SEVENTEEN

Hand in hand, Tish walked alongside Nick a dozen questions forming in her mind. “So that’s the infamous Kai?” She whispered, glancing up at Nick as she did.

“Indeed.” He glanced at her briefly before quietly cautioning her. “You should be aware that their fabulously quirky ears, though not quite as good as my own, don’t miss much. In other words—”

“In other words, mind my manners?”

“I couldn’t have said it better.”

“So, this Frost fellow. He doesn’t seem half bad.”

Nick nodded in agreement. “Yes. I rather like Frost. Remember what I said about Kai’s habit of collecting things?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, let’s just say that Frost is the pinnacle of said collection. To put it another way, he’s his right-hand-man, his iron fist. Frost is the true power that Kai wields. The reason why few choose to cross him.”

“He’s that strong?”

“Oh, yes. I kid you not. Frost; he’s a walking nuke.”

Tish thought about that. “So, I imagine you do your best to stay on his good side.” She arched an eyebrow at him.

“Absolutely.”

“And that explains the beans?” She grinned at him.

He shook his head. “Not entirely. Like I said, I genuinely like Frost and he has recently discovered coffee. I’ve been bringing him a different blend and roast each time I visit. He’s trying to decide what he likes best.”

Tish wrinkled her nose. “They don’t serve coffee in the fairy world?”

“Nope. The only beans that grow here are the magical kind. Good for spell work. Terrible for brewing.”

She frowned up at him. “Be serious.”

“I’m being completely serious.”

“And you’re not trying to stay on his good side by bribing him with beans?”

“Not at all. I don’t think I’ve ever been on his bad side. Thankfully, unlike Kai, Frost is as chill as his name.” Nick scratched his chin as he considered. “In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Frost get riled.”

“Pray that you don’t.” Kai stepped between them, forcing them to drop hands as he placed an arm around each of their shoulders. He peered down at Tish with mild interest. “You haven’t introduced me to your human friend, wolf.”

Nick frowned at him. “You’re assuming that she’s interested in meeting you.” He stretched nonchalantly as they came to a stop and in doing so, knocked Kai’s arm not so discreetly from his body. Ahead of them, Frost had stopped to peruse the wares of a market stall. “I was hoping to save her from such an unfortunate event.”

Kai smirked at Nick. “Is making my acquaintance really such a regrettable occurrence?”

Nick shrugged. “I can’t speak for others, but I still rue the day.”

Frost chuckled as he turned towards them with a small sack in hand. He tossed it to Nick. “Here, with my thanks.”

Nick peered into the sack. “Apples?”

“Dryadian sweet apples. Hard to come by in your world, I’d wager.”

“I love apples.” Nick said with a grin.

Frost smiled. Violet eyes sparkling. “I know.”

“Dryadian apples?” Tish asked Frost as she peered into the bag. The apples were yellow and streaked with red. “I’ve never heard of them.”

Frost considered her with growing interest. “That is not unexpected. They are rare at times even within the faerie realm. They grow on the dryad youth in the time between seedling and adult, and at that age, their personalities are sometimes quite unpredictable. They’re just as likely to let their fruit fall to the ground and rot, as they are to take it to market.”

Tish’s eyes widened. “This fell off somebody?” She had pulled out an apple to examine it further.

“A dryad sapling, to be more precise.” Kai offered as he watched her examine the fruit.

“Many thanks, Frost.” Nick said, as Frost bowed slightly in response. He turned to Tish then. “Shall we try one?”

She nodded as he removed some fruit from the bag before passing one to Frost. “I trust you’ll join me?”

Frost nodded as he accepted the fruit.

Nick then frowned at Kai, before chucking an apple in his direction. “Enjoy, I guess.”

Frost chuckled once more as Kai caught the fruit with a bemused expression.

Tish looked between the three men, grinning. Was it just her? Or had Nick’s manners greatly improved while dealing with Frost? It really did seem like Frost brought out his best behaviour.

She rubbed the apple against her sleeve before taking a generous bite. A delightful flavour immediately descended upon her tongue. In truth, she had never tasted anything quite like it. The texture of the fruit was firm and crisp. It was perfectly sweet and at the same time, tangy as well. There was even a delightful hint of sour as she finished the bite. It was not at all acidic or over-powering, and it left the palate longing for more.

