Chapter 52
IZADELLA
Leon sets down his napkin, stands, and turns to me. “I believe my medical assistance is needed. Would you like to join me?” He offers me his hand, which I swiftly take, not willing to leave my Zemra’s side while in this place.
“Thank you,” the woman whispers as we approach.
“How can I help, Calliope?”
“My brother was in a stable accident two days ago. When we heard you returned, my family brought him to your workroom in hopes you may be able to help.” She has tears in her eyes. Her gaze darts back and forth between his face and newly exposed fae ears.
Leon places a comforting hand on her shoulders. “Of course.”
He leads me down long hallways, greeting every servant by name. Although some seem confused about his change in appearance, they are all genuinely happy to see him.
“I’m the only healer the castle had that never required any coin. Any ailments were secretly taken care of while Jedrick didn’t need me. I had to find unique ways to heal and hide my magic,” he tells me as we walk into what appears to be a large closet.
Water drips into a bucket on the floor from the ceiling, a few brooms in one corner, the metal door covered in rust. A long table is in the middle of the room, and a man lies on it, his face pale with pain.
This should have never been used as a healing room.
Leon must see the disbelief on my face. “It was the only option that would not arouse suspicion and was far away from the royal family or their guards so none of the servants would be spotted. I was only allowed to attend to Jedrick,” he tells me before turning to the man, who explains what happened to him.
A horse spooked in the stables, trampling him and breaking his leg.
I peruse the room while Leon talks with his patient. His desk is built into the stone on one side. Shelves line the wall above it, filled with glass vials and unique bottles of every color. Delicate labels mark their uses, but Leon does not need them anymore.
“The courtiers’ doctor set the bone, but he charged three weeks of wages for it, and we do not think it was done properly,” Calliope says, her brother nodding with a grimace.
Leon carefully unwraps the linen bandages, revealing wooden splints used to immobilize the leg. The man grips the side of the table. His leg is red and swollen, bone still pressing against the skin.
My stomach rolls with nausea. How could a healer be so incompetent?
“This will only hurt for a moment,” Leon says, placing his hand on the injured leg.
The man finally takes notice of Leon’s pointed ears and whispers, “Fae?” before trying to inch away from Leon.
It’s too late for any escape out of misplaced fear. Leon's hand glows, magic seeping into the fracture. The bruising fades away, the bone righting itself, until the leg is healthy again, free of any evidence of ailment.
Calliope and her brother stare at Leon with open mouths.
“Stretch your leg out for me.”
He slowly does as Leon asks, moving off the table to gently test out his leg on the stone floor. “It’s…healed,” he says, amazed. “Thank you. Thank you!”
“You are welcome. I will speak to Queen Lyrora about that healer. He will be removed from the castle immediately.”
Calliope wipes away her tears, and they leave, repeating their gratitude as they go.
Leon’s happiness at being able to freely use his magic is intoxicating, so much so I push him up against the stone wall, my greedy lips on his. His hands cup my face and our kiss is passionate. Leon’s kindness and care for others is such a beautiful gift to witness.
My hands slide up his shirt, needy for him, but a knock on the door draws us away from each other.
Leon leans out the door, and his eyes widen.
I peer around him to find a line of people outside.
At the front, an elderly woman rubs her hands together.
The joints of her fingers are swollen, and some are at odd angles.
A pregnant woman stands in front of a man who throws up in a bucket next to another servant trying to clean honey off his hands, covered in bee stings.
At least twenty people wait at the door, with more walking towards us.
Leon turns around to me. “This may take a while.
I've been away for weeks, but I can finally use the extent of my magic now. Before, it would have been too suspicious if every illness was suddenly cured after they saw me. I had to use creams, tonics, and elixirs for the pain. Would you rather return to Nueena? I can escort you.”
“And miss watching you care for these people? Never.”
My sweet, caring Zemra, so eager to help.
His answering grin is wide with pride in his ability to finally use his powers to their full extent, and he ushers in the first woman.
Her voice is quiet and cracks when she speaks. “I’m so thankful you have returned.” She holds up a small tin with a shaking hand. “Could you spare any salve?”
Leon’s handsome face is lit with happiness. “Oh, I can do much more than that. May I see your hands?”
