by Kaylin Lee
I released my breath and felt the tightness in my chest ease. The magic in my hand dribbled to the ground.
“Alba! Come now! I’ve waited long enough, mage.” Her tone was hard, her words short and choppy, all trace of persuasiveness gone. “Show yourself. Don’t be foolish. You’ve already lost. I’ve found you.”
Dirt drifted down from the cave’s ceiling, on the side opposite the tunnel entrance. She was walking over me, walking away from the tunnel’s entrance. No, she hadn’t found me at all.
“Oh, fine. I’ll speak plainly.” Her tone was flat. “They’ll be furious with both of us if we delay any longer, child. The Masters charged me with procuring you, and the deadline passed days ago. I don’t like to fail, and I don’t like to be disrespected. You’ve wronged me on both counts. But if you come out now and cooperate, it will be better for us both.”
I shivered. She’s getting farther away, I reminded myself, holding my breath and squeezing my hands. She can’t find you. You’re hidden.
“I’m going to find you, mage!” She shrieked, but this time, her voice came from a distance. She was leaving. “The Masters always get what they want. Always!”
I looked down. I was standing in the center of the cave by the table, my hands in a death grip on the back of Si’s chair. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t tear my hands away. Was she really leaving?
She’d come so close to me—it seemed unlikely she would give up. But nothing about her presence made sense. Why would she visit me alone in the woods, without guards or without calling the Masters to come snatch me, as apparently they had been planning to do all along?
I waited for several minutes, arms aching, but she didn’t speak again—or if she did, she was too far away for me to hear her words.
Or perhaps, she was waiting for someone to come along and show her the entrance to my hiding place.
The thought sent a jolt of horror through me. What would she do if she caught Drew walking alone in the woods, chattering on about a fair maiden hiding in a cave?
I couldn’t stay here, waiting for the boys to walk into a trap. Panic squeezed my throat again, but I ignored it as I went to the tunnel entrance and stuffed my feet into a pair of old boots Anders had loaned me. I had to face her if she was nearby. I couldn’t keep hiding. It was the only way to keep the boys safe.
Sweat beaded on my temples as I crawled through the tunnel toward Althea. I swallowed my fears and focused on absorbing as much magic as I could, preparing a blast that would hopefully be strong enough to knock her unconscious.
A hard, warm shape knocked into my head, forcing me to stop crawling.
“Alba?”
The tunnel was pitch-black, but I’d know that little voice anywhere. “Drew! Are you well?”
Instead of answering, he darted forward and wrapped his arms around my neck. “I knew you’d help me! How did you know? Magic, right?”
“Is she out there? Did she harm you?” My voice shook. I held him tight. If she hurt this kind, trusting boy to get at me, I’d destroy her.
“Yes, she’s out there, just a short walk from the Hollow—” He paused, and I felt him pull away. “Wait, what do you mean, did she harm me? Who are you talking about?”
“The lady. The one in the woods. Lady—”
“You mean Cat? And Baby Elis?”
A chill went down my spine. “There’s a baby out there?”
Drew squeezed my hand then shifted, like he was turning around. When he spoke, his voice was drifting farther away. “He’s hurt, Alba. We need you. It’s not far. I know you have to stay away from the Hollow’s guards, but I can help you sneak past them. Baby Elis is hurt real bad. He needs your magic.”
I hesitated, but when he neared the opening and began shifting rocks out of the way, I knew I had to follow. Lady Althea was out there somewhere, and if there was an injured child in the woods too, I couldn’t resist the oath I’d sworn just a few weeks earlier at the Mage Academy. To help, and not harm, any injured or ill, with all the magic I have. I swallowed back my panic and followed Drew out of the tunnel.
~
Outside, the gray afternoon light hurt my eyes. I searched the woods around the cave for well-dressed, half-mad Asylian ladies, but found none. “So, where is Cat? And Baby Elis?”
“I’ll show you. We must hurry, maiden. It’s good you were already coming out. His mama thinks he doesn’t have much time.”
