Solace

by Bethany Adams

  Before Lial, Lynia hadn’t spent a great deal of time around healers. Now, though, she’d not only experienced Lial’s method of healing firsthand, but she’d seen how Maddy’s and Tynan’s contrasted with it. None of the three had the same feel. While all magic users had a hint of uniqueness, she hadn’t encountered such a strong difference in other fields.

  “How did Elan drain Lial’s power earlier?” she asked.

  Tynan’s gaze turned down to the patient in question. “Lial was able to lower his shields while still conscious and was already somewhat depleted. When I spoke to Elan downstairs, he said he was able to convert a little of Lial’s magic to use on Caeleth, but not much. Unfortunately, Lial regenerates faster than Elan can absorb, and I fear I won’t fare much better. It’s no wonder he is able to serve an entire huge estate on his own. I would stay drained much longer.”

  She hadn’t realized that Lial regained energy faster than usual, but it made sense. Of course, that meant one of his greatest strengths had become his greatest weakness. With each moment that passed, his power rebounded, providing fuel for the virus that would ravage him. What else could they do until the potion was complete?

  “You said a blood relative could share energy,” she pondered aloud. “But could they absorb and dispel—”

  “I’ll do it.”

  At the imperious voice, Lynia flinched in surprise, but the shock lasted only a heartbeat. She should have known that Ralan would intervene. But when she glanced toward the top of the stairs and the prince who had emerged from below, another unexpected sight met her gaze—Meli came to a halt beside him. In her hands, a clear crystal globe gleamed in the midday light.

  “Or more accurately, we will,” Ralan said, gesturing toward Meli.

  “You risk much to come here.” Lynia couldn’t help but think of Lyr as she stared at Meli. If his soulbonded became infected, they could both be lost. “We aren’t certain this is only bloodborne.”

  Usually shy Meli lifted her chin almost defiantly. “Lial saved Lyr’s life, probably more times than I’ve heard. I will not let him die without trying to help.”

  Lynia’s throat clogged with tears, and she nodded.

  “Kai gave me this.” Meli raised the globe a touch higher. “A crystal he earned acting as guide. Arlyn wanted to offer her steel sword, but Lyr mentioned that Lial isn’t allergic to the iron. Too bad we couldn’t have drained his power by placing it beside him.”

  On any given day, Lial probably thought his actions mattered little, but this was evidence to the contrary. That they would all come together like this… Lynia took a deep breath, stuffing her emotions down as best she could. Then she rose to her feet, prepared to shift out of their way.

  “Where should I move?” she asked.

  Ralan shrugged. “You needn’t go far. We’re keeping our distance as much as possible.” His gaze caught on the camahr as he and Meli approached. “Ah, good. I was hoping the kit would choose him.”

  Lynia might have asked anyone else what they meant—but not Ralan. Instead, she inclined her head in acknowledgement and concentrated on sliding her chair nearer to the head of the bed. She could remain close, but she wouldn’t be in the way of the energy transfer. Provided the two could make it work.

  “Even with a blood connection, drawing out a person’s magic is a difficult task,” Tynan said, voicing the doubts she tried not to consider. “And I am uncertain how Lady Meli might be of aid.”

  “I’m a Diviner,” Meli said softly. “I don’t have much magic, but I can channel it. I’ve been working with Selia on ways to use that skill beyond my runes.”

  Lynia’s brows rose. “Really? I thought a Diviner helped discover paths. The way to a lost object or person. That sort of thing.”

  “Directing energy is its own sort of path-making.” Meli smiled. “So I’ve discovered.”

  Lynia’s skin prickled with nerves as Ralan ordered Tynan to go below and then moved to a spot a couple of arms’ lengths from the bed, Meli to his left. This wasn’t a natural exchange. For good reason. If it could commonly be done, then wars and conflicts would become a true power struggle.

