“I can’t believe I’m here again,” Jonen smiled as he rolled over in the grass, “How are you?”
“I’m exhausted,” Mira laid down next to him, “What about you?”
“Trying to figure things out,” He shrugged.
“Like what? Going back home? You’re well enough to leave.”
The pair laid in the warm grass under the baking sun. It wasn’t quite like his normal dream, but he still found peace in it. Here, at least, she smiled more. She seemed happier. Maybe that’s why he kept coming back when he thought about her.
“I should stay here until they send a squad to get me. If I’m killed on the way back to the capital, then no one would know what happened. So… I don’t know how long I’ll have,” He sighed and reached towards her, “I’ll miss you. Are you going to admit you’ll miss me too, at least?”
“You are too kind.”
Even in his dreams, she was still nearly unapproachable.
“Not always,” He grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers.
When she didn’t pull away, he wrapped his arm around her waist and yanked her closer to him. She squeaked in response but didn’t pull away. Jonen rested his face in her hair and breathed in her tart and smoky scent. She rolled to her side and pressed her face against him. It felt weirdly comfortable to hold her in his dreams.
“Do people often hold each other like this?”
“Only when they like each other,” He cleared his throat, “Are you going to push me away?”
“No,” Mira buried her face in his chest, “This is nice.”
Her face bobbed with his chuckle, “I wonder what you would be like if you were treated better. Do you?”
“I wouldn’t have met you,” She whispered, “And, I… enjoy your company.”
“Really?” His eyebrow raised, “Nothing else?”
“You are handsome.”
Jonen grinned, “Well, that’s new from you.”
“What?” She looked up at him, “Your face is symmetrical, you have a sharp jawline, and your physique is—”
“You don’t have to tell me so clinically why you think I’m attractive,” He rolled his eyes, “Goddess, you’re adorable.”
“Shut up,” She blushed and hid her face, “I’m bad at this.”
“Let me show you,” He lifted her chin up so he could look into her eyes, “Mira, you’re outstandingly beautiful. Your eyes remind me of the sweets I could only find during festivals back home. Your lips are the same shade as the pink clouds of the sunset. You—”
Jonen smirked at how red her face got. She kept shaking her head to get him to stop.
“Hush! Is it not embarrassing to say that?”
“I would never say this if you were awake,” He grinned mischievously, “You’d probably hit me.”
“I’m thinking about it now,” She scrunched her nose, “You never say things like that.”
“I haven’t felt this way about someone in a long time,” He shook his head, “It’s selfish.”
“What’s selfish?”
“What I want,” His thumb brushed her lips, “I’m debating on being more selfish. It’s only a dream, after all.”
“What could you possibly—”
Jonen pressed his lips to hers before she could finish her question. The initial shock faded away as he cupped her face in his hand. When he pulled away, her eyes were wide, and she stuttered in response. He laughed and shook his head at how embarrassed she looked.
“I’m guessing you didn’t like it?”
“No!” Mira squeaked and put her hands over her face, “It’s—it’s fine!”
He pressed his face into her hair, “Maybe I should try to do it when we’re awake, then.”
She nodded quickly without looking at him. He chuckled at her girlish embarrassment. With how innocent she came off, he felt like a teenager again.
“Oh, you liked it a lot then?” He teased, “Should I do it again?”
Mira shyly nodded and looked back up at him. As he kissed her again, he pulled her closer. She ran her fingers through his hair when he opened his mouth to deepen their kiss.
Then, a shout woke him up.
“What do you mean? This is your fault!”
Jonen sat up and rubbed his head. His heart slammed against his chest from the lucid dream. After giving himself a moment to truly wake up, he listened into the conversation.
“She’s nearly dead, Sunodagh!” The woman growled, “What did you make her do?!”
“She made it back. She’ll be fine. Irae is already—”
“She is not fine!”
“Be quiet. You’re going to wake the others.”
Jonen crept towards the door to the men’s quarters and cracked the door open. Nara’s hand slapped across the orcs face. He grunted and frowned at her.
“I deserved that.”
“Whatever it was nearly ripped her arm off,” The elf growled, “Where did you—”
Nara stopped speaking when she saw the door ajar. She walked over and opened it more to see Jonen listening in on the conversation.
“Go back to sleep,” She lowered her voice, “We’re moving to my office. Sorry for waking you.”
“Is it about Mira?”
“Mind your own business,” Sunodagh said.
“If it’s about Mira, I can help,” He furrowed his brow, “Let me—”
“She’s in no condition to see anyone,” Nara whispered and jerked her head to orc, “Don’t lie to the boy.”
“I’m going to see her,” He opened the door and stepped into the hallway, “If she’s hurt—”
“You need to stay out of the way,” The orc grunted, “She’ll be fine. She always is.”
“I don’t need to be in the way to support her.”
“Jonen,” Nara put a hand on his shoulder, “You… don’t want to see her right now.”
If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” He nodded curtly then passed them.
Sunodagh grabbed both of his shoulders to stop him. He swatted the orc’s hands away and turned to jam a finger in his chest.
