Caelevoria

Caelevoria - chapter 16

~Chapter 16~

I wake to a girl's screams; oh no, is Marin alright?! I finally realize that the noise is coming from my own throat, and cut it off abruptly. I may not have felt pain at first, but now my entire torso is on fire. I choke back a whine and slowly open my eyes. I see Marin and Calder standing over me.

"Please," I whisper, "make it stop!"

"Sage, stay very still," Calder says quickly. "I have to break the arrow to free it from the wound. It will hurt."

"Nothing," I murmur, "could hurt more than-" He breaks the arrow, and the jolt makes my previous pain feel like nothing. I'm in utter agony, and another scream escapes my lips.

When I wake again, the pain is dulled slightly, though it's still worse than anything I've ever felt. "Mmmph," is all I manage to say. I slowly realize that the boat isn't rocking anymore, and open my eyes to see that the raft is pushed into the soft mud on the riverbank. Marin is standing over me, and jumps as she realizes I'm awake.

"Sage, are you alright?" I can't quite form a response, so I look around once more. I glance down to bandages wrapped tightly around my waste. Roden is standing guard at one end of the boat, and looks at me with concern. Calder is nowhere to be seen.

"Calder?" I mumble quietly.

"He should be right back, he's-" The sound of pounding footsteps interrupts her, and Calder comes into view carrying...something. My mind is too muddled to make it out.

He quickly crouches over me, looking worried. I notice his shoulder is still bleeding.

"Calder," I whisper, and his attention snaps to me. "Your shoulder. Hurt."

"It is nothing Sage, do not worry. Just lie still." He focuses my wound once more, and I feel him pulling away the layers of cloth. It brings on a fresh wave of pain and I start to black out again, but manage to stay awake this time. He presses whatever he has onto my side and starts muttering something rhythmically under his breath. I strain my ears to understand what he's saying, but can't quite make it out. After a minute or two like this, he suddenly stops and stands up.

"What is it? Am I going to be okay? Isn't there anything else you can do?" I start asking frantically, before realizing that my brain has cleared. The pain has dimmed to nothing more than a stitch in my side; it feels like I've been running too far and need to catch my breath. I look down again and see a scar between the bottom of my blouse and hem of my skirt, where my wound must have been only moments ago. He chuckles at the look on my face, and helps me stand up. Marin gives me a big hug, and Roden smiles and pats me on the arm.

"It's good to see you well again, Miss."

I smile at them and turn back to Calder. "Calder! You...you fixed me! In like two seconds!" I find myself grinning like a fool, but I can't help it. I thought I was going to die!

"It was the Salus," he replies modestly. Huh? "A plant," he adds at the confused look on my face. "With great healing powers. I was lucky to have found some growing nearby. It was also lucky that the arrow did not pierce any major organs." Oh, a plant and some good luck. That makes sense.

"Wow, that was close! But, wait. What were you mumbling, then?"

He pauses for a moment before replying. "The plant alone would not have been enough to heal you. There are...incantations, which will aid in the effects of any medicine. Eru has taught me well in such things."

"So it wasn't just the plant! You really are a talented healer, Calder! I owe you my life. Again!" I go to hug him, but realize that his shoulder still hasn't stopped bleeding. "Should we use some of that plant-whatsit on your shoulder? You need something for it!"