“Excellent, that’s much better. What else?”
“…Maybe learn to make solid mana threads, eventually? I can make solid mana crystals, so…”
“That’s an excellent answer. I can see a number of applications for it. What else?”
“Give me a minute to think.”
“Take your time. You’re not going to make a new fighting style overnight.”
I remembered talking to Keras for a bit, strategizing. Then the pain got worse, and the exhaustion overwhelmed me.
I don’t even remember making my way to my bedroom, but I must have eventually.
When I opened my eyes later, I saw a familiar figure looming over me. Not Keras, this time.
“Morning, darling. You gave me quite the scare.” Sheridan Theas was sitting over me, their hands on my…shirtless…chest.
I took just a moment to panic, trying to sit up.
They put a firm hand on my shoulder and pushed me back down. “Not so suddenly, Corin. I’m still working on you.”
Working?…
Oh.
I managed to suppress my panic, settling back down.
I was in an unfamiliar bed, but my pants were on, and I was starting to recall what had just happened. “Right. Working. Injuries. That’s why I’m…”
Sheridan laughed. “What, did you think I was taking advantage? How scandalous. I’d kill me for that, even if Derek or Keras didn’t get to it first. Don’t worry, Corin. You’re safe. I’m just mending your ribs.”
I gave Sheridan a slow nod. “Uh, thanks. I’m sorry, I just…”
Sheridan shook their head. “Don’t worry about it in the slightest. I probably should have given you some warning. I was just trying to hold you down so you didn’t move and make your injuries worse. You were tossing and turning quite a bit in your sleep. Nightmares, I think.”
I gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry. I…get those kind of a lot.”
“Maybe we can find something for that later. In the meantime, though, just try to relax a bit while I finish this up?”
“Thanks…” More of my memory was returning. “Derek? Elora? Are they…?”
“Derek is recovering, but he’ll be in rough shape for a while. I treated him first, though, so he’s stable. My sister, unfortunately, is also alive. That’s one winter wish that I’ll have to work on a little harder.” Sheridan chuckled.
“You hate your sister that much?”
“Oh, no, dear. I love my sister. I just prefer to love her from as far away as possible. And the grave would, of course, be the most distant option.” Sheridan rolled their eyes. “Anyway, don’t pay any mind to my jousting with Elora. It’s a form of affection.”
I nodded. Even that slight movement sent a new surge of pain through my chest.
I could understand what Sheridan meant. Sera and I did quite a bit of teasing each other, even if it wasn’t quite as extreme as what Sheridan was talking about.
“And Saffron?”
“That monster never came back, but we’ve relocated to my house for the time being. There was too much of a risk that Saffron would send someone to that place, even if he didn’t come himself.”
That made me feel somewhat better, at least. “Is Keras still with us?”
“Oh, that one has been watching you like a paternal phoenix, dear. Right now, I think he’s pacing outside. I can get him when I’m done with this, if you’d like.”
“Thanks. Has anyone told Sera that I’m safe?”
Sheridan shook their head. “No, but I do know a Wayfarer nearby. We can send a message later. You should stay here for a while, at least for a few days.”
I frowned at that. “I’d like to go check on where Saffron first arrived. Some of those people he hurt might still be alive.”
“Elora’s people? Didn’t they abduct you just a bit?”
“Sure, but that doesn’t mean I want to leave them to die out there. If Saffron went back…”
Sheridan shook their head. “If Saffron went back, there’d be nothing left for us to save. If Saffron didn’t go back to them, though, perhaps some of them may have lived. But it’s been hours at this point, they’d have moved to somewhere else if they were in any condition to do so.”
“I’d still like to make sure they get help, if they’re alive.”
Sheridan shrugged a shoulder. “I’m sure Elora will see to it when she wakes.”
“You don’t seem too concerned.”
Sheridan laughed. “Concerned? About a bunch of people who grabbed a teenager in the middle of an exam to use him for a convoluted scheme? No, Corin, I’m not concerned about the fate of that sort of person. I think it’s sweet that you’re kind enough to care, but if you think any one of those people would have given you the same kind of thought, you’re sorely mistaken.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m not them. Will you look into it for me?”
Sheridan sighed. “Fine. I’ll look into survivors. But only because you’re such a darling. Now, will you do me the kindness of shutting up for a few minutes so I can work?”
“Yes, right. Of course.”
Shutting up was harder than I expected.
This was not due to boredom.
It was because knitting my ribs back together with magic was considerably more painful than I expected.
I considered asking Sheridan to stop, and just relying on the silver phoenix sigil or getting the ring of regeneration back to fix the injuries, but fixing bone damage with regeneration could have taken weeks.
I didn’t have that kind of time.
So, I gritted my teeth through the pain of bones and cartilage knitting in my chest, all the while thinking about a single idea.
I needed to be stronger.
I couldn’t promise myself I’d never lose a fight again. That was absurd, unrealistic in a world with monsters as strong as Saffron.
But I could dedicate myself to making strategies for next time.
Maybe then, I wouldn’t feel so reshing useless.
Chapter XIX – Emergency Preparedness
In spite of my best intentions, I spent the rest of the day in bed. Broken bones weren’t exactly the kind of injury I could shrug off, even with magical healing.
The following day, Sheridan visited again, and I confirmed that they had contacted Sera. That would help ensure Sera didn’t panic and try to launch some kind of rescue mission, at least.
When I was up and walking, the first thing I did was pay a visit to Elora Theas. I wasn’t clear on if we were in her home or Sheridan’s, but either way, she was there.
The guards outside her room gave me some side-eye when I asked to see her.
The guards inside her room were even less thrilled.
Elora dismissed them. “Leave us. He’s no threat to me.”
Not yet, maybe.
Elora was resting in a tremendous canopy bed, sheets pulled up to conceal her lower body. She set a book aside, sitting up to turn toward me. “Cadence. I expected you to come by at some point.” She turned aside and coughed loudly, then raised a hand to her throat. “We may need to make this brief. Talking is still…challenging.”
I raised an eyebrow at that. “Mana scarring?”
She nodded. “That last spell was not a simple thing, even for me.”
“Sheridan is treating you, I assume?”
“If you can call what my sibling does ‘treatment’, yes.” Elora shook her head. “But surely you didn’t come here to inquire about my health.”