Chapter 5 - Toxikinesis: The ability to manipulate poisons

Cons' POV

I woke up and my neck hurt, Tristan and I were sleeping on chairs in the lobby of the healing house, Neve came around the corner. “Good, you're awake.” She whispered. “Valery isn’t looking so good, but we have no idea how to fix her, or why this happened.” I sighed. “I picked up some books from the Great Hall about madness, can you help me look through them.” I rubbed my eyes.

“Of course.”

“And when Jane gets here she can help.”

Janes' POV

I woke up and touched my side, I couldn’t burn it with fire or the stitches would be burned away, I grabbed my sword and made my way to the woods.

“Hey, bitch!” I turned to be hit in the face with water, I was crippled to the ground.

“Stop she’s going to hurt you, I told you what she did in the duel-”

“She’s defenseless, you said that the bastard was carrying her yesterday, but now he’s no longer here to protect her.” I glared at him as pain ripped down my face, it was one of the women I called a bitch yesterday and a man.

“Brother of yours?” He kicked my side, thank Chiffron it was my undamaged side.

“I’m her husband, and if you ever speak to me or my wife again I’ll kill you, do you understand?!” I tried to burn the water away.

“Clearly you don’t mean that, coming all the way out here to find me-”

“You are weak, it’s all just a show-” I kicked him in the shin and he fell, I felt my stitches rip when he slapped me away. “Stay away from me!” He reached down and took my sword, I made a sound of anger, as they turned away laughing. I lit my hand on fire and held it to my face. My side burned, in the way it could only do for me alone, I stood up and wandered into the forest. I had to find the Golden Raddle. I saw in the book that it grows on this island. The forest floor was covered with many things, my blood dripped on the white and green, then I saw the yellow flower, I picked it up and sighed, I turned but tripped.

“Hello?” A voice yelled I rolled over as gravity seemed to suck me into the earth, the green razors brushed my face, and the smell of dirt was surprisingly comfortable. My eyes closed.

Cons' POV

Neve and I flipped through the pages, while Tristan stayed at Valery’s side, nothing seemed to match, it didn’t seem like madness, more like a forced hatred or something.

“Con!” I looked towards the door, someone was yelling my name outside and we all walked out to see Edur carrying Jane in his arms. “I found this girl in the woods, she left a trail of blood!” Jane was pale and unmoving.

“Oh, gods, Jane!” Neve said, running over. She pushed her hands to Jane’s side. “Her stitches came out!” I pulled Edur into the healing house.

“Put her down,” I said. He set her on a bed.

“Who is she?!” Edur asked, looking at the blood that now covered him.

“She’s our cousin, get the healer!” Neve yelled, he ran out of the room, Neve cut Jane’s shirt off and I saw a new bruise.

“Someone kicked her,” I said. Neve frowned, the shallow indent in her side had a boot mark.

“I’m here- Oh no, her again.” The healer ran in with silk and started re-stitching her side after she checked the damage of the bruise. “Nothing major, just minor internal bleeding.” She ripped open her pocket and placed giant leaves on Jane’s side. “I’ll be back later, call me when she wakes up.” She said, before leaving as quickly as she came.

“Again?” Edur asked from the doorway.

“Long story,” I said, holding Jane’s arm and sitting down.

“Thank you for getting her out of there,” Neve said, Edur smirked.

“Anytime-”

“But you two already know each other don’t you?” Neve said Edur went wide-eyed.

“Yes,” I said. “You should fill her in, I have a feeling we will be seeing more of each other.” Edur swallowed.

“Whatever you say, Sage.” I rolled my eyes, as Edur followed Neve out of the room.

Janes' POV

My head spun and my stomach turned, as my vision returned. I felt stiff. I turned to the side to see Con sleeping at my side, I looked down at the leaves on my side, then slid out of bed, grabbed a shirt, and walked out into the lobby.

“Tough one aren’t you.” I turned to see a boy with head-turning white hair.

“Mind telling me who you are?”

“Con was right, I feel the-” He waved his hands around. “Radiate from you.”

“What’s that mean?” He laughed.

“I’m Edur, the scum of the streets.”

“Why pick that name?”

“It’s catchy.” I rolled my eyes, he was young, maybe sixteen.

“So how do you know me, petty thief?” I reached for my sword, then began to panic when I remembered that man taking it.

“You were half-dead in the woods and I pulled you out.” He said sitting back. “The trail of blood you left made finding you the easy part.”

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“Why would you do that?” He shook his head.

“The better question is, what the hell happened to you?” I tensed.

“Got in a fight, and my past injuries didn’t help-”

“Right your duels.” I frowned. “Don’t be so defensive, Con and I are friends, and I just met Neve and she filled me in.”

“Your friends with Con?” He nodded. “Why do I find that shocking?”

“Any number of reasons I imagine.” I frowned and turned back towards my room. “Wait!” He stood up and I hit him in the face with the back of my head, I heard him fall to the floor.

“Jane!” Neve yelled as he ran up to us.

“Hey, Princess.” He said, holding his nose. She helped him up.

“So you do know him?” I said. “Oops.” I shrugged.

“Damn, I wasn't expecting that.” He said.

“Are you okay?” Neve asked, glaring at me.

“I’m fine, is this how you always introduce yourself, cause next time just give me a warning.” I laughed and shook his hand.

“Sorry about your face.” He shrugged it off.

“After everything, Neve told me I don’t know what I was expecting, obviously a badass, but damn.”

“Thanks for pulling me out of the woods.”

“Who’d you get in a fight with anyway?” He asked, Neve, turned to me.

“Let’s just try to focus on Valery, then deal with me,” I said. “I think I know what’s happening to her, the red eyes, and anger. Milk of the Poppy is the only thing I know that does both.”