  As Ralan’s eyes slipped closed, hers did the same. She found the dormant connection to Lial and prepared herself to soothe him if the process became too terrible. She owed him much, herself. Like Lyr, Kai, and so many others, Lial had saved her. Not just after her fall in the library, either. He’d kept her from going insane from grief after the abrupt shattering of her bond.

  At once, the memory she’d tried to grasp earlier came clear.

  When Lial had held her beside Eradisel, she’d recalled how he’d spoken into her thoughts during those dark and terrible days after Telien’s death, but she hadn’t considered the extent of the connection that might have formed. But it was clear now. The quiet link between them, the deep whispers into the subconscious—it must have been built in those countless marks of time.

  She couldn’t remember much of what he’d said, but it hadn’t mattered. From mundane descriptions of the weather to reminders of the life she would leave behind, he’d clearly told her anything to keep her from falling into the darkness. She could do the same for him.

  The ring he’d given her might augment their range, but their connection needed no help with its depth—a boon she wouldn’t hesitate to use.

  Moment by moment, the pain crept higher. Slowly. So slowly his awareness of it faded for a time as a familiar surge of energy sent him back into darkness. But the blissful night didn’t last for long. The relentless ache drew him ever closer to a light he didn’t want to see.

  He had to find the cause. If he was injured, he could repair the wound. As he’d always done, aside from the pain of losing Aralee. But he didn’t have another bond to break. This couldn’t be the same.

  It wasn’t from Lynia. She’d whispered to him earlier, and if he tried, he could sense her presence. What had she said? Not to heal himself? Impossible. The instinct to draw upon his power stung nearly as sharply as the pain in his blood. How could he ignore what was integral to himself?

  He reached for his magic, but before he could connect, his body seized. No. Froze.

  “You will not.”

  Ralan. The drec. Gods, he hated when his cousin broke into his thoughts without permission. “Leave me alone.”

  “I need to drain your energy,” Ralan said. “If you want to survive.”

  Panic beat his heart against his ribs in a sudden surge. “I never thought our arguments would lead to this treachery, cousin.”

  “No treachery.” Ralan’s mental voice was maddeningly calm. Had he lost his sanity like his brother Kien? “And no, I have not. I’ll yell at you for that insult later, when you’re not so far gone. It’s the virus, remember? The illness you caught from Caeleth? Healing magic strengthens it.”

  Lial’s memory returned in a rush, but it didn’t ease the panic clawing at his very nerves. He hadn’t felt this terrified since he’d almost failed to save Lynia. “I opened my shields for Elan to do this. What happened? I shouldn’t be conscious.”

  “You’re too strong for him to keep you under.” A hint of dark humor entered Ralan’s tone. “Don’t worry. I’ll have no trouble. But you’re regenerating faster than poor Elan can handle. I’ll have an easier time of it since we’re related.”

  Despite everything, Lial hesitated. He and Ralan had never been friends, but they hadn’t been enemies, either. There was no reason for his cousin to lead him astray. But. This was his power. The very heart of him. Elan never could have pulled enough for true harm, but Ralan? If he’d discovered a way to leech power, nothing would stop him if he wanted to take control of Lial’s mind and drain him to nothing.

  “You might not believe this,” Ralan said. “But I have great love and respect for you, even if I don’t always like you. I will do my best to make certain you live.”

  If his cousin had pretended unswerving amity, Lial would have fought. Even if I don’t always like you. That, though, d
escribed their cantankerous relationship well enough that he found himself relaxing against the mattress. He didn’t always like Ralan, either, but he would fight hard to save him if their positions were reversed. Such was the odd way of family.

  “I will do my best to cooperate.” A wave of dizziness swelled, threatening to muddle his thoughts once more. “Take control of my mind if you must. But only if you must.”

  There was a fair chance this was going to hurt. A Felshreh could take another’s energy without pain, but Ralan was hardly that, at least not close enough on the family tree to matter. That ancestor was entirely too far back. Too bad. Would’ve been handy. Except it would require a blood transfer, which would spread the disease. How did a Felshreh process any viruses they might encounter in human blood? Though this was clearly different since it could affect fae. And Fen had been infected with a similar—

  “Focus,” Ralan snapped. “Send me what you can. Then I’ll take over.”