She was about to take a second bite, when Nick suddenly dropped to his knees, his face a mask of pain. The apple he’d held rolled to the ground as he brought his hands up to his head. Before Tish could move towards him, Frost and Kai dropped to the ground in a similar fashion.

For the slightest of moments, she thought it had something to do with the fruit, until she realized that Nick’s apple that had finally rolled to a stop at her feet, had yet to be bitten.

As she rushed to his side, Tish realized with an overwhelming dread that their group was not alone in their plight. Around her, persons all over the marketplace were dropping just like her companions had.

“Are you hurt?” She loomed over him as he clutched his head. “Please, tell me what’s going on? You’re scaring me. Nick, please, what’s happening?” She tried to pry his hands away from his head, to force him to acknowledge her.

When he finally raised his head to look up at her, she took an unexpected step back. “Nick, your eyes… they’re bleeding!”

“Don’t you hear it?” Tears of blood were weeping down his cheeks.

“Hear what?”

“It’s outside her range of hearing, wolf. She’s been spared.”

“My head… …feels… like it’s about to explode.”

He fell forward to the ground, eyes closed, face falling slack, hands dropping from his ears. She dropped to her knees, to cradle his head in her lap and as she did, Tish could now see that blood had trickled down his neck; his ears had been bleeding as well.

Behind her a crack of thunder forced her to turn her head. It sounded like a gunshot had gone off directly behind her. Only a few yards away, a swirling mass of blackness was beginning to form. The wind picked up, blowing her hair about her in a wild cyclone of heated air. Lightning sparked, thunder snapped, and the darkness grew. Soon it was the size of a car, moments later it was the size of a bulldozer. That was when she realized that there was something lurking within that darkness. Something that was coming her way.

She glanced to Frost and Kai. Frost was prone, unconscious like Nick, but Kai was rising to his feet and unsheathing a sword as he did. Behind him, an elf in black was following his lead.

“Is this a normal occurrence in the faerie world?” She’d yelled, just as the wind settled down and she no longer had to scream to be heard.

“Decidedly not.” Kai was taking up a stance a few feet ahead of her, his attention focused on the blackness that had formed. The second elf now stood tense and ready at his side.

The first thing that emerged from the vortex was a hulking figure. It was easily twelve feet in height and the width of a car. It looked to be chiselled from stone, was the colour of a sandy beach with a gaping hole for a mouth, nothing at all to resemble a nose and two glowing cavities as eyes. As it stepped out, a half-dozen hooded figures followed. They wore nondescript, black jackets and dark trousers. Their faces were obscured by either dark paint or masks from beneath their lowered hoods.

What was immediately apparent was that these darkly dressed figures were proficient with magic as they began firing balls of energy, some fire, some blue and sparking with electricity towards the ground around them.

People began running, fleeing the area, and the laneway they’d been traversing soon became barren. Everyone had run for cover, like the extras in a cowboy film when the gun slingers arrived.

Another hooded figure had a weapon which it used to herd the stone giant. Sparks of electricity flashed between the prongs on its end, and the creature howled – a gravely sound – sounding in pain as it stomped forward.

Tish looked up as the beast came stomping in her direction. There was little she could do. She wouldn’t leave Nick who was helpless to defend himself and there was no way she could drag him to safety because he was easily twice her size.

Before the beast could reach her however, Kai and his Elven warrior stepped in front of her, swords drawn.

“Back Beast. Back to your nether realm or I’ll dispatch you to hell myself.” Kai and his colleague charged, side by side before crossing one another’s paths and striking the beast from opposite sides. Their slashing swords, however, did little but anger the giant which flailed its large arms wide. Kai managed to dodge, but his companion was struck and sent hurling through the air as easily as if he had been a helpless kitten.

Kai’s attack had not gone unnoticed as the hooded figures now turned their attention towards him, firing their magical attacks from multiple directions at once. Kai now had his hands full with deflecting the barrage with his sword. Like a player up at bat, Kai redirected the blasts, volleying them back with an uncanny accuracy towards where they’d come.

Two more hooded figures turned their attention towards Kai, and they began advancing, coming together and firing towards him as one while the central most figure manifested a shield. Step by step, Kai was forced back and as he was pushed aside, the stone figure was once again free to advance.

Three giant steps forward and it was now hovering over Tish. Still crouching she refused to leave Nick’s side, when its enormous hand reached down to grab a hold of her.

