Finally her breathing and heart rate slowed. She examined her arms to find the scars on her wrists completely gone. She assumed the ones on her back were gone as well. She kissed the ruby, then slipped it into her pocket. If she survived, she’d give it back to Altaria when she returned.
Kira took in another deep breath, found Ussay’s bewildered face and slowly let the air out of her lungs. “I think I’m done now. Are you okay?”
Ussay nodded, letting some of the tension out of her shoulders. “Can I. . touch you now?”
“Yes.”
Ussay threw her arms around Kira’s neck. “I was so afraid you would die.”
“I told you I would be fine. You should have trusted me.” Kira took Ussay’s arms from around her shoulders and urged her to sit on the bench, kneeling in front of her.
“May I?” Kira asked, as she motioned to Ussay’s bandaged finger.
Ussay hesitated before answering, “Yes.”
Kira unwrapped the bandage around Ussay’s finger, which began to bleed instantly. Kira simply touched it with the tip of her finger and the wound disappeared. Her wrist didn’t burn and there was no pain in her heart.
Ussay pulled her finger close to her face and examined it carefully. Then she smiled and let the rest of the tension out of her body.
“One more thing,” Kira requested. She ran her finger across the scar on Ussays wrist where Octavion scratched her, and it melted away.
Ussay smiled. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Kira stood, grabbed her quiver of arrows and began saturating the tips with one of the poisons. Ussay quickly joined her, gently folding pieces of parchment over the ends to keep them from accidentally piercing Kira’s skin and then helped place them back into the quiver.
Kira strapped on her healing pack and put another bottle of poison inside in case she needed it. She had done all she could to prepare, but she needed to do one more thing before she left to meet Shandira. It was time to pay back her hero for saving her life. Cade and Ussay were getting an early wedding present. There was just one problem-Cade was a Royal and the pain from healing his injury would cause him to transform and possibly attack Kira.
“Do you know of a white powder that will cause paralyses?” Kira asked.
“There is V’Larian. Octavion used it on you when I took out the stitches in your face. Is that what you want?”
Kira hadn’t remembered that, but it didn’t surprise her. “Yes, I think that’s what he called it. When he used it before, I couldn’t move, but I was awake and could feel everything.”
“That is V’Larian.” Ussay searched the shelves again, grabbed a small glass cylinder and handed it to Kira. “Will you also use this on Shandira?”
Kira smiled. “No. I have a stop to make before I leave.”
Ussay looked confused, but didn’t question Kira’s intentions.
Kira bent over to pick up her bow and her increased muscle tone caused the seam on the side of her pants to give way, exposing her thigh. She quickly changed into something that would accommodate her new muscles, and switched the ruby to the new pants pocket. The clothes that had been too big for her before were a perfect fit.
Ussay sat on the bench with Kira’s dress draped across her lap, her fingers nervously twisting the fabric.
“What’s wrong?” Kira asked.
“What if someone sees you dressed like that? I am not concerned about the villagers, but if we pass Mara or Nestor in the hallway, they will know you are up to something. Even one of the staff would be suspicious and tell someone.”
She had a point. Kira threw the dress over her clothes, loosened the ribbon in front to accommodate the clothes she wore beneath, and made her way up the stairs with Ussay on her heels. When they arrived in Octavion’s sleeping chambers, Kira had one more favor to ask of her friend before she was on her way.
“Ussay, I have something I need to do. Will you go to the stables? Tell them Octavion is returning and he wants to go riding. Have them saddle the same horse he rode yesterday. It seemed gentle enough.” Kira gave Ussay her bow and quiver. “Tell them he’s going out to practice with this and be convincing. Make sure they hurry.”
Ussay gave her a quick hug and scurried out of the room.
Now, what to do with Cade? Kira made sure no one was in the hall, then made her way past the staircase to the last door on the left, directly across from Mara’s. She took extra care to be quiet as she gently tapped on the door.
“Enter,” Cade’s warm voice resonated.
Kira entered the room and closed the door behind her. Cade sat by the window reading a book. He seemed content enough. Perhaps this would be easier than she thought.
“Hi there,” Kira said.
“Kira, I was thinking about you this morning. I want to thank you for setting me straight with Ussay.” He still had his head half buried in the book. When he looked up he instantly reacted to the change in her eyes and physical appearance. “What have you done?”
Kira grabbed his hand and knelt in front of him. “Please don’t send your thoughts to Octavion until I have a chance to explain.”
“How can you ask this of me? I am supposed to be watching you.” His eyes shot down to her hands as he pulled back the sleeve of her dress to expose the Crystor and the absence of scars. “Oh, Kira. Octavion will have my head for this. He forbade you to heal because of the pain it causes you.” When his eyes found hers again, tiny threads of gold invaded them.
“Please. Let me explain.”
“This better be good.” He took back his hands and folded his arms across his chest. “Speak,” he commanded.
“I’m sorry. It was an accident actually. I was bored so I went to his lair. I was rummaging through some books and when I pulled one off the shelf, my healing pack fell out.” It wasn’t really a lie. She just wanted to leave Ussay out of it.
“Everything spilled out onto the floor-including Lydia’s ruby. I wasn’t even thinking when I picked it up. It must have something to do with our connection, because as soon as I did, the Crystor started glowing and came to life. It feels so good, Cade.” Okay, so she gave him the short version, but she was out of time.
“And it did this to you? Are all your scars gone, even your back?”
Kira smiled. “Everything. And I’m stronger too.”
He seemed satisfied with her explanation, but still leery about keeping her secret. He sat for a moment, looking her over, taking in the obvious changes. “Why did you come here, Kira? Why do you want me to keep this from my cousin? He’ll know the truth the moment he sees you.”
Kira thought fast. “It’s not that I don’t want him to know. Honestly, I think he’ll be thrilled to see the Crystor working again. I just want to be the one to tell him. I don’t want you interrupting their meeting with King Tyrious and if he is angry, I want his rage focused on me, not someone else. This is my fault.”
“Then I will keep it, but only until he returns. If the sun rises before you summon the nerve to approach him, I will show him everything, even your flimsy excuse and story. Now you tell me the truth. What really happened?”
“Do you want more excuses or do you want to walk?”
He let the book slip from his hand. It made a loud crack as it hit the floor. “Pardon?” he asked.
“You heard me. You know as soon as he gets back he will forbid me to heal. He’s afraid I will be hurt or killed. But I’m much stronger here and I felt nothing when I healed my broken finger.” She held it up and flexed it, making a fist. “I can heal you, Cade.”
“But it will cause me pain. I saw how Luka transformed when you healed his shoulder. There is no one here to prevent me from taking your life, Kira.”
“I have an idea about that. Hop up on the bed and I’ll explain.”
He disappeared from the chair, landing in the exact same position a second later in the middle of the bed. “Are you sure this will work?”