Love and Other Magical Adventures

twenty four

I focused on meditating properly for the next hour. It left me feeling calmer and less inept, and when I returned to the fire the three of them were deep in conversation.

Sylvie welcomed me with her enchanting smile, scooting over to make room and leaning into me when I sat down. She was carving something new and indiscernible. "Welcome back," she whispered.

"Thank you," I said.

They were talking about what it's like to have no one, Grim filled me in. And he's curious about us. "We're the opposite of you two; we don't know what it's like to be on our own because we've always had each other." He included me with a nod. 

Sayid nodded, stifling a yawn. The hour wasn't that late, but he'd certainly had an exhausting day. An exhausting life at that. "It is quite difficult. How old were you two when you met?"

Grim was eating again so I fielded that one. "He was just over two in human years when we bonded with each other. Well, technically we were born bonded, but we were together for the first time then. I was but a week old at the time." 

He had safeguarded the sacred memory and I could see it through him; both of our mothers standing nearby as we found each other, delighted that their children would be best friends as well.

We had lost them not long after. 

I shook my head to help clear it. Time for a different topic. "Are you up for a little healing?" I asked, wanting to have done with it because I was feeling apprehensive again.

You'll be fine, quit it, Grimmer assured me. And now you have the ring, should you need it. So do the thing.

"I think so," Sayid said. His wall was up so I couldn't read his aura.

Sylvie leaned to put her lips to my ear, making me shiver, and murmured, "Will it have the same effect on you as when you did it for me?"

"It might not," I said, though it probably would. I didn't really think about that part. It was what it was. Healing was my purpose, and my discomfort was irrelevant when it came to it, especially in matters of life and death. "Try not to worry, I'll be okay," I reassured her quietly.

She took that in but was visibly apprehensive. "Would using the ring help?"

"I don't think I need it, and I would hate to use it and then not have it available if we did need it," I admitted. That was the trouble with as-needed items with limited availability, not that I was complaining.

Sayid squared his shoulders. "What do I need to do?"

"Absolutely nothing," I said, rising and leaving Sylvie with a kiss on her head. "It won't take long."

"Okay," he said nervously.

I knelt beside him, putting my hand on his arm and closing my eyes. Feebur gave me an inquiring boop. I tuned in to Sayid, immediately feeling all the chaos there. I assessed it and was confident I could help, so I began. It wasn't the same as going through a body to repair damage; rather I just sort of let the healing flow into him and it did its thing, balancing his brain chemicals and diminishing some of the pain.

As much of the inner torment became soothed, I was able to notice how his physical body was in its own turmoil. I was pretty tired at that point so it took me a minute before I realized what the reason was. It wasn't anything I could assist with at that point though as I was out of strength and had already taken some of Grim's, so I recalled my magic and withdrew my hands.

Sylvie was waiting next to me when I opened my eyes, her purple ones anxious. "Are you well? Did it work?"

I smiled at her as she wrapped her arms around me from the side."I'm fine."I was exhausted but felt pretty good otherwise. I tried not to dread the seizure that would likely hit me, and hoped it would be a small one. "And I'm almost certain it worked."