“Alissa, can you hear me?”
“Yes… I… My leg,” was all she could murmur before blacking out.
Eldric unbuttoned her trousers in a rush and undressed her to the knee. He didn’t give a second thought to what he was doing; his eyes instantly traveled to her right thigh, where he found the deep cut inflicted by a blade in a wheat field.
He murmured a curse. “We need to go to the nearest town now, or she won’t make it,” he warned Freyah.
A verbal command and a gentle tug on the reins ordered the horse to speed like never before, as if Eldric and his horse spoke a language of their own.
129 DAYS UNTIL DHALIA’S DEATH DATE.
Alissa woke up in a large, white tent, lying on an uncomfortable wooden cot. She examined her surroundings and only saw a few cabinets full of colorful potions and herbs. The scent of medicinal ointments invaded her nostrils. A woman she didn’t recognize sat on a stool by the entrance, her eyes closed, and Alissa understood by her heavy, slow breaths that she had fallen asleep there.
Alissa silently moved to stand up, but her leg hurt so badly she lost her balance. Her hand instinctively covered her mouth, holding back a scream so as not to wake the stranger. Glancing down, she realized she was naked, only a thin blanket covering her body. She blushed as she wondered who could have seen her this way.
Her gaze turned toward the sleeping woman again, and as Alissa tiptoed to escape, her foot cracked. The unwelcome sound woke up the woman sitting by the entrance. Alissa stared, wide-eyed, assuming a defensive stance, ready to fight any threats.
“You’re awake,” the woman said, her tone sweet and tender, one that perfectly matched her exterior. She had dark brown skin, and her curly hair was loose, brushing the length of her shoulders. When she smiled, perfect white teeth appeared.
Alissa narrowed her eyes. “Who are you?”
“My name is Desi Linard. I’m a healer and magical researcher.”
A crease formed in Alissa’s forehead.What does that even mean?she thought, but her mouth spoke different words. “Why am I here?”
“You were badly injured. Your friends brought you to me. You would have died if they didn’t get here when they did,” Desi explained. “Could you please sit down? I have a few questions in order to better continue your treatment.”
“Where are my clothes, Mrs. Linard?”
“We had to discard them. They were completely stained with blood,” the woman said. “Please call me Desi.”
Alissa remained standing, but the longer she bore the weight of her body on her legs, the harder it became to endure the sharp pain that insistently stung her thigh.
“You’re safe here, Alissa.” The woman’s voice was kind. It reminded her of the hushing of the oak tree leaves that brought her so much peace back in Bryniard’s forest.
Only when Freyah and Eldric stormed inside carrying changes of clothes with them did Alissa sit down. Eldric was shirtless, and her chin developed life on its own as it automatically dropped at the sight. Alissa had never realized he had so many scars covering his torso. She shook her head to drive away the thoughts, refocusing instead on the concerned looks of her friends.
They were worried. As a matter of fact, they were too worried for her liking. A concern that couldn’t have been exclusively related to whatever happened to her ending up in that tent. There was something else bothering them.
When Eldric’s cheeks turned red and he averted his gaze, clearing his throat, she was once again aware of the thin blanket that covered her body. She grinned despite herself.
Freyah must have noticed the not very subtle exchange of glances and the stiffness of their bodies because she clicked her tongue and slid a dark blue cloak over Alissa’s head.
“Why are you shirtless?” Alissa asked him, as if she hadn’t been almost naked herself a second ago.
“I used my shirt to wrap around your injury.” His eyes drifted down, landing where the deep cut on her thigh was.
“You should be glad he did, you would not have survived if he hadn’t stemmed the bleeding,” the healer interrupted, noticing that if she never spoke, they would keep pretending she didn’t exist.
Alissa’s eyes met his; the odd tightness in her chest and the air catching in her lungs were a surprise even to herself.
Desi cleared her throat, breaking their spell. “I gave you a potion to treat your fever and prevent any infections. But that will be temporary, at least until I’m sure what your condition is so I can treat you accordingly.”
Freyah held Alissa by the hand to help her lie down on the cot again.
She never left her friend’s hand, even when she was safely lying in that cot. Eldric stood by her side, his strong arms crossed over his chest. His teeth clenched as they all listened to the healer’s words.
“Alissa, do you have any trouble swallowing or muscles spasming, most specifically your jaw?” Desi asked.