  Right. The transfer.

  Lial reached for his power, but he had to stop almost at once. “Can’t. The urge to heal myself…”

  Ralan’s deep mental sigh was his only answer.

  Then the true pain began.

  Chapter 42

  Though the energy itself wasn’t visible, there was no doubt when the transfer began. Lial’s shoulder twitched violently beneath her fingers. Then his muscles tensed like rock, and a moan vibrated from low in his throat. Shock and pain leaked through their mental link until she considered whether she should keep the connection open.

  Of course, she would. She kept her hand steady on his shoulder in case he could sense her reassurance.

  Lynia barely noticed the light flaring in the globe between Meli’s hands. Instead of considering that, she delved deep, brushing her thoughts against Lial’s. Lightly at first. Then farther, until his pain became her own. If there was one thing she understood, it was mental anguish.

  “Relax, my love,” she whispered, gentling her mental voice. “If you can. Help send your power instead of fighting the draw.”

  She didn’t expect him to answer, but he did. “I’m trying. It’s unnatural.”

  Perhaps she could distract him from it? “I believe I’ve decided what to do about our relationship.”

  His breath hissed out. “Lyni. Now? I cannot bear more than this.”

  Did he think she was going to reject him? Idiot. “I hardly intend to work so hard to save you, only to let you slip away from me later. Grumpy you may be, but you’re my grump.”

  Lial relaxed a little at that. “Be careful. The more I care, the more protective I can be. I annoy everyone I love.”

  “Meli is here, you know. Channeling your power into a crystal donated by Kai.” Lynia swallowed back a surge of tears. “Aris is below, ready to offer assistance. All people you have helped. They give back out of love. Don’t underestimate yourself.”

  “Even so—”

  “Did you know there’s a camahr draped across your legs?”

  There was a moment of stunned silence. “What?”

  “It was here when I came in,” Lynia explained. “No one is certain how it got in, but it appears to have chosen you.”

  Pain still lingered around the edges of their connection, but it was somehow more distant, like a tone they’d grown accustomed to hearing. Perhaps it was a reflection of Lial’s distraction or a sign that her methods were working. But he wouldn’t process this latest news for long. What else could she say to keep his focus?

  “I wonder where we should live,” Lynia finally mused. “This place isn’t very private, even with the ability to seal off the stairs. If we have children… You did say you would be willing to give me children, didn’t you?”

  “Truly, Lyni, you must work on your timing. It is not an opportune moment for me to think about those possibilities,” he answered, his mental voice gruff with annoyance. “But yes. I would be happy to have as many children as we may. You’re correct that this is not the place to raise them, however. Even if I move to your room in the main building, it will grow quickly crowded there.”

  Another voice broke into their conversation. “I have an idea about that.”

  “Ralan…” Lial began.

  “A healer’s enclave linking Braelyn and the lands of the new palace would be an excellent thing to have,” Ralan said calmly. Unperturbed as ever. “It will need a lead healer, and a researcher would not go amiss, either. As we have learned.”

  Lynia had to admit the idea intrigued her, but she couldn’t tell what Lial thought based on his snarled answer. “Get out of my thoughts, cousin. This is a private conversation.”

  A light laugh sounded. “Think on it.”

  While Lial stewed, their connection growing murky with his distraction, Lynia considered what Ralan had said. The idea held many possibilities—but also questions. A healer’s enclave between the two lands meant that it could fall under the dominion of either. Would that leave Lial under the direct command of the palace once more? Considering his past, he would not be fond of that result. Of course, the enclave could end up under Lyr’s control. It might even end up as its own sub-branch like Oria.

  “I’m not sure I trust my cousin’s intentions in this regard,” Lial said, the mental link returning to focus. “But I suppose I’ll have to live to consider it. You’ll think on it, too?”

  “Of course.”

