Within These Tangled Tales

Chapter Fifty-Five

—The Sanctuary, Valdornne—

"Baloren, you need to rest," Corlis tried to push his friend back to bed, but their disparity in strength was downright laughable. Even with both hands and all his weight thrust forward, feet planted into the ground, he couldn't stop his friend from moving. Baloren barely acknowledged him, striding forward as though Corlis wasn't there at all. "Baloren, you nearly bled to death. You need to..."

Without a word, Baloren shrugged him off and strode from his small tent. Corlis could only sigh and follow him through the quiet and ravaged camp. Baloren never slowed, determined to reach the healing tent on the other side of the camp, where Idelle was resting. Corlis hadn't wanted to share the details just yet. They still didn't know enough to be certain of what had happened, but Baloren refused to wait for news.

When they stepped inside, Reva and Le'Mon were still hovered over Idelle's prone form, their aether scanning her body for signs of damage. Corlis barely understood any of it, and so, he could do little more than stand and wait for news like the rest of them. Yet, out of everyone, his own daughter seemed to have the most trouble with that concept. Lulu was on the other side of the tent, pacing like a caged animal, continually chewing on her thumb nail as she watched the others trying to help Idelle.

"What happened?" Baloren demanded the moment they entered.

"Reivar stuck a fucking crystal in her chest," Lulu growled, her eyes still fixed on Idelle. "It's not bleeding like a normal wound. It just...fused with her heart, Le'Mon says. She was fine for a moment, and then...she just started screaming..."

"Her body was absorbing a vast amount of aether," Reva explained, turning to look up at Baloren. "The crystal is acting as some sort of siphon. The only way to stop it was to knock her unconscious. Otherwise, what's left of the Sanctuary's barrier would have cracked completely."

"Is there any way to extract it?" Baloren asked, kneeling at Idelle's side. A thin layer of sweat covered her forehead.

"No. Not that we can see. The crystal is made of something I've never seen before. It's fused inside her heart. If we remove it, we'll damage her heart beyond repair."

"What happens when she wakes up?"

"...I don't know, Lion of Alfheim. If she continues to absorb aether...she'll destroy everything around her. But there will be no way to know until she wakes up."

"Aunt Teryn could do something," Lulu suggested, finally ceasing her pacing.

Corlis' eyes darted toward his friend, seeing the way his body tensed at the mention of his wife. Baloren shook his head.

"I'm not bringing Teryn into this hellhole."

Lulu stared at him as though he was a stranger. "But she..."

"Eivør has already promised to kill my children. I will not leave them defenseless by bringing my wife, and neither will I subject her to another war. She's earned her rest."

"But this isn't about her. It's about Idelle."

"Lulu," Corlis tried to calm his daughter, but the sound of his voice seemed only to agitate her further.

"No. This is bullshit. If anyone could help Idelle, it's Aunt Teryn. So, why don't..."

"You misunderstand me," Baloren argued, silencing Lulu's argument. "I never said I would abandon Idelle. I will not bring Teryn here, but I will take Idelle home to her. I've seen enough of this place."