Healer

Chapter 7

     Talia was hesitant to leave Azriel's side. With every breath that left him, she held hers, waiting for him to take another. Cassian had exited finally, hesitantly, to speak with his mate. He had been gone maybe half an hour. Her head was spinning, trying to remember anything they had read, anything she had learned in Hybern, that could have prepared her for that. An animation Hex, based on what the creator wanted, was a danger to all of them. The animated corpse would wreak havoc until the flesh gave out and the spell dissipated. As her mind went around and around, she heard footsteps approaching. Two pairs. She took her hand off of Azriel's arm and turned, expecting Cassian and Rhysand, but the first walked in followed by Nesta. She looked like she always did, cast in a stony calm, but Talia could read the nerves on both of them.

"Rhysand will go to the house first," Cassian said, referring to Rhysand and Feyre's chateau on the river in the city. "We should go there to meet him." Talia was a bit taken aback by the suggestion, was it worth leaving Azriel alone to get to Rhysand that much sooner? Cassian was watching her, waiting for her answer. He read the question on her face before she could ask it. "Unless you think we shouldn't." Unless you think we can wait.

Talia looked at the shadowsinger over shoulder. Maybe they didn't have time to wait. Rhysand may have other matters to attend to and wouldn't come straight to the house, but if they met him there at home first, they could get what he had found and return sooner. She looked back toward Cassian and nodded. "Okay."

Cassian turned toward Nesta hovering behind him as if he had just remembered she were there. "Nesta will stay here." The female stepped around her mate and nodded. Talia's shoulders dropped a centimeter. If anyone could handle whatever might happen while she was gone, it was Nesta. "I'll meet you in the great hall." Talia nodded, realizing she were still barefoot. The taller female came and stood next to her.

"Cass told me what happened." Nesta looked sideways at her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Talia wasn't sure the answer to that. Physically, yes, but the weight of the end upon them all was especially heavy on her shoulders now. She forced a smile. "I healed."

Nesta nodded, understanding, and declining to press further. "Go." She said. "We'll be fine."

Talia nodded in return, backing away from the side of the bed where they stood and hesitating for a moment longer before turning and leaving the room. She shouldn't keep Cassian waiting. She hurried to her room and laced up her boots, the pair she had been wearing when Rhysand had arrived in her cell. It felt like ages ago. She went back up the stairs, slower this time, finally registering the familiar pain that shot from ankle to knee and back with each step. She held to it, a good reminder of what happened when she failed. She walked into the great hall where the Illyrian stood waiting. He nodded to her as she entered and walked to the edge of the cliff just outside the windows, waiting for her to follow. She stood next to him for a moment, staring out at the land before them. They could see the city of Velaris in the distance, the river a sparkling snake lazily slithering through it's middle. It really was beautiful. Without turning to her, Cassian spoke.

"You ready?" his tone implied he was questioning more than just her readiness for the flight to the chateau. All she could do was swallow and nod. He scooped her up like a child and she turned her head into his shoulder and closed her eyes, not wanting to see the world fly past beneath her. It was mid morning and the sun warmed her as they landed, sooner than she had expected, in the courtyard of Rhysand and Feyre's home. Talia hadn't been there previously and despite her nervousness at the upcoming conversation, she reveled in the beauty of the light colored stone mansion before her. Modest, gentle, pretty like Feyre, but carrying an obvious powerful presence like her mate. They walked in, Cassian stopping in the foyer and looking around for anyone to speak with.