Page 7 of The Healing Dragon
Roman turns to face me. “I don't know but they have to be. It's possible she is a conduit. She is able to perform magic when linked to someone else’s power.”
I chuckle at the idea.
“What?” Roman asks.
“All that knowledge she has. If all she needed was a magic source to channel, Lexi Blue is going to be unstoppable.”
“Well she better find another magic source because Isabel won't channel her all the time.” He huffs as if any of this it's up to him. “Let's get you to the clinic.”
Despite the events that followed that night, I am glad to see my brother in a solidified relationship. It's as stable and serious as we all knew it would be. It wouldn’t surprise me if Isabel takes on my last name very soon.
“Who did you piss off?” Amy Bee asks as we enter the clinic.
She has been running this clinic for years now and despite having plenty of help around her she is always the first face I see when I set foot here. I often wonder if she ever takes days off. I rarely see her anywhere else outside of these walls.
“If we told you, you wouldn’t believe his stupidity,” Roman says as he helps me climb onto an open bed for treatment.
“I’ll be right with you, Jesse.” She takes a bag and begins administering her assessment of my injuries ignoring Roman.
I can see from the corner of my eye how Roman rolls hiseyes. He gives me a nod then departs silently. These two have never been able to get along or see eye to eye. It's a little funny to see how much it bothers him. Amy Bee is picky like that about who she fancies and who gets her cold shoulder.
She takes her time going over my injuries and pulling items from various cabinets.
“This will make you feel better.” Amy Bee hands me a cup with boiling water and herbs she picked out. “Let me know if you need me,” she says, then leaves me in the room alone.
I settle back onto the bed and absorb all the information that was shared with me. The cup on my hands cools down enough for me to drink the liquid. I know what is right and despite how hard it might be, cowering down has never been my style.
I find Brandon in his office later that day, with his office door slightly cracked open. This has always been a clear sign that one can simply walk in. As my feet cross the threshold, I wish I would have knocked. Bianca is hunched over by the windows, softly crying in Brandon’s arms.
Her soft sobs gut-punch me, freezing me a few steps into the room. I don’t have to ask what is wrong. Her childhood friend, Matias, has yet to return from his trip to the City of Sin. While we searched up and down for the traitors, she sailed on her own mission to find Matias. Just like our search efforts, she returned home empty-handed. Unlike our rage and determination that grows after every empty return, her journey brought her back sad and hopeless.
Brandon notices my arrival over her head. His eyes are tired and helpless. An emotion I can relate to all too well. If only I could ease his burdens. I look down at my hands. My clenched fist feels so useless. All of me does nowadays.
The Lord of Wisdom has no clue what to do. What a sick twist of fate.
“Jesse,” Brandon calls my name. “Do you need something?”
Bianca pushes him away and turns to the window trying to compose herself before turning to me.
“I will go,” I tell him and raise my chin.
“I will go with you.” Bianca offers, stepping away from the window.
Her eyes are still red, and tear marks are fresh on her cheeks. The stress lines around her eyes look more pronounced today.
“You just returned.” Brandon embraces her with so much care.
“Any news?” I ask.
“Matias made it to the clinic in Fierno and delivered the plants to LeeAnn. He got sidetracked on the way back,” she says.
“What’s next?” I look between them.
“I can’t just sit here and wait.” Bianca runs her fingers through her hair. The desperation slipping through clear as day. “I need to be productive.”
“You can find something productive to do here.” Brandon pulls her to his chest. “We don’t know when Jesse will be back. I can’t go without seeing you for an unknown length of time.”
There is a knock at the door before a soldier enters the room. He passes by me and hands Brandon a box. My brother takes it and places it on his desk, then gestures for me to get closer. He opens the box and I see a cape. I look back at Brandon because I haven’t seen this cape since we were children. At the sight of it, Bianca joins us.