Tish shrieked as she felt herself being lifted as if weightless into the air. Her sneakers touched ground and she immediately dug in her heels as she pulled back against the giant. Its enormous hand covered her arm from wrist to elbow and her digging heels did little to cease her forward momentum. She was being dragged step by step towards the hulking darkness of the portal.

She dropped her weight, going legless in her attempt to slow her advance. Feet splayed out in front of her as she tried to find purchase in the stone walkway. At one point she found a dip in the pathway where a missing brick or stone had come free, and she planted her feet in the crevasse as a last-ditch attempt to free herself.

She tried to pry its enormous fingers free with her opposite hand, her mind frantic for a spell that might help her succeed. Casting magic on the fly wasn’t ingrained. She was still in school, but she attempted to clear her mind and focus on the sausage-like fingers that grabbed her.

“Let go,” she ordered. “Dimittis, dimittis!”

In a turn of events, the fingers wrapped across her hands sprung up in release and she immediately lost her balance, flopping to the ground. The giant’s hand had been the only thing supporting her weight and keeping her upright.

The giant had continued a few steps further before it stopped and raised its now open and empty hand up in front of its face before turning around to regard her. It was almost comical in a Scooby-doo villain sort of way. “Ruh-roh,” she exclaimed as its glowing eyes finally settled on her.

She immediately began backpedaling, pushing herself across the cobbled pavement as the stone giant began to stomp towards her once more.

“Aero ferus,” She held her hands out in front of her as a blast of wind erupted from her palms with the strength of a storm. Her spell hit the stone giant square in the chest and it was lifted off its feet and flung back towards the dark portal.

“Think you can do that again?”

She looked up to find Nick at her side, his hand in a fist, his gaze focused on the giant.

“I can try.” It had taken a lot of her energy, but she thought she might have one more strike left. Glancing around she could see that the other two black-clad Elves had joined Kai and the three of them were keeping the hooded figures occupied, while Frost standing a few feet behind Nick was busy conjuring. Strands of brightly coloured lights were being stretched and molded like silly putty between his hands as he concentrated.

“Try to knock him in front of that portal. We’re going to send it back from wherever it came.” He looked past her towards Frost. “You ready?”

Frost, who seemed to be mumbling as he wove his spell nodded briefly. His violet eyes were ablaze in a purple fire of their own. He was mesmerizing, and she had to force herself to concentrate on the task she’d been given.

She got to her feet and grounded herself, her stance wide, arms out in front of her chest as she began to focus her will into the spell. She closed her eyes. “Wild winds, wild winds, wild winds,” she whispered before opening her eyes and announcing once more “Aero ferus!”

Once more the giant was knocked back by the force of the wind she’d unleashed. As it stumbled back, Nick charged forward to intercept and slammed his body into the giant. He crashed into it with his shoulder knocking it further off balance.

It teetered momentarily in front of the portal, arms flailing in circles as it attempted to catch its balance when Nick took a few steps back before hurling himself at it again. His feet left the ground as he struck it and the stone beast succumbed to the force of the blow as it staggered backwards into the gaping hole.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Seeing their giant bested, the hooded figures began fleeing towards the portal as Frost flung a swirling ball of energy towards it. The blast began to spread out like an angry storm cloud, sparks of lightning erupting from its swirling mass. Kai and his men ceased their assault as the portal began to shrink, the magic holding it open rapidly diminished by the strength of Frost’s spell.

The last hooded figure was stepping through when the portal snapped closed like a giant maw and severed his body in half. The part that hadn’t made it through; his left shoulder and arm, part of a torso and one leg flopped to the ground, arteries spraying, blood painting the ground in a gruesome portrait of death.

Tish dropped to her knees and covered her face with her hand. “Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, my Goddess! What did we do?”

“Nothing that didn’t need to be done, Child.” Kai said as he reached down and took her hand in his own. He hauled her to her feet, arm wrapping around her shoulder as he did. “There are costs to playing with magic. This one here, paid with his life.”

As he spoke, Kai’s men were already dealing with the body as one removed his jacket and covered the unfortunate remains.

“It’s safe to look now, Child.”

Tish took a peek and seeing that the body was now covered, relaxed within Kai’s embrace. Looking around she spotted Nick on the ground. Frost was kneeling over him and seemed to be examining him.

