Whispers of Nowhere

Chapter Twenty-One: Part One

The next hour was one of the most agonizing Gwen had ever experienced. If not for the strange, luminescent clock standing in the left-hand corner of the room, she wouldn't have known that only an hour had passed. She was dimly aware of Phenex carrying Forneus to a large featherbed on the other side of the room, setting to work as he removed the guardian's coat and shirt to check the severity of his wounds.

Without his shirt to obstruct it from view, Gwen could clearly see where Misa's sword had gone in—just below his right shoulder blade—to where it came out, at almost the exact centre of his chest. To make matters worse, four of his ribs had been broken, the bones jutting beneath his skin in several places, though thankfully none were poking through.

Even so, it had taken Gwen time to regain her composure. Once she had, she'd looked around the room, finally taking notice of her surroundings. Between the shelves laden with books of every size, the assorted knick-knacks scattered here and there, and the heavily-cushioned armchairs forming a quaint little sitting area, there was no doubt as to whose room they were in.

Of course, it all made sense. Where else would Phenex take Forneus to heal him, if not his own room? As far as she could tell, the Spectrum didn't have an infirmary, and more importantly, with entities like Phenex around, why would it need one?

Once the initial shock had finally worn off, Gwen had made her way over to Forneus's bedside, grasping his right hand in both of hers. Beside her, Phenex summoned six golden feathers into the palm of his hand, arranging them around the wound in a circular formation, tip to stem.

"The more severe the injury, the more conduits that are necessary," he had said.

Both had lapsed into silence after that, Gwen watching intently as the large wound started to shrink beneath Phenex's fingertips, broken ribs knitting back together as if they'd never been broken in the first place. Afterwards, time had resumed its dragging march, Gwen anxiously watching and waiting as the skin of Forneus's wound came together, one thread at a time—until finally, bone, sinew, and veins were mercifully blocked from sight.

"That's the best I can do," Phenex said now, panting as he settled onto the floor next to Forneus's bed. "The rest is up to him."

Gwen, who had been sitting on the edge of the mattress while he worked, settled onto the tiles next to him. "I don't get it. Why can't you fix him the way you fixed me back in Greece? Not that I'm criticizing," she added hastily. "I just wondered if—"

Phenex waved the explanation away. "It's okay." He offered her a wan grin, tilting his head back so that it rested against the wall behind him. "To be honest, I don't get it, either. I've fixed bigger wounds with less trouble, but this? This is something totally different." He was silent a moment, eyebrows drawn together. "I don't know the story behind it, but I'm willing to bet that there's something...special about Misa's sword."

"Special how?"

Before Phenex could answer, a loud popping came from the other side of the room, startling them both. Seeing Asclepius standing by the door with Lyka next him, Gwen darted to her feet.

"You're back!" Gwen knew it was a stupid thing to say, given the obvious fact that they were standing there, but she couldn't help it. After Forneus's injury, she was just relieved to know they were all right. "Where are the others?" she asked, biting her lip.

Lyka came to stand next to her, gently resting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, everyone made it back just fine." She smiled, casting a sidelong glance at Asclepius. "Some of us in better condition than others."