44. Chapter Forty-Four
44
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
ELODIE
O nce again, I found myself waking up on my back, and unfortunately not in a way that would suggest something enjoyable was about to happen.
Blinking the blurriness from my eyes, there was no blue sky above me. This time, I was looking up at a stark, white ceiling. The clamour of soldiers replaced with the occasional soft beeping noise and the muffled conversation taking place over me.
I blinked again, willing my eyes to focus before I lifted a hand to rub at them, sensing whoever was around me zero in on my movement. The quiet voices stopped, and as my eyes cleared enough for me to see who was hovering around me, the rest of my senses slammed into me.
“Fuck,” I groaned, as the pain of the wounds on my back hit me with force, and I was ready to fight whoever thought laying on the injury was the best idea.
Being asleep had been much less painful.
Trying to adjust myself on the hard bed I was half laying on, a hand landed on my arm, halting me.
“I’m going to need you to keep still for now.” The face closest to me was unfamiliar, their warm brown eyes creased slightly in what could have been concern, or intrigue. I was to tired to care which. A riot of black curls fell around the man’s face as he looked down at me, hand still on my arm as a warm heat radiated from it, and I pulled my arm away as I felt his magik reach out to mine.
His hands raised in surrender. “I’m just here to help.”
My heart was racing as the pain crushed me, but I could feel my magik stirring, and that helped calm my nerves as memories of the last hour flashed through my mind.
“How long have I been asleep?”
“You passed out, Killer, you didn’t take a nap.” Alouette’s teasing voice came from the other side, and I whipped my head towards her. Her face the picture of mischief, but there was a hint of concern hidden in her light eyes. A twisting in my chest loosened as I found her next to me, felt her hand slide into mine with a quick squeeze before letting me go.
“That’s embarrassing,” I murmured. A blue curtain had been pulled on either side of us, and opposite I could see the same set up with someone else sat sideways on their bed as others crowded them. It smelt like lemons and something chemical that made my nose itch, which cemented the fact I was in some sort of hospital.
“You’ve only been here for a few minutes,” the man said, arms back by his side.
“Couldn’t of let me just sleep it off?”
“You need a little more than sleep to fix those.” He motioned to the mess of my back.
“You might have a point,” I agreed, wincing as I adjusted myself slightly.
The part of my chest that seemed to be attuned to something beyond me, squeezed tight at the same moment I felt the pull of a familiar magik. An intoxicating energy that had my core clenching in a way that wasn’t appropriate while in a hospital with my back torn open.
Not to mention I can do nothing about it.
“Kaius,” I whispered, as my eyes snapped to the direction his magik had come from.
Those around the bed opposite shifted as a large man stood, pushing past them towards me, and stormy eyes met mine. Raking my gaze over him, panic skittered through me as I took in the blood that crusted one side of his face to pool in his dark beard. The scratches that had ripped through his jacket and were scattered across his tattooed arms.
“What happened?” My voice was barely a whisper as I made to move off the bed to get to him. Needing to feel him under my fingers, to spark that connection that had my pulse soaring. Before I had the chance to go anywhere, he was by my side, placing a hand on my thigh to keep me in place. I chose to look at his face and attempt not to focus on the way he was squeezing me.
“I’m fine, Goldie, I can sort myself out. The nurses here just like the chance to get their hands on me.” He winked, removing his hand once I’d stopped moving, but not leaving from his place next to Alouette.
“Don’t worry about him, it's only scratches. It’s you we need to focus on. It’s not every day we get a victim of The Darkness in here,” said the man, who, given his attire of matching blue scrubs, I had taken was the doctor.
My curiosity piqued unpleasantly. “Who else was hurt?”
“By The Darkness? Just you.”
“Well, that’s… unsettling.”
“Isn’t it? Anyway, those look like they’re going to hurt like a bitch to clean up, so I really need you to focus.”
“You have a shitty bedside manner, doctor.” Kaius’ easy laugh made my magik hum.
“I’m a healer, not a doctor. But that’s beside the point. Now, you have to do what I say, when I say it. Got it?”
“Anything for you, Doc.”
“It’s Healer Kale, thank you.”
With a slight roll of his eyes, he shifted behind me and gesturing for me to move forward before he pressed a button, and the bed laid flat. I cringed as the edges of my wounds unstuck from the bed, the unfamiliar touch of his magik gently poking at them, and my own rushed to create a barrier as I tensed in anticipation.
Healer Kale pressed no further than the exploration of my wounds, yet I focused hard on keeping that barrier up—not risking the chance he could push his energy into me.
