Chapter 68
Between the disastrous development concerning the Seadan and the fact that reality could continue ripping apart at any given moment, I needed a few hours until I was willing to let go of Nayana, who was sleeping deeply.
I didn’t want to release her, but I had to talk to the others about what had happened and how the fuck we’d react from here on.
Of course, I wouldn’t leave her without ensuring she was as comfortable as possible.
I’d stacked three bedrolls on top of each other, had arranged several pillows around her—whoever had ventured to a nearby town in the past few hours would perish last if it came to me burning everything down—and had secured that every single inch of her body beneath her chin was covered by two blankets.
At last—because I didn’t trust the clouds to hold—I busied myself erecting a canopy over her sleeping berth. Not a single raindrop would disturb her, not today nor ever again. Not as long as I still drew breath.
During my seventh attempt to unglue myself to join the others—number one to six had failed after a few steps, because I’d been compelled to check on Nayana another time—I succeeded in leaving her side and sulked as I lowered myself next to my comrades a few paces aside.
Although I was able to observe my female—even how her chest rose and fell—the distance felt like the deepest chasm I’d ever encountered.
“Dion. About time.”
A grunt had to suffice as communication.
Obviously, Antas didn’t agree.
“Please enlighten us. What in Kalag’s name happened?” My uncle stared at me, and I glowered right back at him.
My patience was nonexistent. One wrong word, and I’d explode without even batting an eyelash in warning.
“Courtlings broke our binding. Didn’t you notice the scars around Nayana’s neck?
” Tearing off the band-aid, I lifted my sleeve, unclasped my bracelet, and presented the matching marred landscape on my skin.
“I have no idea exactly how they dissolved the divine magic, but a fucking Seadan, drugs, and a ritual by the Graigh are to blame without a doubt.”
“Go on.”
“Antas, do we really have to—”
“Yes. What did you do?”
Sneering, I bared my teeth at my uncle. If he preached about his restraint bullshit again, I’d silence him forever. I was already in a fitting mood. “If you consider that the Courtlings infected her with a fucking deadly parasite, something much too merciful.”
“Dionadair.”
“All right, since you insist. I did what everyone else would have done in my position and killed them all. And I don’t regret my actions. Even considering the fallout, I’d repeat bringing forth their extinction again and again.”
Antas sighed. “Just so I understand you correctly—you annihilated a tribe of ancients on top of the entirety of the Cuirt an Ghra?”
“Yes. Well, almost.” Side-eyeing Thain, I snarled at the redhead, who faced me with a surprisingly thoughtful expression, showing no reaction to my barb.
“Down to the last member of the Graigh?”
“Yes. Each of their light faded away as their power submitted to the superiority of my darkness.”
“Fuck, Dion. Did you not consider the possibility that this reaction was precisely what my brother wanted? Think about this. He sent you into the Breocharn before—so you would eliminate another ancient tribe.”
“The Doitean didn’t hurt what’s mine. But the Graigh—they did.”
Antas took a deep breath, and his left hand raked through his hair. “You should have used your brain for just one minute. But no, you had to go feral again.”
“I don’t give a shit, Antas. And you’d better listen closely.
If Nayana isn’t making it through this, you’ll see how much of a fuck I’ll give about anything.
Then you should really put me down—if you can—or darkness will reign until nothing else remains.
” The possibility alone had my eyes darken.
“And I swear, this tear over there…will appear like faeling’s play compared to my wrath. ”
“Nayana is stable,” Ireas interfered. “I just checked on her. Her condition looks so bad because the Seadan is putting a strain on her, but her magical signature is still strong. But there’s something else.
Usually, only young parasites infect hosts, because only then are they small enough to enter someone’s system unnoticed.
Between ingestion and the first measurable effects, several weeks to months pass.
But Nayana has been given an adult specimen.
This is why I can’t predict how much time remains until the pest has consumed enough Potential to reach its desired destination. ”
“What do you mean?”
“They only devour magic or Potential—well, have you ever heard of the hypothesis that our powers are layered around our life force? Because that’s what a Seadan is after.”
“How do you know so much about this?”