“How bad is it, Frost?”

Frost shook his head. “Nothing that can’t be mended.”

Seeing Nick, Tish pulled free from Kai’s grasp. “Nick.” She called out as she raced towards him. She reached out to touch him but stopped short as Frost shook his head. “Oh, Goddess. What happened?”

“Clavicle is shattered. Upper arm too.” Frost said as she dropped down at his side. Nick was hugging his injured limb to his chest, using his opposite arm to keep it in place. His face was ash white, and his teeth were gnashed together in a grimace of pain. When Frost reached his hand up under his jacket to inspect him further, a low moan passed his lips. “A couple of ribs too, bruised if not broken.”

“Well, I suppose that’s to be expected when one runs full force into a stone wall.” Kai’s voice was quite close, and she looked up to see him standing over them. He seemed hardly concerned by Nick’s predicament. “What do you need?” He asked looking between them.

“Fabric.” Frost replied as he pulled his hands from Nick. “Something to bind him before he’s moved.”

Kai walked over to the nearest tent and with a slash from his sword, removed a large piece of canvas. He brought the material back to Frost to drop it at his side. “Will this suffice?”

“Excellent,” Frost replied as he began tearing the length into strips. Tish watched as he made a makeshift sling, before binding Nick’s arm tightly against his chest. This allowed Nick a free arm, which Frost slipped over his own shoulder as he lifted him gently to his feet. Although Frost was slight of build when compared to Nick’s girth, the elf seemed to have little problem hoisting him upright. It indicated a strength far greater than his slender form suggested.

“Come, Niko. Let’s get you to my infirmary, where I can set these bones.”

Nick scarcely managed a nod as he lumbered along at Frost’s side. All of his strength it seemed was committed to keeping himself upright.

A tall archway marked the entrance to the Elven district. Here whimsical buildings rose up on all sides. The architecture was marked by graceful arches, intricate knotwork and massive support pillars. The rooftops were multi-peaked, the corners upturned. Crooked chimneys puffed colourful clouds of smoke high into the sky indicative perhaps of a magical brew or potion upon the hearth.

Many of the structures had towers, rounded or square that rose among the rooftops, allowing an unobstructed view of the streets below. The streets themselves were narrow and winding, constructed it seemed, without a straight line in thought, as they made their way along.

Vines, some flowering, worked their way up the exterior of the buildings clinging within the cracks of the masonry. Many of the arched windows housed flower boxes beneath their sills filled with herbs or other flowering plants which added a pop of colour to the drab stone of the structures. While much of the stonework of the buildings was dull and muted, their tiled roofs and intricately carved doors were often painted as brightly as the flowers themselves in hues of purple, magenta, teal, gold and blue.

Tish had never seen anything like it. While the market full of tents and carts reminded her of the eastern bazaars she had witnessed on television, this little village was unlike any she had ever encountered, seen perhaps only in story books or role-playing video games.

“What do you think?” Frost asked as he caught her eye, and she smiled wide.

“I think it’s wonderful.”

Kai snorted. “This is a trifle when compared to the Elven cities.”

Nick looked up then, a frown crossing his brow. He had been lumbering along with Frost’s aid, his head lowered as they made their way. He opened his mouth to speak, but it was Frost who retorted first.

“Behave, Kai.” Frost admonished. “For one who has never been, I’m sure the experience is quite remarkable. Do you not remember your recent excursion to the human city of York? If I remember correctly, even you were entranced.”

“Do you mean New York City?” She looked to Frost who nodded, a sly smile upon his lips. He winked at her.

“It was hardly an entrancement.” Kai stated hastily. “I was just overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the buildings. Why the humans desire to live in little boxes stacked one above another, building higher and higher until the sky is obscured,” Kai shook his head. “I’ll never understand.”

They had come to a stop outside of a tall stone fence. Like many of the houses, Ivy grew up the sides, covering the wall. The entryway into the compound was through three large archways set next to one another in the fence. Beyond the gateway was Kai’s headquarters. In style it was very much like many of the buildings she had previously seen, although it was somehow…disjointed?

