Daughters of Creation

Chapter Twenty-Two: Whelve (Part One)

"To bury something deep; to hide"
—Whelve

October 25

Soft green light encased her hands as she ran them over Dana's unconscious body. The entire apartment had rocked when a blinding light came from her room; it had instantly sent Rosalyn and Hari racing back to her room, where Eytelis and Dana were.

"Is she okay?" Hari leaned down beside her.

"She's—"

Dana jerked awake, eyes snapping open. Rosalyn caught her before she fell back. "Dana, can you hear me?"

Slowly, eyes still glazed, the Illusionist nodded. "Eytelis ...?"

Hari went to the dryad's side, hands checking for a pulse. The dragon glanced over his shoulder, looking at the two witches. His expression shifted from grave to surprised. "She's alive, I can feel her pulse."

Dana let out a cry and pushed Rosalyn away. She stumbled to her feet and wobbled to Eytelis' side while Rosalyn cradled her wrist; it had bent awkwardly when she had tried to catch herself. Hari stepped away from the bedside, giving Dana space.

She pushed herself to her feet and buried the flash of hurt that went through her. She sighed. What did you expect? A nasty voice chimed. You let Eytelis die, you couldn't do anything to stop the poison and you're considered the best healer in Strey—is it really a surprise that she blames you, too? Rosalyn's nails dug half-moons in the soft tissue of her palms, the pain stopping the burn behind her eyes. She did blame herself. She blamed herself for Eytelis' death ... but that wasn't quite true, was it? Eytelis was alive. Hari had said so himself. But she saw no sign—magical or physical—of Dae.

"Dae ... he gave up his life for her, he traded places ..." Dana whispered quietly, brushing the dark waves from Eytelis' round face. "She's alive because of him."

Ah. So, that was how.

Even though they knew she had a pulse and was alive, the dryad had yet to open her eyes. Rosalyn hoped to the Mother Goddess that she would. Despite everything she had tried she couldn't keep the poison from traveling to Eytelis' heart, but even more it had been as if the poison was eating away at the dryad's soul—and she had been unable to stop it. Not even her idea of using the mark to draw the poison out had done very much. She had thought, possibly, just possibly, that the mark would draw the poison from Eytelis' body and burn it from her system as she had purified the mark with the Earth and her own magic. It only kept Eytelis alive long enough for her to embed the last of her strength and magic into Dae, the man who had been like the Sun to Dana.

Bile rose in her throat, burning almost as much as the sting in her eyes. Hari came to her, concern in his dark eyes but she waved him off. She didn't deserve any comfort ... not with her failure staring at her like a monstrous void of self-hate and guilt and shame. Mother Goddess, I failed my coven sister, I have failed Dana. And she didn't know what to do with this information. She was supposed to be one of the best healers! How could she have allowed Eytelis to die?

So caught up she failed to notice the trickle of another presence enter her mind, take stalk of her. Rosalyn had never felt so useless until that very moment.  

Hari didn't let her push him away. He grabbed her hand and brought her closer to him, simply giving her his silent support. His warmth quickly enveloped her and Rosalyn hated herself for the relief that swept through her that Hari didn't despise her, didn't let her push him away.

Dana didn't make eye contact with her as she spoke, "Is the poison completely gone? Will she be okay now."

She extended her magic, letting it lay over the dryad. She closed her eyes as she looked over Eytelis, letting the magic guide her as her healing took over. There were a few spots damaged by the poison but she fixed it easily by knitting the organs back together and burning the impure properties left behind like residue. It only took her the span of a few breaths to restore Eytelis back to her previous health. Her body no longer showed the pain she'd endured.