39. Hailon
Chapter 39
Hailon
I t felt like there was a hole where my heart should be. One that was full of hot coals.
“I’m so sorry,” Lovette said kindly, her hand resting on my shoulder. She’d wandered over as I stood there stunned. She led me toward the carriage gently, not bothering to fill the space with small talk. “I can only imagine what it must feel like to have to do that to your mate.”
Magnus appeared, carrying my packs. He loaded them inside and, after a brief rearrangement, they decided among them who should ride inside with me first and who would drive the horses. Magnus would be flying just far enough behind he wasn’t affected by my power.
And so, I found myself seated inside a strange carriage with a stone kin woman named Lovette, headed toward a city I’d never been to, to meet two more demons, a witch, and an alchemist after having banished my mate back to Hell.
It had been a very busy day.
“I’ll bet this is really strange for you.” Lovette smiled at me gently. “Sorry about that.”
“Compared to the last several months, this at least feels somewhat exciting. I’ve rarely traveled by carriage, and I’m going to a city I’ve never been to.”
“That’s a nice way to view it. Is there anything you’d like to know about us? I realize it must be a leap of faith to go with us after such a short introduction.”
I appreciated her understanding, but I felt no sense of distrust for any of them. “I’ve met your brother, so at least you’re not total strangers. Seir trusts you, and I trust him.”
She nodded. “We came as quickly as we could but had no idea how long the trip might take, considering your abilities. It seemed best to send those of us who could fly and fight. You can, too, by the way.”
“What, fight? I definitely can’t fly.”
Lovette laughed, the sound like tinkling bells. I warmed despite the fact that she was laughing at me. I could tell it wasn’t malicious, just good-humored.
“I don’t doubt that part, if you’re anything like the rest of us. No, I mean you can trust us. I know that’s asking a lot since we just met, but you can.” Her golden hair bobbed as she nodded, smiling encouragingly. I made a noncommittal noise in my throat. “They—the demons I mean—said you have a healing ability?”
I shuffled my hands under the layers of my cloak. I was plenty warm, but it was good armor. “Yes.”
“We’re getting such a wonderful array of healers in Revalia! I’m the main one for the conclave, that’s the stone kin settlement. It’s outside the city, but not far from it. I run the infirmary there. I hope to be able to see your skill in action one day. I’ve seen Rylan work, his wife, Calla, as well. And Greta is a marvel, she’s quite gifted with elixirs and the like.”
“I’m not sure my ability is anything to look at, honestly, but I’m happy to demonstrate.”
“I’m much the same. I’m skilled with the healing part, but my gift is more about being able to remove the fear and anxiety people feel while injured. It’s terribly helpful in some situations. May I?” She extended her hand.
“It probably won’t work,” I apologized in advance but stretched my hand to meet hers.
The woman’s fingers were warm as her hand closed around mine, but I felt no different. My insides were still half-twisted and my pulse a little elevated thanks to the bond being upset and unusual situation I found myself in.
She frowned. “Can’t say I’m not a little disappointed. I’ve never met anyone it didn’t work on before.”
“May I?”
“Sure.” Her eyes were bright as she clutched my hand.
I pushed my magic out, checking for anything that needed fixing. Lovette was healthy, and the stone-kin physiology was as close to human as Seir’s demon makeup was. All I found were a few nicks and cuts on her hands. But my healing touch was powerful enough that she noticed and looked down when I repaired the little imperfections.
“Marvelous! Thank you. Those little cuts are always terribly painful when I apply antiseptic to patients.” She pulled a package of cookies from her pocket, offering me one. “They also mentioned Coltor suggested you might be a null.” She chewed her own cookie, eyes narrowed as she looked at me. “I think he might have been on to something.”
“Do you know anything about nulls?” I savored the spice in the gingersnap she’d given me, appreciating the way it burned in my nose.