It looked as if they had started with one building, probably the stocky three level building in the middle, and as they had outgrown the space, instead of finding a new location, they had simply built on an addition. And then another. And another. And then, one more. (for good luck)

What they ended up with was a hodgepodge of buildings of different shapes and sizes with seemingly little thought as to how they were placed. There was the main three-story structure, and to the left of that was a crooked tower. In the very front was a single-story structure with support columns running along the outside. To the right of the main building was a two-story building that ran along the side of the first building and extended far past it towards the back. A second tower, this one round and slightly taller than the first sat next to it.

“What do you think?” Kai asked as he turned to face them.

Tish paused as she stared at the jumble of buildings. “Uh, well… It’s uhm, very… unique.” She flashed him her brightest smile.

“That’s one word for it.” Nick said. It was the first time he had spoken since his encounter with the stone giant.

“Broken, battered and bruised,” Kai shook his head as he peered at Nick with a slight frown upon his brow. “And yet it still manages to run off at the mouth.”

“Come Niko, let’s get you inside.” Frost chuckled as he led the way.

They entered the structure through the front building, passing under the columns to where there was a large arch-shaped double door. Stepping through, they entered a room which was… completely empty?

Indeed, it was nothing but a large open space, much like a warehouse, minus the wares. The wall on the far side was scorched black, the floor pitted and charred. The only piece of furniture was a table which ran against the inner wall, to the left of a second arched doorway.

“How… strange?” Tish said as she looked at the nothingness. Why build a building just to leave it empty?

Frost caught her expression and paused on this way through. “Ah. Product development test facility.”

“Test facility?”

“Magic weapons go boom.” Kai said with a wink.

“OH!” Tish exclaimed, eyes wide. “That actually sounds quite—”

“Dangerous?” Kai gave her a knowing look.

“Extreme?” Frost offered.

“Fun!” A grin broke across her face. It was infectious. Seconds later, her companions were grinning ear to ear as well. Including Nick, despite the pain.

As they stepped through the doorway into what appeared to be the main building, Kai began giving a brief tour. The were standing in the middle of a hallway. A set of stairs stood almost opposite them.

“Dining hall and kitchen,” Kai pointed to a set of doors on the right. “Reception,” he indicated to a small room immediately to the left of the stairs. It had large windows along the front wall, through which Tish could see a counter and waiting room.

He paused at the base of the stairs and pointed down the hall to the left to a second set of double doors. “Main floor infirmary.” He said before he started up the stairs.

“Wait, infirmary? Shouldn’t we be heading there?”

Frost shook his head. “My lab and private office are upstairs.”

Kai paused as they reached the stairwell to the second floor. “Second floor infirmary, laboratories and product development, are on this floor.” He continued climbing.

“A second infirmary?” Tish asked, her voice sounded skeptical.

“Still sound like a fun place to work?” Nick asked as they continued up the stairs.

“Hmm…”

“Third floor has my office,” Kai pointed to a set of double doors to the left of the stairwell. Security, he indicated was to the right.

“And my office and workshop.” Frost concluded as he sauntered towards a door further down the hall, taking Nick along with him.

“Oh, right.” Kai paused outside his own door. “And don’t forget we need to discuss the antelope in the building when you are finished with him.”

“Indeed.” Frost nodded curtly as he continued towards his office.

“Antelope?” Tish looked around curious.

“I think he means elephant.” Nick replied.

“There’s an elephant?”

“Curious… It appears she is once again spared,” Frost said as he opened the door for them.

Nick nodded. “Yeah.”

Frost’s office beyond was warm and inviting. The walls were painted a dark green, and the furniture all looked to be handcrafted and made of solid wood. An oval shaped desk and an elaborately carved green-velvet chair sat in the far centre of the room. In front of the desk was a comfortable-looking guest chair in a leaf-green leather.

A large curio cabinet with a glass front sat against the wall he shared with Kai’s office. It held an assortment of multi-coloured glass jars in various shapes and sizes and rested upon a second cabinet that had three large drawers. Further down the same wall and opposite his desk was a door which no doubt connected to Kai’s office.

A raised examination bed was against the front wall to the left of the entrance. It too looked handcrafted, was made of wood, with a plush mattress on top. The cabinet beneath held two additional drawers. It was here, that he helped Nick take a seat. To Tish, he offered her a seat in the comfy leather chair by his desk.

Frost immediately went to his curio and began searching through the glass bottles. After selecting a few, he went to the door just beyond the bed. Hands full, he turned to Tish. “Do you mind getting the door for me?”