“High Priestess is right. This is your fault. She was happy here until you told her to leave.”
“Watch your tongue,” He growled, “She would want to do what I had her do.”
“And what exactly is that?”
“None of your business,” Sunodagh said at the same time Nara said, “Not here.”
The two then glared at each other.
“Go get the cattle out of the courtyard,” The elf sneered, “The butcher won’t be happy.”
“It’ll be easy to turn into jerky for the festival,” He retorted.
“We won’t have milk for at least a month.”
“I didn’t kill the animal!”
Jonen let the two argue as he slid pass them. If Mira was injured, she would be in the infirmary. Nara stomped after him and tried to get his attention. He couldn’t let her persuade him from checking on her. The closer they got to the infirmary, the more shouting he heard.
“Why can’t you?!”
“Just let it go!”
“You have a duty to save her!”
Gimma threw the door open, nearly in his face. He caught it and stared down at the old woman.
“Get out of my way.”
“Why won’t you help save her?” He furrowed her brow, “Irae’s right. Your duty as a healer is to try and save her.”
“Actually, it’s not. Not her.”
She crossed her arms and silently dared him to argue. He took the bait.
“Because she’s a thrall? If you’re afraid her master won’t pay, I’ll—”
“If you think that’s the only reason… then you’re dumber than you look,” Gimma snorted and shoved him aside, “Get over it.”
“Gimma—” Nara reached towards her.
“I don’t know why you keep bringing her back here and expect us to take care of her, but I’ve got half a mind to leave because of it.”
The elf’s nostrils flared, “The goddess—”
“—would he horrified and ashamed of that woman. I’m done catering to her!” She threw her hands up, “Irae’s the only healer that will deal with her.”
Gimma walked down the hall while she grumbled under her breath. Nara wiped a hand down her face and looked back at Jonen. He already flung the door open again and stepped into the room. The shadows on a curtain showed a woman working on someone in a bed.
“Did you change your mind?” She asked, “I could use the—”
Jonen yanked the curtain back and gasped at the gruesome sight as Irae yanked the blanket over most of her body. Mira laid limply in the gurney with her hair hiding most of her face. Stitches held together ribbons of torn flesh along her left arm. The black vines running across her throat wriggled menacingly like with each of her strained breaths.
“What—”
“Someone found her in the courtyard earlier like this,” Irae looked behind him at Nara, “Should… should we let him see her like this?”
“Tell me what to do and I’ll help,” He swallowed the lump in his throat.
“He is aware of what she is,” The elf nodded, “If he can handle it, I’ll allow it. I’m going back to my room to see exactly what she was up to.”
“Okay,” She whistled, “Right. Grab the towels over there. I need to clean the other wounds.”
“Other?” He blinked.
“I need to concentrate,” She ignored his question and pulled the blanket down.
Her shirt was ripped open with bindings across her chest. Her amulet dangled freely along her throat. A large gash opened across her abdomen Like a demonic mouth. Irae grabbed a needle and quickly stitched along the edges. She grunted in frustration as the skin seemed to pull itself together.
“Dammit, Mira,” She cursed under her breath, “Let me help you.”
“She’s healing herself?” He put a roll of gauze next to the healer, “How?”
“The area is dirty,” She ignored him, “I need to clean it but I’d have to—I need an extra pair of hands to hold the wound open.”
“Let me wash up and I can.”
“I don’t know if there will be enough time. I just don’t understand why she isn’t bleeding,” She whispered under her breath, “Blood mages bleed too.”
“I’ve never met one before her,” Jonen waited for his next instruction.
“There aren’t many. Hard to find,” Nara sat on a nearby chair, “Or, they keep quiet about it. Mira would’ve if we didn’t catch it on accident.”
“How did you do that? I only know because she collapsed on me.”
“She collapsed before?! Why didn’t she tell—” She smacked her lips, “She’s doing too much again.”
Jonen waited for the woman’s exaggerated sigh to end so she would answer his question.
“A blood mage’s body will heal itself using their blood,” She pointed at Mira, “When it stops is when we should worry.”
Jonen watched the skin slowly seal around the stitches. He reached towards it and brushed the stitches. They popped open and her skin spat them out.
“Pull them out if they aren’t staying.”
“Got it.”
He gingerly plucked out strands of string while Irae scrubbed the dirt away from the wound on her stomach. She wiped the hair from Mira’s face and put the back of her hand to her forehead.
“She’s still warm,” She murmured, “Bring me the bowl of water.”
Jonen grabbed the nearly frozen bowl and sat it on the gurney next to Mira. Irae held her hand over the bowl and flicked her fingers. The water surged upwards around her hand as she reached towards Mira’s face. His fist clenched when she moved her hair and he saw the busted and black eye. Water swirled around her fingers and she pressed them to her forehead.
As the water flushed the sweat from her face, Mira groaned sleepily.
“That probably feels nice on her,” Jonen murmured.