“The Seadan originates in Tocsaineach. And I spent a few winters there during my coming-of-age pilgrimage. One day, I stumbled over an injured Ainmhi and helped her return home to her tribe. As a token of gratitude, the ancients let me stay for a while and introduced me to their medical insights. That started my training as a medic. And well, since Seadans aren’t uncommon in swampy areas, we had a few cases during my apprenticeship. ”
The Ainmhi, fuck. Another one of those forefathers of our people.
The original earth Wielder, and the bunch hating me most of all.
Now, most likely even more, considering what crimes I’d committed against their light brethren.
But we had to grasp at straws here. “Means we’ll pay them a visit so they can treat Nayana. ”
Ireas opened his mouth, then closed it again.
“What?”
“Even the best Ainmhi healers can’t cure a Seadan infection, Dion. Yes, we attempted to extract every parasite back then, but the fae hosts never survived. According to the priests, no mortal ever did.”
“But they can try, can’t they?”
“You won’t stop pursuing the idea, will you?”
“No.” I glared at the other males, who were listening intently, before I directed my attention back to Ireas. A theory formed at the back of my mind, and a spark of hope flickered into existence in the vastness of my desperation. “The Seadan wants life force?”
“Yes, that’s what research showed.”
“So, what if you feed the fucker some from an external source?”
“To make an educated guess—I’d imagine inducing such energy would stop the parasite from consuming its host’s magic as long as the creature has its favorite meal.”
“How fast is the consumption?”
“I have no idea. But transferring life force from one person to the other is impossible anyway.”
“Watch me.” I jumped to my feet and stalked over to where Nayana slept, kneeling down next to her.
She could receive all of my life force if necessary—without a second of hesitation.
“You can?” Ireas had followed me, forehead wrinkled, and lowered himself at my side.
After a few moments, I dipped my head. “Possibly. Maybe. Not that I’ve done so before, but my intuition screams at me that I can.”
“How? That’s unfeasible.”
Inhaling deeply, I focused on the young fae and whispered to him. “Enamcoharta gift.”
“Oh. Oh!”
“Keep this to yourself. Only Antas has found out so far. And sadly, my dearest grandfather. I haven’t even explained the full meaning to Nayana yet.”
“How long until the gift vanishes?”
“Stupid question. You were there when I first met her. So, a winter and a day later before—”
“Fine, yes. And you assume the body gift allows you to share your life force?”
“Not sure if Colainn is the reason. I guess so, since dreamwalking sounds more like an Intinn endowment, and the ability seems too physical to belong to Anam, whose contribution is still unknown to me. According to some books on this topic, it’s ordinary for not all gifts to show instantly.”
“Makes sense. But Dion, what in the Triad’s names are you thinking, keeping something huge like the Enamcoharta from her?
Hasn’t she asked why a brand is forming on her chest?
Oh, wait. That’s why you pressed for a Glamour device?
Oh, Dion—” Ireas interrupted his sermon and massaged his temples, but before I could tear him a new one, he continued.
“If you don’t tell her, she’ll be furious with you again. You’re risking a second Amalach.”
“Of course, she hit me with a million questions. And I replied to most of them. That the Enamcoharta means she’s marked by magic and that the symbol could disappear again, so hold your horses and focus on the more important issues.
If I send her some of my life force, will you be able to trace how fast the Seadan burns through the energy?
If the pest consumes my essence at all?”
“I can. But Dion, are you sure you want that? You’re reducing your own lifetime.”
“As if I fucking care. I’d sacrifice every fucking winter I have left to keep her alive.”
Ireas nodded, although his eyes were still riddled with skepticism, and he placed his hand on Nayana’s forehead again.
Growling, I clamped down on the impulse to push his filthy paw away and rip his flesh off his bones with my teeth.
“Don’t overdo this. We have to monitor the outcome first.”
As I nodded, I gently placed my hand on the glamoured skin under Nayana’s left collarbone.
Carefully, I searched for my own life force—up until now, I hadn’t been aware that I could do so—and separated a small strand from the pulsing ball of pure energy.
Cautiously, I nudged that part of my essence to her until the glowing tendril had disappeared from my reach.
The distinct coldness this procedure had left behind was unpleasant, but of no importance.
During the aftermath, I drummed my fingers against my chin and tapped my foot as I observed Ireas for eons. “The Seadan ceased attacking her Potential. This is indeed working, Dion. The parasite is consuming your energy. Enthusiastically so. You’ve just bought Nayana additional time.”
“I can transfer more to her.”