With that, Drew struck off into the woods. I followed close behind, trying to keep my steps quiet, like his, and searching the woods for any sign of Lady Althea as we hurried between the thick tree cover. “How old is Baby Elis?” I whispered as we skirted a large boulder.
“He’s a baby.” He gestured to his waist. “Around this tall.”
So he was a toddler. “What happened? Why does he need a healer?”
“He fell down a steep bank with lots of rocks.” Drew didn’t even look at me as he spoke. He raced through the forest, apparently certain I would follow close behind.
He was right. How could I resist helping a child in need of healing?
I scanned the woods for any sign of Lady Althea or her guards, but there was only the wind, rustling the dry tree boughs.
“We’re almost there.” Drew tugged me through a gap in the uphill tree cover, one barely wide enough for him, much less me. I cringed and batted branches away from my face, but several scraped against my cheek, leaving behind a hot, burning feeling.
“Drew! Slow down, please!”
“Shh. We’re here.” He stopped in his tracks and held up a hand. “Quiet.” He cupped his hands over his lips and emitted a strange, whistled note. Then two more. If I hadn’t known the woods harbored few animals thanks to the mine, I would have believed it was birdsong.
I opened my mouth to comment, but he held up his hand again and gave a tiny shake of his head. “Wait,” he mouthed.
For several long breaths, we waited. I shivered, no longer warmed by the fast pace and suddenly aware of the icy air. How close were we to Althea and the Hollow now? I looked around but found nothing.
Drew cocked his head like he was listening to something. There it was—a matching bird call. He nodded once then tugged me in the direction of the call.
The call grew louder. “Mistress Cat?” Drew whispered, his eyes scanning the woods. “Where are you?”
Dry brush on the ground rustled, drawing our attention down and to the right. “Here.” A female face emerged from behind a haphazard pile of leafy branches that looked like the wind had pushed them against the nearest rocks. “Saw a patrol go through after you left.” She shoved the shrubbery off her petite body, revealing a threadbare, brown jacket, a thin dress, and a young, unmoving boy nestled at her breast.
She darted a nervous look at my face, then she focused on Drew. “I wasn’t sure how long you’d be. Are you certain she …” The girl glanced at me again. “Damian can’t leave the mine for healing anymore. The shift boss won’t let him.” Her voice was thick with barely-restrained tears. “I didn’t know what I’d do if you didn’t come back.”
Drew knelt beside her like a knight offering fealty in the old, Western tales. “This maiden will heal your son, just like I told you,” he said confidently. “Do not doubt.”
I swallowed. It was never a good idea to make such promises, but it sounded like it was far too late for that. I knelt on both knees beside Drew. “Hello,” I said quietly. “My name is Alba. What happened to your son?”
Mistress Cat looked wary, but she slowly lowered his body so I could see his bruised, swollen face. “We were gathering roots. I ventured farther from the Hollow than our usual spots. Didn’t realize there was a steep drop-off where I took him. He fell, and there were so many rocks at the bottom, and he … he hasn’t woken since.” Her lips trembled, but her voice was firm. “Please help him.”
“I’ll do whatever I can. Just hold him still.” Inhale, absorb. Exhale, prepare. I closed my eyes, doing my best to shut out the fear of a guard patrol or Lady Althea s
tumbling upon us. The familiar exercise helped calm my nerves. Inhale. Exhale. I’d healed several injuries like this during the last term, but never in one so young. I would have to go slow to be sure I didn’t miss anything.
Warm magic leaked into my palms, telling me I’d already absorbed the most magic my body could hold for the moment. I placed one hand on Elis’s head and gripped his small hand with my other. I could release magic through fabric, but for the fine control I needed now, a skin-to-skin touch would be more effective.
The first, light wave of magic investigated his body from head to toe. What I found turned my stomach. He was bleeding internally in his brain and abdomen and had broken several ribs. I kept my eyes closed and hoped the dismay didn’t show on my face. It was a good thing Drew was keeping watch, because by the time I finished healing this boy, I would have no magic left to defend us from Althea or her guards.
