Page 78 of Stone Heart
Chapter 25
Rina stood off to the side of Rhodack’s suite while Vikuth and Nielsen placed Rhodack’s body on the bed. She refused to shed a tear in front of the clan. Eyes had been on them as they’d stalked through the lair.
“The healer should be here soon,” Vikuth murmured, coming to stand in front of her.
She jerked her head in a nod, her gaze remaining on Rhodack’s unmoving frame. She was too afraid of speaking for fear that she’d lose it completely.
Rhodack’s battered and bruised body was deathly still. His chest rose ever so slightly, the only sign of life to the eye.
But Rina sensed his heart beating slow and steady.
“Thank you,” she said.
A knock sounded at the door. Nielsen glanced at Vikuth who jerked his head toward it.
“That should be the healer. Stand guard outside. No one is to enter without Rina’s permission,” Vikuth ordered.
“Yes, sir.” Nielsen nodded to her before moving toward the exit.
“He’ll pull through this. He was in his gargoyle form, and that’s what saved him.”
“Do it. Use whatever magic you have to take him out.”Rhodack’s voice echoed through her head.
“He told me to do it.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and glanced back up to him.
“Because in doing so, he saved you.”
“How is he?”
They both turned to see an older man with platinum hair hanging past his shoulders walk through the door. His body was hunched over, and he slowly walked toward the bed. “It’s good he was in his gargoyle form,” the healer muttered.
She walked to the bedside, but Vikuth’s steady arm stopped her.
“Achmu will heal him,” Vikuth murmured.
“Will he be okay?” She needed to hear someone else say it.
The healer stepped around the bed, taking his time assessing Rhodack. He paused on the side of the bed and raised his hands in the air. She watched with baited breath as he mumbled words in a language she was unfamiliar with.
“What is he doing?” she whispered, not wanting to interrupt his chanting.
“An ancient healing prayer. Rhodack’s body will heal before his mind does,” Vikuth said.
Hours seemed to go by while the healer continued his healing chants. Rina took a seat and waited for the small man to finish his ritual. Vikuth had left with the promise of returning to check on Rhodack.
So Rina waited.
Finally, the little man turned to her, appearing satisfied with his chanting. He shuffled toward Rina with a small smile on his face.
“Our clan leader will pull through. I’ve done what I can for his body. It will be his mind that will determine when it is time for him to awaken.” Achmu stood before her and bowed deeply.
“But wait,” she exclaimed as he ambled toward the door.
He paused and turned to her.
She stood from the chair and walked over to him, stopping in front of him. “That’s it? We just have to wait for him to awaken?”
Achmu smiled, the wrinkles in his face deepening. “Yes, m’lady. I have chanted our ritual healing prayers, and we will have to wait for his mind to determine when it is ready for him. He is in a healing sleep. He will awaken when he is fully healed on the inside.”