The loose hair that had escaped its confines and hung around my face, fluttered as a cool breeze flowed through them then down my spine. Its now familiar touch soothing against the torn skin. I breathed deep as my magik swelled under its presence.
“Where—” I turned my head to Alouette with a frown, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
“Close,” she whispered just for me.
“I’m going to need to cut your top off in order to clean these properly.”
Knowing I was running a high risk of infection with the amount of mud I was covered in, I gave a small nod. Except the moment he reached over to the unit next to me, and I heard the draw of metal against metal, I froze, failing to swallow down the panic that rose in me as I clutched my filthy top against my chest. Memories of hands pawing at me flooded my mind. The sound of fabric ripping, of sour breath washing over my skin, of being helpless in those crucial moments.
The rasp of a zipper was hazy through the memories of my mind, the pain weakening my defences. Two large bodies stepped towards me, positioning themselves in front and behind of where I sat. A hand held my chin, tipping my face upwards, and a pulse of magik I didn’t attempt to fight filtered into me.
“Stay with us, Goldie.” His voice cut through the past, and my eyes focused on the person now in front of me. Keeping his grip on my chin, Kaius gently pressed a bundle of fabric against me, and I draped it across my chest as I breathed in the woodsy scent of cedar, feeling the memories recede with every inhale. His free hand snaked down his side, pulling out an ornate dagger which he spun between his fingers before holding the hilt out. The blade the same silver as his eyes.
The figure crowded behind me reached over my shoulder, plucking the dagger from Kaius’ hand. Another sweep of magik rushed over my skin, ruffling the loose hair hanging around my face. The play of both energies was intoxicating, and I couldn’t help the disappointment as they faded away.
As my breathing started to regulate, Marcellus took hold of the ruined fabric of my top, and using Kaius’ dagger, sliced through it piece by piece. His fingers grazed lightly against my skin with every stroke of the blade—careful not to touch any of the places The Darkness had struck me—until my entire back was free. Despite my back being exposed, the heat of his body radiated through me, and with a few more cuts, he had completely removed the remains of fabric.
Kaius’ gaze stayed locked on mine, helping to give me the focus I needed to push away the panic. His hands were wrapped over my thighs as I zeroed in on the stinging wounds, finding it easier to embrace the pain of my injuries and flood my brain with the physical agony, than deal with the memories that threatened to overwhelm me. Magik shifted as it fought against the pain, bringing a stab of relief as I realised how fast it was replenishing.
“Elodie,” came the healer's voice from a few feet away, “can I clean them now?”
Kaius raised an eyebrow in question, waiting for my answer. Swallowing, I tightened my hold on his jumper before nodding my head a fraction, and his eyes finally left mine to look above my head at Marcellus. A low growl washed over me, and a shift in heat as Marcellus moved aside told me the healer had taken his place.
“Thank you. Now, this will hurt, but I don’t think pain is the issue right now, is it?”
“No,” I breathed, not willing to look away from Kaius for a second.
Cold water splashed over my back, and I flinched in surprise causing the muscles to pull on the wounds.
“We all good?” Kale called over my shoulder as he hesitated.
“Yeah, that’s just really fucking cold,” I replied through gritted teeth, earning a cackle from Alouette.
“You’ll live,” he said, as more cold liquid circled over my skin before a globe of muddied, red water floated past us, landing with a small splash in the sink.
“Well, that’s cool,” I noted, twisting to look at him and instantly regretting that decision as pain splintered through me.
“Of course it is, I’m incredibly impressive, but I suggest you stop moving around. This is where it’s going to get messy.” His power probed at my skin again and again. Small trickles of blood had begun to drip down my back, soaking into my already saturated waistband, but I didn’t push away his energy, sure he was only doing so to assess the state of my injuries.
Once he finished, he moved around the bed to stand in front of me, Kaius taking the smallest step to the side to give him a mere inch of space.
“Do you want the good news or the bad news?”
“No one wants bad news.”
“That’s where we will start, then,” he said, and I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me even if it jolted my torn body.
“I can’t heal the wounds—not fully, anyway. Whatever The Darkness did to you isn’t something I’ve come across before, and it doesn’t seem like it would respond to any healing method I can do.” My laughter died a quick death at his words.
“If you can’t do it, then who can?” I asked, clinging to the hope someone else could heal me.
“And that is where the good news comes in. I think that the only person who can fully heal them, is you .”
I really fucking doubt that.
“I have no training over my magik.” Annoyance rose inside me, and I was certain I could match the low rumble coming from behind.