I released a new wave of magic, this one much thicker. The brain bleeding came first. I brought down the swelling and healed the wound in concert, working faster than I ever had before. Miraculously, he responded well, faster than my adult patients back in the Asylian hospitals. I moved to his abdomen next. The broken ribs came first, requiring several new waves of magic to set and heal the breaks. Finally, I moved to his bleeding wounds.
With another wave of magic, I scanned his body a second time and healed the minor bruises and scrapes from his fall and the most glaring nutritional deficiencies that might impact his body’s ability to finish the recovery on its own.
When I removed my hands and opened my eyes, Mistress Cat was watching me with a tear-streaked face. “You did it? He’ll live?”
I nodded, releasing Elis’s hand and grasping hers. I couldn’t help smiling at the sudden peace that flooded her expression, at odds with the tears rushing down her cheeks. “He will need sleep and plenty of victus the moment he wakes. But he will be fine.”
She squeezed my hand. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ll never forget this.”
Elis shifted closer to his mother in his sleep, his chubby, toddler cheeks now rosy and unbruised. I brushed my fingers over his cheek, releasing a final touch of magic to ease his slumber. Then I frowned. On instinct, I’d sent a portion of that magic through my other hand, into his mother. “You’re with child?”
She bit her lip. “It’s early.”
“I know.” A flood of sorrow tightened my chest, replacing the panic I’d felt earlier. At this stage in her pregnancy, back in Asylia, Ella had already seen a healer three times. And I’d gone to see her daily on an unofficial basis, just to ensure her body and the babe’s had enough nourishment to thrive in those crucial early weeks.
But Cat was malnourished, just like Anton. Just like everyone near the Hollow. The baby she carried was healthy, for now, but what would happen to them if something went wrong?
My eyes burned. I didn’t release her hand. “I’ll just give you a boost, do you mind?”
“A boost?”
I answered by pouring the last of my magic into her through our clasped hands, wringing every drop from the deepest stores in my body. I was edging close to magical enervation again, I thought numbly, but the memory of Ella’s healthy, round bump and glowing skin pushed the flow of magic even further. I might never see this fragile woman again, so it seemed right to give her as much as I could while I was here.
When I could give no more, I let her hand drop and sat back on my heels. My eyes drifted closed.
“Thank you, Mage,” came the soft whisper.
“Get some rest, whenever you can,” I managed. “And drink lots of clean water. I know it’s hard, but it’s important.”
She laughed drily, but I felt her hand brush my shoulder as she stood. “I’ll do my best.”
I cracked open my eyes to see her embrace Drew with one arm, the other holding her sleeping toddler close on her hip. “We are in your debt,” she said quietly. “We will not forget.”
Instead of brushing off her words, Drew nodded solemnly, as though approving of her promise. “Go carefully. The next patrol will come at dusk.”
My eyes drifted shut again. The healing had drained me so fully, I felt liquid, like my body would pool on the ground if I lay down. Which, now that I thought of it, sounded like a wonderful idea. I leaned backward, only to be stopped by a stubborn, narrow shoulder. “You have to stand up, maiden,” Drew whispered as he threw what must have been all his weight against my back. “Dusk approaches. And if the guards don’t find us, the monsters might.”
“Monsters.” My whisper was quiet and raspy. The longer you hide, the angrier they get. “They already found me, Drew. They—”
“Alba!” A deep, familiar male voice ground out, his tone quiet but angry. “Drew! What in Theros are you two doing outside the cave?”
Chapter 23
I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn’t budge. A thick, draining cloud drifted over me. My body desperately wanted sleep.
“What happened to her?” I heard Si’s words as though from a distance, but from the warm, strong hands at my back, he was kneeling right beside me, holding me up.
“Si,” I mumbled. His hand came around my shoulder, and I leaned against his chest, reveling in his steady heartbeat and the smell of the woods on his shirt.
“She healed an injured baby from the Hollow,” Drew said. “I asked her to help, and she wanted to. It was her choice.”
“Sure it was. You should have known Asylian healers can’t refuse a request like that. It’s part of their vow. She could have been caught by the guards out here. Then where would she be? And as it is, she’s … she’s …”
“Just need to sleep.” I breathed out the words and hoped they were loud enough to be heard. “Used all my magic.”