  His pain began to ebb, at least where Lynia could detect it. A moment later, the light around Meli flickered, drawing her attention. The globe swirled with blue, and a soft glow emanated from it, the flickers settling into a steady throb. It was beautiful. Mesmerizing. Lynia had to pull her gaze away from the draw of Lial’s soothing power.

  “I believe Ralan is going to send you into a deep sleep soon,” Lynia sent. “But if you should wake, call for me. I’ll hear.”

  His reply was slow and sluggish, no doubt because of the energy loss. “I will. I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” Lynia replied, no hesitation this time. And never again. “I’ll be just downstairs, working on the potion.”

  Lial gave the barest nod, and she couldn’t resist stroking her hand through his hair in a comforting sweep. Then as Ralan forced him under, Lynia stood, a new determination filling her. They had a few marks before the new batch was done, and she wouldn’t waste them.

  She approached Ralan and Meli, who stared down into the blue crystal globe in wonder. Too much wonder, truthfully. “Meli?”

  “It’s beautiful,” the other woman whispered. “So much peace…”

  Clechtan. There was a peaceful aura surrounding the stone, a type of soothing wonder she had only felt in healing sessions—which Lial’s patients hated to leave. Would Meli get caught up in this magic the way she did her runes? They might have considered such a possibility if time hadn’t been so short.

  “May I?” Lynia asked, although she was tempted to tug the stone free without warning. But that could have terrible results if the spell channeling Lial’s energy hadn’t been closed.

  Meli blinked a few times before jerking her gaze to Lynia. “Oh. Ah…sure.”

  Lynia braced herself, but she still wasn’t prepared for the impact of the energy that hit her as she took the smooth, warm stone from the other woman’s hands. For a moment, she could only stand there, frozen by the embrace of Lial’s energy as it resonated against every memory—good and bad—that she had of him.

  The dark days after Telien’s death, the pain barely relieved by the comfort of Lial’s magic as he spoke into her mind. Those precious minutes after her fall, when she’d been so close to slipping away, and the agony that followed before his magic slipped in to numb her injuries. Those were undoubtedly the bad, despite the soft moments within them.

  But there had been times not owned by pain. The shallow cut he’d wasted time healing after she’d stopped to pluck a late summer flower. The countless sessions he’d done on her spine as she regained strength, speeding the process when he didn’t ha
ve to. Even the night before, when her back had twinged while they’d made love, and he’d soothed her pain even amidst his own pleasure.

  So many moments of giving.

  Well. She wasn’t going to save him by soaking up this pale remnant of him, was she? The sphere was amazing, but it couldn’t compare to Lial himself. Resolute, Lynia marched over to the cabinet and opened the door. He’d used silk to insulate the steel sword Arlyn had brought from Earth. Surely that wasn’t the only piece—Yes, there. She claimed a silk scarf and wrapped it around the globe before settling the bundle into a leather satchel in the base of the cabinet.

  “Would you see if Selia has a better way to insulate this kind of object? I don’t know what Lial will do with this when he’s healed, but there has to be a more elegant solution than a sack.” She glanced at Ralan and Meli as she closed the cabinet. “I have work to do.”

  Meli nodded. “Something more secure is certainly needed. If an artifact of such power is discovered, I can’t imagine it would be good. Especially if it is as uncommon as Tynan claims.”

  “Thank you, Meli,” Lynia said. “That will be a great help. Now truly, you both should leave. Isolate yourselves until Lial is well enough to check you or Maddy returns to verify. Tynan is still learning to detect this virus, and I would not see any others put at risk.”

  “As you command.” Ralan flashed her a quick smile. “I do hope you and Lial will consider running the healer’s enclave. You would both be perfect for the task.”

  Lynia wasn’t positive that he meant the statement as a compliment, at least not entirely, but she didn’t care. To her mind, it was no bad thing to be assertive with a cause. And when it came to fending off unreasonable demands or reminding people of their proper course, she had no qualms about issuing directives.

  It was a relief after the two decades she’d spent in the fog of mourning. For the first time in years, she felt like herself—and it was glorious.