She bounded to her feet. “Of course.” The door swung open into the next room and as Frost entered, she followed after.

The room beyond was nothing like the one they had just left. It was large, bright, and painted white. Three long tables took up most of the space in the room. One was placed against each wall, while a third ran down the center of the room between the two.

The first table held a wide assortment of items. There were bottles and jars holding potions and powders; measuring scales; cauldrons; candles; and metal utensils, some familiar, others foreign. The tabletop was scorched and worn, and this seemed to be Frost’s main work area. This was confirmed as Frost dropped his handful of bottles upon the table and set to work.

“Feel free to look around.” He said as he hastily began measuring and mixing.

The table running down the center of the room, was completely covered with papers and books. Old looking tomes in various states of care lay open or piled in stacks upon its top. She spotted several scrolls as well and while most were neatly rolled, one was spread out, held open by what appeared to be small animal skulls. Among the books and parchment were several quills and tiny bottles of ink.

The third table running along the far wall held metal cages, and glass aquariums. At a glance she could see, mice, rabbits and in a tall elegant looking cage, birds. A second tall cage sat next to the first, but it was covered by a heavy dustcloth.

At the far end of the room was a series of large windows. In front, was what could only be described as a mini greenhouse. The entire space was occupied by plants and fungi. Some of which were familiar to her, and she knew to be quite deadly, like nightshade and wolfsbane; while others were unfamiliar and looked like something out of a fairytale.

When she had completed her tour of the room, she went back to Frost, who was finishing up his potion. In his hand he held a glass bottle with a blue tincture within.

“That was fast.”

“Speed comes with experience. It also helps that this is a potion I know well. This healing draught comes in useful here and I’ve been able to refine its strength over the years.”

Frost immediately went back to his small office and Tish followed on his heels. Nick was sitting on the table, back leaning against the wall. He looked grim and pale with his arm wrapped around himself protectively. It didn’t look like he’d moved an inch since settling down.

Frost went to the drawer beneath his curio cabinet and came out with a strange pair of shears.

Nick eyed him suspiciously as he came towards him. “What’du’ya think yer doing with those?”

“I’m going to cut off the bindings, of course.” As Frost approached, he worked the shears as if in anticipation. They made a slight rasping sound as he did.

“Just the binds, right?” Nick was staring at the shears with apprehension.

“To start.” Frost tipped his head to the side as he regarded Nick. A gentle smile played about his lips. “I think you realize the jacket has to go.”

“Not my motorcycle jacket, you don’t,” he held out his good arm in warning. “I just got it broken in how I like it.”

“Perhaps if you stopped using your body as a battering-ram, I wouldn’t have to keep cutting you out of your clothing.”

“Hey, the plan worked, didn’t it?”

“The results were adequate.” Frost said as he set his sheers down on his desk and went back to his curio. He searched through the bottles once more, this time pulling out a medium sized brown-glass bottle with a cork in its top. “It’s the execution that needs work.”

He stepped back to Nick and uncorked the bottle. He held it towards Nick. “Here, take a good whiff of this. It will help.”

Nick leaned towards the bottle. “Oh, yeah? What is it?” He smelt the contents and instantly slumped forward.

“It’s a strong anaesthetic.” Frost immediately re-corked the bottle and returned it to his cupboard.

Tish who’d been quietly watching the two from her chair, gasped as she leapt forward to Nick’s side. “Oh!” Leaning in, she poked him. “Hey, he’s out cold.” She noted as she looked to Frost.

“Hmm?” Frost regarded her curiously. “Ah, yes. That’s much better, don’t you think?” He picked up his shears on his way back to Nick.

“Uh… I guess?” Tish looked back at him flabbergasted. She didn’t know what else to say. She watched as Frost lowered Nick to the mattress. He began snipping away the canvas strips he had wrapped around him earlier.

“Wolven heal quickly, so I have to put these bones back in order before they begin to fuse out of place.” He pulled the strips free and dropped them hastily to the floor. “It would be unfortunate if that were to happen.” Without a second thought he began to cut up the sleeve of Nick’s treasured jacket. He continued across the shoulder and through the collar. Then he did the same with his shirt.

Nick’s shoulder, arm and chest was purple with bruises, and Tish could see where his collarbone pushed against his skin at a grotesque angle. With Nick unconscious, Frost was free to manipulate his shoulder and arm as needed.