“Fine.” Despite the brusque word, Si’s strong hands were gentle as he lifted me into his arms and stood, never faltering at my added weight. “Sleep. But we have to get home before dusk.”
Home. The word tugged at me, igniting a spike of fear that chased away the fog of exhaustion for a moment. I cracked open my eyes. “She found me.”
Si’s grip on me tightened as I spoke but his determined pace didn’t slow. “Clearly, she didn’t find you, because you’re still here and in one piece.” He glanced down at me and scowled. “Or did she give you those cuts on your cheek?”
I shook my head, or thought I did. My eyes flickered shut. “Used her mirror magic. Found the woods by the cave. She called out but couldn’t find the entrance. Then she left.”
“Told you. She didn’t find you. But you should have stayed in the cave, Alba. She could have found you out here.”
“I think … I think she was alone.”
“A grand lady like that, wandering around in the woods alone?” Si’s voice was low and amused, but there was still an edge of worry to his words. “Doesn’t make much sense.”
“Monsters never do,” Drew said sagely. “Right, Si?”
“Right.” I relaxed as the distant rumble of Si’s answer follow me into sleep. “Monsters never do.”
~
When I woke, the smell of cinderslick was drifting through the cave. I was in my—Si’s—bunk, a blanket tucked over my body. Was Anton cooking? Perhaps Si had found something on his hunt after all.
My stomach gurgled happily at the thought. I sat slowly, dizzy from exhaustion but too hungry to sleep.
“She’s awake.” Basil eyed me from his bunk, where he was sitting with his legs crossed, a rusty metal box on his lap.
Anders leapt from his bunk above Basil and landed on his feet in front of me, a triumphant grin on his face. “You snored.”
I couldn’t help laughing, despite my dizziness. I shoved the blanket aside and stood shakily, holding on to the bunk for balance. “I’m not the only one, you know. The seven of you are like a thunderstorm when you get going all at once. And I’m pretty sure you’re the loudest.”
“I knew it!” He pumped his fist. “He
ar that, Basil? I’m the best at snoring.”
His quiet twin rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at his mouth. “Is there a prize?”
“Victory is its own reward,” Anders said proudly. “That’s what Dad used to say. Anyway, Alba, you woke up at just the right time. Anton’s heating water for victus, and it’s almost ready.”
I wanted to cry in dismay. “No meat?”
Si appeared over Anders’s shoulder. “Not tonight,” he said, his expression shuttered. “Couldn’t find any game. C’mon, Alba. We need to talk.”
I tottered toward the table, which seemed to be swaying. Si braced me with his arm around my waist, and when I expected a teasing word at my unsteadiness, he was silent. We made it to the table—Why was it still swaying?—and when he eased me into a chair, his hand drifted slowly from my waist, like he didn’t want to remove it.
I shivered as the cool wood of the chair chilled my legs through my dress. “Why is it so cold in here?”
Damian glanced up from the thick book he was reading. “Sorry, Alba. We’re selling most of the suffio embers and the other rations we had … ah … stored up. Gonna see how close we can get to the debt that way.”
“He means the stuff I stole from a few of the gangs after you healed me,” Si said bluntly. “Might as well do something useful with them. At least he’s smart enough to take my help this time.” He picked up something from the chair beside me. “Here, I found this earlier. Might help.”
I eyed the thick, woolen shawl gratefully and offered him a smile. “Thanks, Si,” I said quietly. Something about the way he held my gaze made my pulse pick up. It took me a moment to focus on the shawl, but when I took it from his hands, a sudden sizzle of tingly magic rushed through me. “What—” I yanked my hand back, but the shawl leapt from his arms and wrapped itself around my neck, alive with a wild, magical hunger. “No! Si, it’s a curse!”
Someone swore. There was a commotion of male voices and furniture hitting the floor.
But the curse was too fast. It forced me backwards, away from the boys and toward the tunnel. Up, up, up, it urged. Up to the crater. NOW.