“Not much, unfortunately, mostly that they are very rare. My father tried to find some information in our archives, but there’s simply not much on record. Their—your—existence is kept as hidden as possible. That kind of power is deeply coveted, and usually by the wrong kind of people. It’s not very safe to be a null.”
“Mmm.”
“Hopefully Ophelia will know more.”
“Ophelia?”
Lovette’s smile returned. “She’s one of the oldest of our kind, a sorceress. Most of us have trained under her at one time or another. She knows much that the rest of the world has forgotten. A bit temperamental, perhaps, but mostly wonderful.”
Lovette took over the conversation for quite a while, chattering about daily life at the stone kin conclave. It seemed that both of Seir’s brothers had mated and married women with some stone kin heritage as well, and there had been quite a bit of tension and trials in all their lives for the last year or so. Then she changed topics and left my head spinning.
“My father is better at recognizing kin than I am, but it feels like you may have some blood as well.”
“Stone kin blood? Really?” That was quite possibly one of the last things I’d ever expected her to say.
“Yes, it’s a very particular sound. I’m not sure how else to describe it. It’s like an extra tone in your heartbeat, the way the blood moves. It’s a resonance that other kin can hear. It’s a good way to recognize one another in sticky situations.”
“And you can hear that in me?”
She nodded. “It’s faint, and there’s other noise mixed in there too, but yes.” That was truly unexpected. “Can I say, your eyes are just stunning, and the white hair suits you.”
“Oh. Thank you.” I blushed, painfully unused to genuine flattery from other women.
Lovette leaned forward to get a better look. “I’ve never seen anyone have four colors before. And not ever where two colors were top and bottom.” Her head tilted as she inspected my face.
“That’s all new, actually,” I confessed. “My hair started turning white shortly into our travels. As for my eye… the color is vertical as recent as the last day or so. The blue used to be on the left.”
“Oh.” Lovette sat back, thoughtful. “Well, perhaps Ophelia can help explain that as well.”
I didn’t know what else to say, but the compliments were very sweet.
We stopped after a while to water and rest the horses, stretch our legs, and get a quick bite to eat. Lovette swapped out with her sister for the next part of the ride, as Magnus refused to give up his vantage point in the sky.
Imogen was not nearly as keen on conversation as Lovette was, which I didn’t mind at all. My brain felt mushy from all the information I’d taken in, not to mention everything that had happened. The rocking of the carriage was also doing an excellent job of lulling me to sleep.
“Thank you,” I muttered, resting my head against the wall, “for coming to meet us. It took Seir and I two weeks to get from Olinbourg to Ravenglen. I was not looking forward to that much more walking. Especially with how the weather is turning colder.”
Imogen chuffed a light laugh. “I’d bet not. We’re happy to do it.” She pulled out yet another blade and started polishing it. She caught me watching her careful but well-practiced motions. “I can’t help myself,” she laughed, the sound a low rumble in her throat.
“Oh?”
“I’m the forge mistress.”
“I’ve never seen a blade made,” I admitted. “But it seems a fascinating process. I have one that needs some care.”
“I’d be happy to take a look. Do you have it here?”
I nodded and dug through the packs, pulling out my worn herb knife with a smile. “I’ve had this since I was a child. It’s seen a lot.”
“I can tell.” She accepted the knife reverently, holding the handle with her palm on one hand and the blade with her fingertips of the other. “Any more sharpening may leave you with nearly nothing.” She frowned, turning it back and forth, looking at it from all angles. “But I’ll see what I can do once we get back to the city.”
“That’s very generous, thank you.”
She nodded and went back to polishing. I found myself struggling to keep my eyes open and rested my head against the wall of the carriage.
“You can sleep if you need to, there’s a ways to go yet.”
I let my eyes close, staying in that dreamless, disembodied kind of in-between place where you’re not sure if you’re more awake than asleep or the other way around as the carriage bumped down the road.
After what felt like just a few short minutes, I was startled awake, heart racing and ready to fight as every cell in my body screamed I was somewhere I was not supposed to be.