Frost closed his eyes and chanted something in what was probably Elvish, and when he next opened his eyes, they were glowing a bright white. “Ah, yes. Now I see. This is fortunate. The break is quite clean.”

“Oh?” Tish looked at Frost as he continues to investigate Nick’s shoulder. “Can you really see his bones?”

“Yes, my dear. Now, may I borrow your hands again?”

“Oh, but of course.”

Frost directed her in the placement. “Place your hands, here and here. Now apply a bit of pressure, just enough to hold the bone in place.”

“Like this?”

He scrutinized her positioning carefully. “Yes, that’s right.”

Frost then moved on to Nick’s arm, rotating it gently until he was happy with its placement. With the bottle in one hand and the other holding Nick’s arm in place, Frost uncorked the potion with his teeth. He poured the contents into Nick’s mouth.

“How long do you think—” She gasped unexpectedly as Nick’s body began to glow.

“It works instantaneously.”

Tish watched awestruck as Nick’s shoulder and upper arm became blue, the same colour as the potion he’d been made to swallow.

Frost was peering closely at Nick, his eyes still strangely white. “Yes. He’s healing nicely.”

When his shoulder stopped glowing, Frost indicated that she could remove her hands. The glow then continued down his side, encompassing his bruised ribs. When his arm and ribs ceased to be blue, a spot under Nick’s opposite shoulder began to glow through the fabric of his shirt.

“Did he hurt his other shoulder too?” Tish’s brow crinkled together.

Frost turned his miraculous gaze to this new area, pulling back his shirt as he looked. “The potion works by locating trauma. It repairs the more urgent injuries first. It appears he may have injured his shoulder at an earlier time and the tissue had not fully recovered.”

Frost closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, they had returned to their normal shade of violet. He stretched briefly, long elegant limbs extended, before he began cleaning up the area, picking up the canvas strips he had earlier dropped to the floor.

Tish dropped to her knees to help, and as their eyes met, he offered her a hint of a smile. “Thank you my dear,” he said as he rose to his feet, arm outstretched to give her a hand up.

“Oh, yes. Of course. Thank you for helping Nick.” She found herself staring at her sneakers as she spoke. These elves had a tendency to hold eye contact longer than humans did, and she found it made her nervous.

“Nick, yes.” He said the name as if it was foreign to his tongue. “But you hardly need to thank me. I am quite fond of the pup. Kai too, as you may have noticed.”

“Yeah, what’s the deal between those two? Nick had me thinking that Kai was some sort of evildoer and that I had to watch my back.”

Frost chuckled. He leaned against his desk, crossing his arms across his chest as he did. “Evil, no. But make no mistake, you don’t want to cross him or get between him and his goals. Kai can be quite formidable when challenged.”

“And did Nick challenge him in some way?”

Frost smiled. “Only whenever they meet. Kai, you see, being of royal blood is accustomed to being afforded a certain amount of respect. Over time, he has grown to expect it and at times his manners can be …lacking. Niko endeavours to remind him of this. It befuddles Kai so, and I dare admit that I find their spirited bickering rather amusing.” He slapped his hands upon his knee before rising to his feet. “Shall we make some tea while we wait? Or perhaps would you prefer coffee? Although I must admit, I am much more accomplished at brewing tea.”

“Tea would be lovely.” Other than a bite of apple, she hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

“Very well. I’ll just inform Kai of our intent.” Frost went and knocked upon the door by his desk, before opening it wide. In an instant she could see Kai peering into the room from the doorway as his eyes carefully scanned the room beyond.

“We’re off to the kitchen to make some tea.” Frost said as Kai pushed past him and into the room.

He immediately went over to examine Nick’s sleeping form. “The boy is in no condition to be drinking tea.”

“Which is why I have called upon you. I don’t think it wise to leave him alone in present company. Do you disagree?”

“No. You are correct. I will sit with him.”

Frost bowed curtly. “I had hoped you might. If he awakes feel free to join us. You know where we’ll be.” To Tish, he turned and graciously offered her his hand. “My lady.”

The gesture was unexpected, and it caught her off guard as she found herself being swallowed up by those violet eyes. Shyly, she reached her hand out to accept his. A moment later she was being led out of the room. It left her little time to reflect upon the strangeness of their conversation before it had completely slipped her mind.