“How do you cure it?” Neve asked. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the Golden Raddle.

“I know how to cure her, I hope.” Neve smiled. “However, this kind of thing can’t happen accidentally, someone had to put Milk of the Poppy into something she ate then focused all of her resentment towards me and Con.” Neve sighed.

“We can worry about that later,” Neve said. “I’m going to tell the healer.” she walked away. I sat down.

“So thief huh?” I said, he smirked.

“What can I say?”

“Not so great at defending yourself.”

“Not against attacks I don’t see coming, plus I’m a runner, not a fighter.”

“You said you are friends with Con, so why steal-”

“You think Con gets anything from his parents? No one knows he exists.” Edur fumed before quickly smiling at me. I frowned, and put my head in my hands, I didn’t know how to help him. “You look nothing like I pictured you, you know?”

“Huh?” He laughed and sat down next to me.

“I thought, a fancy girl with long dresses, and a fear factor.” I scoffed.

“Really now?”

“I guess when Con talked about you, I didn’t picture a badass, but then again I never saw anyone get under his skin the way you did, not even Diomedes.” He winked at me.

“Overly confident are we?”

“Always-”

“Then I should teach you how to throw a punch before I leave.” We laughed.

Cons' POV

I opened my eyes, and now my back hurt from leaning over, I saw the empty bed to my left and panicked. I stood up and ran into the hallway.

“Jane?!”

“Yes?” And there she was sitting perfectly fine in the lobby, next to Edur.

“What are you doing out of bed?” I asked as she rolled her eyes.

“Wanted to walk around, and I didn’t want to wake you, worry lines are not a good look on you Conrad.” Edur laughed and I glared at him, Jane walked back to her room.

“Lay back down, Jay!” I said, pulling her towards the bed.

“Jay? Is this a nickname you're trying, Sweet Cheeks?” I frowned.

“You should have woken me up.” She held my arms as she laid back down.

“You looked tired.” She tapped my face lightly. Edur came in with Neve, he held his nose.

“What happened to you?” Edur waved me off.

“Jane headbutted him,” Neve said. I started laughing.

“I’m sure you deserved it.” Edur shook his head.

“Not sure I did.”

“Do you always make these kinds of first impressions-”

“Boys focus, Jane knows how to cure Valery,” Neve said, cutting me off.

“You do?” I asked as we all sat down around her. We touched hands again and her familiar heat ran through me, almost addicting, yet familiar.

Janes' POV

“Yes, I do.” The healer came in.

“Can you cure Valery?” I grabbed the Golden Raddle again.

“If I give this to her in a very specific way.”

“Neve told me about the Milk of the Poppy poisoning-”

“Wait what?” Con said.

“Come on, I can explain in the lobby,” Edur said, Con followed him out.

“This is my fault, I didn’t know Elliot was her cousin, it made her susceptible for someone to poison her to try and kill me.” They both gasped. “I’ve made many enemies over the years, they are set on killing me, this has happened before, but I can fix it, you have to let me try.” They nodded and led me out of the room, I passed the lobby where Con and Edur both looked scared at me.

“Jane, wait!” Con said he grabbed my hand. “Are you sure about this?” I nodded and continued.

“I need to talk to them alone, too many people could put too much stress on her body.” They backed away, as I opened the door. “Tristan-”

“Jane!” Valery screamed, and pulled on the ropes holding her down until her skin bled, she screamed in pain, I shut the door and ran forward knocking her out, with a quick punch to the jaw.

“Why did you do that?!” Tristan yelled, I looked at Valery’s tired face.

“Look, I can explain.” I looked at his face and saw the same tiredness. “You have to trust me.”

“I do.” I breathed. I took out the Golden Rattle, pine needle, and lavender, I held the lavender under her nose until her breathing evened, then used the pine needle from a blue spruce to make an incision in the flower, I slid it in till it popped the core.

“Open her mouth.” Tristan did, and I slowly dumped the liquid in. “Okay now we wait till she wakes up, and she will.”

“What did that do?” I breathed out finally, as he held her hand. I opened her eyes and saw the red irises fade back to their dark blue.

“Golden Rattle core with the scrapings of a blue spruce needle clear one's head.” Tristan smiled. “She should wake up before tomorrow morning, you should sleep too.” He nodded and yawned.

“Thank you, Jane.” I patted Valery’s arm.

“I’m going to figure this out, I promise.” He hugged me, I walked out and shut the door, and immediately everyone was in my face.

“How’d it go?” Neve asked. I sighed.

“She’ll be fine.” They all sighed. “Her red eyes are gone and her breathing is even, she should wake up before tomorrow morning.” They then all started asking me questions at the same time, before Con took my shoulder.

“You look exhausted.” He said. I nodded. “We can ask her all these questions tomorrow, we’re all tired.” I yawned and everyone backed away, as Con and the healer led me back to my room.

“I’m going to change your bandages.” The healer said I lifted my shirt and she got to work on my sides. I turned to Con.

“Go home and sleep in a bed Conrad.” He shook his head, I grabbed his hand and his heat ran through me. “Yes, I’ll be fine, not going anywhere.” He sighed.

“Promise.” I smiled.

“Promise.” He yawned.

“Goodnight, Jay.” He said walking out.

“I never learned your name,” I said to the healer.

“Terra.”

“Well thank you for everything Terra.” She smiled.

“Well, fixing people like you is my passion.” She patted my hand, before closing the door and waving.

Cons' POV

I waited till I saw the healer walk by, then walked home. Jane's very presence was starting to affect me in a mysterious way, I was starting to truly care about her after only a few days, I smiled, I felt happier.