“I don’t think you necessarily need to do anything. I can kick start the healing process, encourage the wounds to close over. But, in order for them to heal, I think that your magik needs to assist. Now, if it will take an hour, a day, I don’t know, but I can sense what you have flowing around in there.” He gestured at me vaguely. “And I reckon it's more than up to the task with a bit of a nudge.”
“How do I do that?”
Kale pursed his lips in thought before answering. “No idea. But we can start with cleaning it properly, then trying to knit the skin back together which will help with infection. I’m hoping that as your magik replenishes, it will naturally aid in your healing. Either I, or Kaius, can also make you some tonic to take which can help.”
“You?” I arched a brow at Kaius who only winked at me in reply.
Ignoring my questioning, Kale moved to my back again. “We need to get this started—the sooner the better. I’m going to press my magik into the wounds, and I need you to match me with your own. And not to fight my magik.”
“What? No, I don’t know—” I was cut off abruptly as a pulse of his magik reached my ripped flesh, and pain tore through me. My ears rang with the sudden explosion of my nerves, and I struggled to hold back a scream. A thick, heavy energy that roiled with anger filled the space as a rumble carried to me, low and gravelly washing across my skin.
“Match me, Elodie,” Kale’s voice called as his magik pushed again. It was smooth and cold, and though it was causing me agony, I knew that wasn’t his intention.
I gritted my teeth hard, hearing them grind inside my head. Reaching for my own magik, I found it waiting, poised and itching for direction. It surged forward and clashed against the healers, ready to take him on. I screwed my eyes shut, ignoring the pounding of my heart, as it took every ounce of concentration I could pull from my pain-addled mind to redirect it.
To make it imitate and not consume. Because that’s what it wanted, I knew that for sure. I heard a grunt and looked in time to see Kale take a heavy step back.
He’s helping, I need this.
A moment of hesitation was all it took before it relented, and the two magik’s slid along each other, never merging, but encouraging. The minutes pressed on as I fought to retain that delicate balance until they pulled away, the pain diminished slightly.
“Better,” the healer said, voice strained, “but we need to keep going, it’s going to take more.”
Exhaustion weighed me down, my limbs heavy and not for the first time, I was finding myself grateful that I had a bed and not a cold floor to rest on when all this was over. Without warning, his magik pressed into me again, and I couldn’t bite back the strangled scream that fell from my lips before I had the chance to swallow it down. Heavy steps moved towards me, but I raised my hand to halt them earning another angry lash of energy. My body was damp with sweat as I focused on directing my magik, trying my hardest to follow what the healer was doing while holding back the part of me that was desperate to destroy him for the pain it was causing.
The metallic tang of blood flooded my senses as I accidentally bit down on my tongue, and as I sucked in a shaky breath, I felt it leak from the corner of my mouth. A thumb swiped at it, and I looked up in time to see Kaius press it to his lips, licking my blood from his skin. My brain short circuited, and my body hungered for something that definitely wasn’t food as a smirk pulled at his lips.
Fuck, why was that so hot?
For a moment, I was sure I caught shadows swirling behind his eyes, but when he blinked, they were gone. I didn’t have time to form thoughts as Kale pressed another pulse of energy into me, and I was convinced I could hear my skin trying to sew itself back together. My nerves screeched in protest, knuckles white as my hand fisted the jumper draped against me.
“Mars.” Alouette’s voice sounded in a low warning as the curtains billowed around us. A different source of magik moved against me, tangling in my damp hair, and sweeping over my skin raising goosebumps along my arms.
I could feel as it ached for me to let it in, let it take the pain and shoulder it itself. It would have been easy—so easy—to open myself to its comforting pressure, but I needed to do this on my own.
With more will than I thought I was capable of, I pushed it away, doubling my focus on the tears in my skin and pushing, pushing, pushing all I had into repairing the damage. I could feel The Darkness still lingered there. The hint of it thick on my tongue and my shoulders hunched forward as my head began to throb from the effort.
The presence behind me retreated until I felt the absence of him as much as the pain. Heavy boots pounded towards the door, and his magik followed. I recoiled as the door slammed, its echo reaching into an empty space within me. Another wave of magik probed deeper under my skin, and I couldn’t hold back the groan that fell from my lips; the moment the sound hit the air, the floor beneath us vibrated violently.
Kaius grabbed my shoulders as we all stumbled slightly, the walls rumbling and the shriek of metal sounding as things toppled over. The flame lights stuttered. A roar of energy threw the door back open, slamming it into the wall.
