Page 55 of Healer to the Ash King
She smiles a little. “I can change the temperature around me while I remain unaffected. It’s a limited power—I can’t freeze people solid or burn them up—but I can make them feel very uncomfortable. If my resonance had been any stronger, I would have been permanently Muted.”
“None of the other girls have wielding powers?”
“Not that I’ve noticed.”
I nod. “The Ricters would have caught it if someone was trying to hide their magic.”
She winces. “Not necessarily. There are ways to fool the Ricters, or bribe them.”
She leaves with a brief smile, as if she’s glad to escape the conversation.
So not only is there a spy for the Undoing in the palace—possibly among the Favored—but she could also be hiding unknown powers. Wonderful.
As I heal the girls, I slip in a few questions that I hope sound harmless and conversational. Have they ever traveled beyond the borders of our kingdom? If not, would they like to? Casually I complain a little about the lack of internationally imported goods in the city markets, but I stop short of asking what the girls think of our country’s isolationist policies.
They’re all fairly guarded in their answers, but nothing really rings false. Morani offers to get me in touch with a black-market dealer of international goods. It’s a good-natured gesture, and also the only comment that’s potentially treasonous. I decline as gracefully as I can. She’s lucky I don’t plan on telling the King about her black-market connection. Though I wonder if many of the nobility secretly purchase international goods despite the trade ban. Those with money and privilege seem to find ways around every law, while the poor have no choice but to submit.
At last Axley arrives for her healing. She strips and lies down on the table, her mouth a grim red line and her sharp eyes fixed on the ceiling. “A few scratches,” she says. “I’d rather heal naturally, on my own, but the King insisted I come to you.”
“Are you sure it’s only scratches?” I let my hand float above her bruised stomach. “You were struck by your ollpheist’s tail, harder than I thought, it seems.”
“Just scratches,” she grits out.
But it’s not. I can sense that something inside her is bleeding copiously. If it’s not fixed, she’ll be dead in a few hours.
“You have internal bleeding,” I tell her. “It’ll take me a little while to mend it.”
“I really don’t have time for this. I placed first in the challenge and I’m supposed to get one-on-one time with the Ash King immediately after this. Every minute counts.” She pushes herself up.
“Lie down, please,” I say in my calmest healer voice. “It’s my job to ensure you’re completely healthy.”
“Like you care,” she snaps. “Rose Room whore.”
My whole body tenses.
I could let her walk out of here and die. It would serve her bitchy ass right.
But I took a vow.
“If you don’t agree to the healing, I’ll have to speak to the King,” I say evenly. “Whatever problems you have with me, please believe that I take my duties very seriously. I would never harm you. And if you don’t let me do this, you won’t last the day.”
Axley stares at me, then nods once. “Hurry up with it, then. I have to meet someone before I join His Majesty, and I’m already late.”
“Meet someone?”
“None of your business.”
“Of course.” I let the gold lines unwind from my hands and sink into her flesh, seeking out the contusions and lacerations, sealing and healing them. I replenish some of the lost blood as well, but not all of it. Let her feel a little weak during her time with the Ash King.
My last patient is Khloe. She flies into the room and hugs me tightly around the neck. “Cailin! You saved me. My pretty knight on the chestnut horse. Maybe I should be falling for you instead of the Ash King.”
I squeeze her tightly, laughing. “I’m flattered. And if I liked girls, I’d be all over you.”
“Ever tried?” she asks, with a sly smile.
“No—you?”
“Yes. It’s so different from being with a man. Softer and wetter, mostly.” She giggles. “And they know exactly what to do. But I like men, too—especially men like Perish. He’s got those muscles and that elegant face—gods.” She fakes a swoon.
