An ache twisted through my spine as I straightened, ignoring the loud crack that echoed through the clearing. Henry didn’t stir from his spot, still snoring, with Maya happily snuggled into the crook of his arm.
We hadn’t made it far today thanks to her constant wandering off, but after seeing her devastation before… I really couldn’t bring myself to care if she cost us a bit of time traveling.
Dominicus grimaced in sympathy, his eyes staring into the distance as his ears flicked in my direction. “While I admire your determination, perhaps you should take a break.”
I scrubbed my palms over my face and sighed. “That sounds fantastic, but this needs to be done. If those tomes are here, we’ll need to secure them. First, we’ve got to verify if they’re even here.”
Time nodded, closing the book he’d been flipping through and setting it aside. “Nikolas is correct. We can rest once this is finished. So far, there have been no tomes, but there are still many books to sort through.” He yawned, then huffed in irritation. “Though the task would be considerably easier if I would stop that.”
I bit back a laugh. “You could just go to sleep. No reason for both of us to suffer.” Considering he was still adjusting to being human, he probably needed the rest more than I did. Even Volpe was dozing nearby, the light rings dissipating as he slept, leaving him looking like your garden variety black fox–albeit with two tails.
Time shook his head, scowling. “I will not heave the responsibility onto your shoulders and sleep. That is—” Another yawn split his sentence and I mirrored him, barely bringing a hand up to cover in time.
He exhaled slowly, irritation etched into his features. “This is of the utmost importance. It would be unethical to leave this entirely to you.”
I shrugged, leaning back on my arms. “If it helps, I’m used to late nights with little sleep. Kind of came with the whole ‘twenty-four-hour emergency clinic’.”
Dominicus tilted his head, curiosity evident. “You were a doctor?”
I hummed, flipping over the satchel and catching the book that fell out. “Still am, sort of. Not sure what the term is here, but when I agreed to be Karma’s Chosen, it was with the understanding that I’d help people.”
Time supplied the answer. “You are a cleric: a mortal who derives power from a spirit and uses that to–at least partially–heal others. Paladins are similar, though they are ‘melee’ focused and generally lack healing capabilities.” He straightened, his back cracking like mine had. “Those who heal without a spirit are called ‘herbalists’ if they do not use magic, or ‘weavers’ if they do.”
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I nodded along, committing the terms to memory. “Karma mentioned that only two magic affinities allow for healing: plant and light.”
“That is correct,” Time said, “unless Mana has released new tomes I am unaware of.” He glanced at me, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “Plant affinity is generally the lesser chosen option due to its… unique healing methods. Why did you choose it?”
Domincus chimed in before I could answer. “And why did you pick Beastfolk? Surely Karma told you about the stigma attached to this race.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, their combined stares making me uneasy despite one going right through me. “She told me my job here would be to expose assholes. Being the race most likely to encounter them seemed like a logical step.” I shrugged. “As for my plant affinity, I figured if someone’s got the energy to complain about how I’m healing them, they probably don’t need it that badly.”
Dominicus huffed, shaking his head in amusement. “Only you would willingly put yourself in such a position. I hope you’re prepared. While some towns, like Latica, are more accepting of Beastfolk, many see us as little more than animals.”
“Then my job will be easy… once I figure out their punishments.” Remembering that detail, I groaned and dropped back onto the grass, the unopened book resting on my chest. “For fuck’s sake, there’s so much to do!”
Time sighed, his next yawn muffled. “Indeed, but we will manage. As for your spell, perhaps we can come up with something now. It must relate directly to Karma’s domain.”
I closed my eyes, ideas whirling through my mind only to be discarded just as quickly. “Honestly, her cockroach approach was perfect. It didn’t kill them, and they suffered the consequences until someone else ended them. But there’s no chance for redemption–”
The proverbial lightbulb flickered on, and I bolted upright, startling Time and Dominicus. “That’s it! When Karma first arrived on Earth, she said she could ‘sense’ my karma. That means I can distinguish the really bad sorts from the average ones, right?”
Time frowned, but nodded. “It should be a skill you possess. If not, you can hone your perception and develop it. Why do you ask?”
I practically vibrated with excitement, happy to finally be making headway. “Karma’s method was good, but too many people ended up as cockroaches. What if the spell gauged how far gone someone is? If they can save themselves, be better, then the spell reverts them?”
Time leaned against one of the many trees surrounding us, their towering forms offering a sense of security as the fire crackled nearby. “That could work. For truly heinous individuals, the spell would be nearly impossible to break. Though, if you want to allow redemption, they would need to not be a cockroach.”
I’d considered that. “What if the transformation happens gradually? It would start small–maybe growing an antenna–and progress as they worsen. If they’re irredeemable, they’re automatically turned into a cockroach.”
Dominicus hummed thoughtfully. “Terrifying, but it would make people think twice before committing atrocities.”
Time nodded, a faint smile on his lips. “Karma would approve. She adored her approach to punishing the worst of mortals, and having to change it was a blow to her.” His tone softened with approval. “Well done. She will be pleased when she wakes.”
Something warm and squishy twisted in my chest before I shoved it aside. “Perfect! Now… how do I make it into a spell?”