She is so small compared to him that his glowing hands engulf hers.
Her face shifts from confusion and fear to awe as her fingers shift back into place, the swelling fading.
It’s beautiful to see how ecstatic she is, turning her hands over in amazement.
“Thank you,” she croaks before squeezing his waist in gratitude.
Leon gently pats her back and sends her on her way as she shows everyone in line her healing.
He is patient and kind with everyone. A few mortals fled when they found out who he is, believing the myths and stories on how evil the fae are, but most seem only to care that their diseases and ailments are gone, no matter the method.
We are gone so long, eventually Nueena and Tavien find us.
Nueena watches the last patient walk away. “Well done, Leon. I will gather with Lyrora every few weeks to discuss Adreania’s progress. I hope you’ll join us for those meetings.”
“We would love that.”
The five of us together for tea, forging our alliances.
Nueena links arms with me. “Wonderful! For now, though, it’s time to return to Ellova. We have a river to see.”
The sun is setting by the time we return to Ellova.
I expect Nueena to lead us back to the busy throne room to discuss our plans with Nyvenah, but she takes us up the steps to the palace’s tree portals, ushering us inside.
The portal magic spins quickly only to stop again, and we step out onto a platform that bears the stone crest of the dam that alters the flow of the Airvell River.
Twin flames of hope light within me and Leon.
Nueena steps up the dam’s crest, her magic swirling around her, power rising. “The crown has caused so much pain, for fae and mortals alike. Let us right that tonight,” she says before a blast of magic radiates from her, the ground beneath us rumbles.
Elation quickly turns to confusion when someone steps out of one of the portals. Lightning flashes, the bolts striking down. Nueena, Tavien, and Leon all collapse to the stone floor when it hits them.
The fourth bolt misses me, but the electric strike that hit Leon lashes through me as if I was struck, and I stumble backward. A metallic taste coats my tongue and the bond itself feels charred, as whatever the lightning did has harmed Leon.
No, no, no.
Their crumpled bodies on the floor suffocate me in fear. Leon’s bond is still within me, but I cannot tell if Nueena’s and Tavien’s chests rise and fall with life. I have to believe that if Leon is alive, they are too. I nearly faint with fear, but anger burns so much brighter within me.
If she has killed them…
Camarra’s cloudkeeper magic sends dark storm clouds swirling in the sky to descend upon us, rain pouring down. She stalks towards me, her clothing torn, her dark blonde hair in tangles. Lightning strikes behind me, illuminating the wrath on her face. The floor cracks beneath me.
“WHERE IS MY SON?”
Her precious son took me to Adreania and handed me to a monster.
“He’s dead and it is a gift to all of us! He murdered his own best friend! You knew of all his wicked plans, and you let him take me to Adreania to die. I heard you tell him not to get caught. You are as evil as he was.”
She snarls at me, dark circles under her eyes, backing me towards a corner. “He could have controlled the crown! It was sucking the life from our fields. I did what needed to be done! Ellova would soon starve if someone didn’t stop the crown. He would have made a great king!”
Her face contorts into rage and grief. Tears stream down her face. She waves her hand, and a bolt of lightning strikes me with a great boom.
Pure pain pulses in my bones like they’re filled with molten fire. The force of the strike steals the breath from my lungs, knocking me into a wall. The magic I share with Leon shoots into me, healing and soothing.
Her hand lashes out, wrapping around my throat. I gasp for air as she lifts me off the floor.
Lightning flashes again, the light of it glinting off her necklace.
I grab on to her wrist and the bracelets she has there.
She narrows her eyes in anger, recognizing what I’m about to do.
My jewelsmith magic erupts within me, slamming into her jewelry.
She tries to let me go but I hold on. Her bracelets melt instantly and shoot up her arms just as fast as her lightning, swirling around her neck, nearly choking her.
She coughs and gasps for air. Her nails claw at the metal as it tightens and twists like a coiled snake, forcing her to drop to her knees.
“Your son did wear the crown.” Camarra’s eyes grow hopeful until I finish my sentence. “And the crown found him so unworthy it killed him the very moment he put it on. He was nothing but a pile of leaves at Nueena’s feet.”
“That’s. Not. True!” She gasps out each word through her tears.