapt to her feet. “Is there snow on the ground?”
“I’ve got something that might work.” Wesley’s voice receded from the room, returning a few seconds later. “Here… put this in her hand.”
Alora felt something cold in her hand. An ice cube. She squeezed tight, concentrating on the stinging cold.
The searing agony of her burns vanished. She lifted her arms, staring in amazement at the raw, oozing skin. “It’s gone! It doesn’t hurt at all! Nothing. Not my arms. Not my hand. Not even my head.”
A cheer went up in the room, and she smiled, noticing for the first time, she was in Wesley’s house. Did I transport us here?
“Alora.” She turned toward the voice. Jireo sat on the floor on the other side of Kaevin, with red, swollen eyes and tears on his face. “Kaevin’s still dying. You’re both dying.”
“Kiss him, Alora.” Grandmother touched the outside of her ice-filled hand, and she felt another rush of energy, this time without the accompanying pain.
This is awkward. “Would everybody mind
closing your eyes while I kiss him? I don’t really like being watched.”
“No, I’m not closing my eyes while you kiss,” Dr. Sanders huffed. “We need to go to the hospital now. The ambulance is going to be all the way here by the time we get you out to the car. We’ve wasted enough time.” Dr. Sanders gestured with exasperation.
Alora suppressed the urge to laugh at his big-bad-wolf countenance. Everything seemed funny since she was pain-free.
“Come on, A.J.” Beth tugged on Dr. Sanders’ arm, turning him until he faced the other direction. “This is important. You just don’t understand it yet.”
Jireo was the only one still watching, but his obvious misery reminded Alora the kiss was about saving their lives, not a romantic encounter. Supporting her weight on one elbow, she leaned over, pressing her lips to Kaevin’s.
After what seemed like an hour, but was probably sixty seconds, Kaevin’s lips responded to hers. His eyes opened and his hand cupped her face. He kissed her back. Like he meant it.
“Alora, what happened? You’re healed?” The happiness in his eyes transformed to confusion as his gaze dropped to her arms.
“Everything’s great now. I don’t hurt any more.” She collapsed back on the floor, exhausted but full of joy. “My head doesn’t even hurt. Does yours?”
“Just a little. It’s much better.” A relieved smile lit up his face, and Alora admired the cute dimples she’d thought she would never see again.
“Nothing has changed. His death is still coming.” Jireo sobbed the words into his fist.
“Alora hasn’t been healed,” Raelene explained. “She’s using her gift of empathy to mask her pain. The strength I gave her didn’t alter her physical condition. It only gave her the energy to remain conscious for a bit.”
“So, it’s like you got a shot of morphine and a shot of adrenaline,” Beth clarified. “You still need to be treated at the hospital for your burns. A.J. said you’re septic.” Beth glanced at Dr. Sanders, who was pacing and fuming, muttering under his breath.