“I’m going to was her while she’s this asleep. Can you take off her necklace and bindings?”
He hesitantly reached towards her, “I’ll take the necklace.”
“If you’re going to help, you need to get over seeing her breasts,” She rolled her eyes,” I don’t know if she’s injured there because she doesn’t bleed.”
“You’re right,” He nodded.
He reached towards the amulet. As his fingers brushed the surface, Mira’s eyes bolted open. She lunged forward and gripped the arm closest to her throat. A dagger appeared in her hand and she slashed outwards as she jumped from the bed. It sliced into Jonen’s arm when he tried to keep her down.
“Mira! You’re safe!” Irae held her hands up.
Her eyes blazed white as frantically scanned her surroundings. With her back against the wall, she protectively squatted and dug her nails into her arm to feel the wound. She ripped the stitches out with a grunt and her hand went to her stomach. A sneered on her face bared her teeth at her attackers. Her bruised face and mangled arm made her wild behavior seem more terrified.
“You’re safe, Mira,” Irae waved her hands gently in the air, “You’re just injured.”
Jonen held his arm and looked between the pair. Irae spoke with a soft, soothing voice to the feral woman. Her curled lips lowered but her blazing white eyes stared into them in the dim light.
“Where are we?”
“The temple,” Jonen mimicked the soothing tone.
“Nonsense.”
“How do you explain us, then?”
Mira hesitated but narrowed her eyes.
“I’m hallucinating.”
Irae stepped forward and Mira raised the dagger towards her.
“Stay back!” She growled.
“If I’m a hallucination, I can’t hurt you.”
Mira pursed her lips but lowered the blade. Her suspicion of them did not waver.
“How’s your stomach?” Irae asked
“Where are we?”
“You’re at the temple,” Jonen repeated and stepped closer next to her, “What can I do to convince you?”
She looked down at her blade and focused on the glimmer of red on its edge. With a quick motion, she smeared it across her bruised face. She grunted when it absorbed completely. Then, she dismissed the weapon and unceremoniously plopped to the ground.
“Apologies,” She bowed her head, “What day is it?”
“You left last night. Well, two nights ago,” Irae knelt next to her, “Can I see your stomach?”
“It’s fine.”
“I saw your innards, Mira. I know it’s not fine.”
“Then give me blood and it’ll heal on its own,” She closed her eyes.
“You know I’m not allowed to do that in the temple,” The healer sighed, “Mira, your master would be upset if you gravely injured yourself before he found you again. He wouldn’t want you crippled and unable to complete your duties.”
Mira winced as a black vine swirled around her throat. She coughed and waved her closer. The faint seam of healing already began on her stomach. Her sleepy eyes followed the pink woman’s examination.
“Tella is going to be mad at you for breaking your promise,” Irae tsked as she checked her over, “You’ll have to be punished.”
Mira snorted, “What do you suggest, Healer Irae? She won’t beat me.”
“You need rest,” Jonen whispered.
“I will be fine by tomorrow night. I don’t even—” She grunted as she tried to stand, “I need food.”
Jonen grabbed her good arm to hold her up as Irae pushed water along the healing edge to clean out any debris. Mira looked up at him quizzically while he helped.
“What?”
“Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“Hard to do that when Sunodagh is getting yelled at in front of the men’s quarters,” He cheekily grinned, “You aren’t happy to see me.”
She snorted in response.
“Serves him right. What even happened, Mira? I’ve never seen you return in such a bad shape,” Irae moved the siphoning water to her arm, “I thought you died when we found you.”
Mira rubbed her forehead and tried to remember. She swallowed the dryness in her throat before grabbing the woman’s hand and putting the water in her mouth. Irae grimaced at the act but let her suck the water away. She wiped her mouth and continued.
“Fire. Darkness. I woke up mid fight with some sort of monster. Then darkness again,” She grunted, “Might be why I was late. I will find Tella and—”
“No. You will get back on that bed and go to sleep,” Irae pointed, “You can talk to her tomorrow. Not when you look like this.”
Mira wobbled away from them and leaned on the bed. She grunted as she crawled into it and pointed at Jonen.
“Fix his hand first. The wound isn’t deep but I don’t know if he needs bandages.”
“Me?” He blinked.
“I cut your hand. I felt it oozing into me."
He lifted his hand to see the small dots of blood. He chuckled, shook his head, and wiped it on his pants.
“I’m fine.”
“Good,” She closed her eyes.
“Are you just going to sleep, now?” Irae asked, “Let me wrap your arm and stomach first in case it gets infected. Then, we can send him back to his room.”
“He can stay… if he wants to.”
The healer stopped and looked between them, “Really?”
“I would like to stay,” Jonen sat on the chair next to the bed, “If you want me to, I’ll sit here.”
“It’s decided then. You can stay. Make sure I don’t hurt Healer Irae.”
Irae walked over with a roll of gauze and lifted her arm. He instinctually held Mira’s hand up and was surprised when she slid her fingers between his. He smiled and squeezed her gently. Her grasp went limp as her consciousness gave out.