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At some point, someone carried her away, into a healer’s tent and atop a cot.
“Perhaps a head wound,” the healer said.
A series of hands cut every piece of muddied fabric from her, inspected her skin, and cleaned her. There were mumbled uncertainties as to why she’d remained in such a daze, but Thessa didn’t care to listen. Afterwards, someone had dressed her, laid her down, and covered her with a thin blanket. Maybe it was Sila, or some other aqua-eyed female. She wasn’t sure.
The healer, who’d introduced herself as Pennique several times, stayed awake all night to observe her. When morning broke, she wagged her thick finger, mapping a shape Thessa had no energy to track. “Follow my finger, go on,” the healer repeated.
She couldn’t. Her sleep had come in waves, her eyes closing for a bit, then popping back open. Unseeing death was not an option, she learned.
“Grab me a Celestial, please,” Pennique asked the child who’d been staring at Thessa like she too was a corpse.
Leora tumbled in a second later, landing at her bedside, as if she’d been waiting for an opportunity to come in. Thessa wanted to reach out to her, to slide her fingers across Leora’s skin, and let her know she was here … but she was just too tired.
“How can I help?” Leora asked.
The healer hovered over Thessa’s face. “Conjure your magic please, just to one fingertip,” Pennique requested.
Leora did so effortlessly.
“Now, bring your finger closer to her right eye.”
Thessa heaved a breath as Leora’s opalescent fingertip shined bright. As exhausted as Thessa was, and unable to voice the pain inside her chest, she was proud of her friend.
“And the other eye, please.”
Leora’s bright finger dipped from one eye to the other.
“Pupils are responding well, good,” Pennique noted. “That’s enough, thank you.”
“Will she be, okay?” Leora asked.
“There’s no active bleeding, anywhere. There’s no wound to her head that I can find, no swelling either. Her breathing remained steady all evening. There’s not even a scratch on her skin. I think this may stem from the mind, which would require time, and rest. There’s nothing more I can offer her.”
Thessa felt Leora’s warm hand squeeze her shoulder before asking Pennique, “Could you leave us, for just a moment?”
“I have to get some water anyway, I’ll be back soon.” She gathered a bucket and looked over to the child. “Come.”
When they were alone, Leora began. “Tess, I think you’re in shock, or something. Whatever it is, I’m here. I’ve been here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Thessa's chest swelled and settled, like a tide flowing in and out of sea.
Leora continued, “You’re the strongest witch I’ve ever met. Do you know that? You can push through this.” Leora shook her head. “Is this about Soren? Sila, who I really like by the way, told me how close you two were getting. He’ll be okay, the healers said so. In fact, he’s doing so well they had to move him into a carriage. He was becoming too alert, and aggressive, which they said is a good sign. This way, they can keep him safe. All everyone wants is to keep you both safe.” Leora tucked the blanket tighter into her sides.
The act was so small, yet so comforting. Thessa wondered if that was what it’d felt like to be tucked in as a child. Her voice was scratchy, but she managed to say, “Thanks for coming.”
Leora squeezed her hand. “Tess, always.”
She cleared her throat. “So, it’s true, he’ll be, okay?” She wanted to hear Leora say it again.
“It’s true. Emiel’s driving the healers mad with questions, but it sounds like the burns and wounds are responding well to the salves. They said he’ll be scarred, but nothing more.”
“Emiel’s okay? Beatrix and Ivy too?”
Leora smiled. “Yes, they’re all alright.”
“And Hades, Ares?”
“The horses? More than alright. Emiel’s been caring for them.”