Page 45 of Somewhere down the Ley Line
“Eight. Why did you fight them?” Garren’s voice was sharp and cold. When Isolde caught his eyes, they said it all:You see? See how right I was about him and his recklessness?She bit her lip and looked away.
Felix did not look up. “I told you. We couldn’t let them get to the village.”
Garren scoffed. “No. You left here aching for a fight. When the opportunity presented itself, you didn’t even consider an alternative, and you dragged an unblooded boy into it with you.”
“No, that wasn’t… Damn it.” Felix pushed the palms of his hands into his eyes. “It was bad luck, Garren. We had a solid terrain advantage, but one of them got past me to Leif.”
“And Leif paid the price for your recklessness,” Garren said coldly.
Felix didn’t answer. Before Garren could interrogate him further, Luella and the elder entered. The old woman peeled off Leif’s bandages, but as soon as she saw the wound, her face fell. “Would someone please bring Asara?” she asked. “She should be here for this.”
With a last glare at Felix, Garren volunteered and left the cabin.
“This injury is severe,” the elder said. “I will try my best, but it may not be enough. Deep wounds to the abdomen…” Her voice trailed off, and she looked down at Leif with a pained expression.
The elder focused on her work. Asara burst in soon after, her face stricken with fear. She rushed to the bedside, clutching her brother’s arm. A rush of guilt overcame Isolde, for having been jealous of her, for still,stillbeing unable to banish the slight edge of vindictiveness she held towards this woman, whose only sibling’s life hung in the balance tonight.
Felix sat on his bench, staring into nothingness. Isolde couldn’t help herself; she felt bad for him. He radiated misery and guilt. She didn’t think Garren was right. It was obvious, to her at least, that Felix cared. Maybe he was reckless, but he wasn’t heartless. Isolde joined him and looked him over. There was a long, jagged-looking cut on his shoulder.
“You’re hurt.”
He startled at her voice, his eyes meeting hers. They were pools of deep, dark blackness, full of turmoil. He turned away just as quickly, staring at Leif, lying there still and pale. “I’m fine. Worry about him.”
Isolde reached out and tentatively placed her hand on his arm. “They will help him, Felix. He’ll be alright.”
Felix closed his eyes and gave a tiny shake of his head. “You heard what she said.”
She squeezed her fingers around his wrist, scooting closer. He turned to face her again, and something in his gaze was so intense that she wondered for a brief, wild second if he was going to lean in and kiss her, like he almost had that night under the stars. But he didn’t, of course. Instead, he traced the faint lines of the blue marking on her hand with a fingertip. She shivered, but did not pull away.
A whispered but heated exchange between Asara and the elder drew her attention. They spoke in the Crovan tongue, their voices low but sharp. Isolde did not speak their language, but she unmistakably caught the wordAelithar. Asara scowled and crossed her arms.
They were talking about her. But why?
When the elder came to sit beside her, Isolde removed her hand from Felix’s arm.
“We have done what we can,” the elder said, her voice calm but heavy. “The injury is too deep; the insides torn. I cannot simply close the wound. There will be rot, and then death.” Her matter-of-fact tone contrasted with the grief etched on her face. “Sometimes, this is the way of the earth. However,” – and at this she took Isolde’s hand – “you might attempt what I cannot.”
The story the elder had told her rushed back to the forefront of her mind, about the Aelithar who had healed an entire city. Surely they did not think she could dothat? It was just a story, a myth. Her heart beat furiously in her chest, in her ears, and the current of magic stirred. It wanted to be used.
Leif lay motionless, his shallow breaths barely audible, his face white as a sheet. Isolde stared at him. How could she possibly succeed where the elder, an accomplished healer, had failed? “I… I’m not sure I can,” she said, her voice unsteady. “I don’t have that much control – what if I hurt him even more…”
Asara’s scowl deepened. The elder kept her grip firm on Isolde’s hand. “My dear,” she said gently, “Leif will cross to the other side – this is certain. You cannot do more harm than has already come to him.”
“I have never attempted something like this before…” Isolde said, her voice wavering, unable to take her eyes off Leif’s still form.
“Yes, you have,” Felix said quietly.
“What?” She frowned at him. Of all people, he should know this was far beyond her abilities?
“The flower.”
The flower.He said it so casually, but her magic surged at the words. Shehaddone that. But that was just a flower. Leif was a person.
“Yes, but that was…” she trailed off, looking over at Leif again. How could a human body possibly compare to a little plant?
“I know nothing about magic,” Felix said with a shrug, “but I would guess the basic principle is the same.”
Isolde looked first at the elder, who squeezed her hand. Then at Asara, who set her jaw and kept her gaze firmly on the wall. Finally, at Felix.