We all froze in uncertainty, calls of alarm reaching from beyond the curtains. Blowing out a breath, Kaius let go of me before he scrubbed a hand over his bearded face, Alouette’s gaze fixed on the fluttering curtains.
“What was that?” I swallowed.
I think I know exactly what that was.
“Aftershocks,” the doctor called without missing a beat.
“Aftershocks.”
“Mhm. Now concentrate before the ceiling falls on us, and I don’t get the chance to finish this.”
One last time, his magik raced with mine, and this time , the pain lessened as I pressed my energy into my wounds, feeling my skin itch as the ragged ends began to knit back together. There was still a deep ache tugging at my muscles, but the sharpness had faded, and I sucked in greedy breaths of relief as Kale’s magik withdrew. Straightening, I groaned at the stiffness in my body, carefully rolling my shoulders and testing out the movement.
“I feel gross,” I said, picking at the ruined fabric of my top, covered in grime and plastered to my body with sweat and blood.
“You look gross,” Alouette piped up.
Kaius’ hands cupped my face, grey eyes flicking over my face. “You ok, Goldie?”
I nodded, giving him the ghost of a smile; it was all I could manage, and his thumbs brushed over my skin before dropping away.
A distant door groaned open, and footsteps sounded on the shiny floor until the second largest man I’d ever had the displeasure to meet, stepped towards the end of the bed. Whatever weakness had been pulling at me was swept away as my magik raced to prepare itself for whatever Prince Dickhead was going to throw my way.
He must have been busy since I had last seen him, because this wasn’t the same dirty, exhausted man who had been calling orders. Now he was clean, perfect. Golden curls falling around his head like his own crown, black shirt stretched across his broad chest tucked into tan trousers. Ruby rings dotted his hands, their facets catching the light, calling to me.
“Has she recovered?” Bastian spoke over my head to the healer behind.
“She’s right fucking here, you asshole.” He didn’t bother to look my way.
“Not quite, my Lord,” Kale answered carefully, his head dipping slightly. “While her wounds are stable, they will need more attention.”
Bastian nodded. “But she isn’t required to stay here.” I saw Kale shake his head from the corner of my eye.
“Clean yourself up. You have somewhere to be.” His eyes finally slid to mine, but whatever had passed between us when I’d grabbed his hand to share our powers was long gone. We were back to our regularly scheduled mutual dislike.
“No.”
“No?” The word low and deadly as heat rolled off him.
“You don’t get to order me around, Prince .” The tension in the room was a heavy blanket attempting to smother me, but my magik was buzzing with a renewed vigour, excited for the fight I knew he could bring.
"Is that so?"
"It is. Not when you’re keeping so much to yourself. When you brought me here and still refuse to give me a reason why. When you haven’t even acknowledged the fact that I’m here right now because I used my magik to help you .”
Was it too much to expect a thank you? A ‘you did a good job out there’.
Of course it was.
Heat lashed at me invisible in the air between us, agitating my recently closed wounds. I ignored it, willing my magik to coat my skin in a smooth barrier that was surprisingly easy to maintain. Kaius shifted next to me, his body angled at his friend, one hand resting on my thigh, but I didn’t need his protection.
“You’re right.” I froze in shock at the words that so unexpectedly came from his mouth, and the stifling air dissipated.
Gods, surely I’m hearing things.
Maybe I died out there.
“Your abilities do seem to be useful.”
Fucking dick.
“Which is why you’ll be receiving training. Can’t have you keep causing a scene like you like to do.” His mouth twisted into a smug grin, and I felt the rage he invoked so easily within me, desperate to wipe it right off his face.
With magik or my fist, I’m not fussy.
“When?” I ground out, conflicted between irritation at his orders, and the excitement of finally getting some help with controlling my magik.
“Now.”
“She needs to rest.” The healer's voice came softly.
“I don’t really care what she needs.” My eyes pressed closed, too exhausted for more of his shit. Kaius’ sigh of exasperation told me he was, too.
“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth.
“It’s funny you think you had a choice in the matter.” His eyes flicked down to where Kaius’ hand gripped my thigh.
Bastian turned to Alouette who was leaning casually against the wall, eyeing the back and forth with interest. “Take her to Arden, see what he makes of her.” She gave him a two-fingered salute, and he turned, striding back towards the door.
“I want answers,” I spat before he was out of sight.
Paused at the curtain, Bastian’s head turned slightly my way. Not enough to meet my gaze, but he nodded once before slipping out of sight.
Kaius leaned forward and pressed a kiss against my hair. “I’ll find you,” he murmured before following his friend out the door.