A Court of Song and Shadow

Chapter 40

"She is awake!" I am awakened by Nuala's voice. I open my eyes and let out a cry of pain as Nuala and Cerridwen jump on me--throwing their arms around me. They apologize when they notice I am in pain, but I manage to hug them back. I notice nobody else in the room and ask the girls where everybody is.

"They are trying to save Rhys." Nuala tells me.

"I overheard them saying that the High Lord had ordered all of the healers in the court and in Hewn City not to help Rhysand." Cerridwen whispers, I jump out of bed and make sure the girls follow me as I go into the healing room. I find my mother, Cass, Az, and Mor all scrambling around, either looking for bandages or healing solutions.

I look to Rhysand's body laying on the table, at his chest that is barely lifting and falling-- he is barely breathing. My mothers eyes widen as she sees me looking at my brothers almost lifeless body.

"Velaris, you do not need to see this--" I cut my mother off.

"Where are the healers?" I demand, and they all look at my mother, as if they too are waiting for an explanation.

"Your father took them all from the palace." My mothers voice breaks as she looks from me to my brother, "He said that if his son does not make it, he will just make another one that will."

My shadows consume the room as I take in the words my mother just said, the High Lord of the Night Court was willing to let his son die just to prove a point. I go to that deep place within my mind-- and jump as Cass takes my one hand and Az takes my other and wraps something around my wrist and middle finger, my eyes widen at the violet siphons that lay atop my hands. I feel a tiny amount of weight lifted off of my shoulders as I physically feel some of my power entering the siphons. I look to Cass with my eyes wide.

"You are going to need more than these but this is all I could get for you right now, you lose control too much and we cannot risk that anymore." He tells me, softly, as if I am a bomb that is going to explode at any moment. I look to Az's scarred hand that is still holding mine, and his matching blue siphon and let out a shaky breath. He lets go of my hand and returns to Rhys's side.

"What about Miryam?" I ask.

"Her and Prince Drakon tried everything they could, and they are currently looking for more powerful healers but they are in the middle of a battle right now." Mor explains, not looking me in the eye. The memory of what I did to Hybern's men returns quickly, I look to everyone and discover that nobody looks me in the eye. They are scared of me--I realize. That is why Cass retrieved those siphons for me, so I do not kill anymore people. I look to my brothers' body once more before speaking.

"I will not return until I find the best healer in Prythian, I will go to every single gods damned court before I come back." I say, my mother begins to open her mouth to stop me but I winnow to Hewn City before I can hear her words.

And I begin my search.

I let out a shaky sigh as I sit back on a chair at the bar. After going to each hospital and healing center for days and finding no actual healers with powers, I take a quick stop at Rita's to get a drink and to rest for a moment, I do not have much time considering Rhys also does not have much time.

"Velaris, honey, you look like you could use a drink." A light voice says from behind the bar, I drag my eyes up to see Rita's worried face.

"You would be very correct about that." I say with a breathy laugh, she says nothing else as she takes out a glass, looks at it for a moment, then looks at me and then pulls out an even bigger glass. She fills the glass all the way up with alcohol and I thank her deeply and give her a handful of gold coins, she looks at me wide eyed.

"It is on the house." She says to me, and I give her a stare that most people would run from, she just lets out a joyous laugh. I throw the gold coins in the tip jar when she walks away. I see a black-haired female eyeing the gold coins from across the bar.

"If you think of stealing from her, it will be the last thing you ever do." I warn, she lifts her grey eyes and stares at me--her glowing grey eyes I notice. And the silver seems to be moving within her eyes. She flashes me a red smile and my brows furrow when I notice the red on her teeth, and then I look at her goblet and notice the dark red liquid in it.

Was she drinking blood?

"I would never steal from Rita, girl." She says, her voice floating across the bar, "I was just wondering how such a young female is able to carry around gold coins as if they were pieces of chocolate."

"You do not know who I am?" I ask, curiosity getting the best of me.

"Should I?" She asks, leaning back in her chair, swirling her blood goblet. I take a moment to observe her, her grey cropped flowy shirt and matching flowing pants, she is adjourned in golden jewelry. Multiple rings on each finger, many bracelets and cuffs and a red necklace lay on her chest. Her upturned eyes and short black hair allow me to conclude she is not from here.

"I would assume not since you are not a resident of Hewn City." I say, now narrowing my eyes at her, "How did you find your way in here?"

"I was here before it was formed, girl." She lets out a chuckle that rattles my bones. If she were here when Hewn city was formed, that would mean--

"If you are that old, you have to know many healers." I say, more to myself than to her, I realize what I said, "No offense, you look very good for your age, I--" The woman lets out a surprised laugh and then looks me up and down.

"I may know a healer or two," She says and then she takes a sip of her blood goblet, "Why would I want to help you?"

Shit. I did not think this through, I was not going to beg this woman to tell me where these healers are, I would not stoop that low--no, I would for Rhys. I would get on my hands and knees to beg this woman for her help. I think for a moment and look at the gold coins in the tip jar.

"Those coins are just a fraction of what I can offer you." I say with a smirk, and she gives me a terrifying smile in return.

"What is your name?" She places her goblet down on the countertop and leans towards me.

"Velaris." I say, "And yours?"

"You may call me Amren."