Daughter of Tide and Illusion

Chapter 52

Chapter 52

As soon as the cuff was off her, Allel's eyes rolled back into her head as an angry wind and echoing scream rushed around them. Lyv wasn't the only one to hear it. Almost everyone else did, too, covering their ears with their hands as it rang in their ears.

It was Corliss.

From in her dungeon prison in Asturia.

Realizing that her niece was more powerful than she even suspected, especially when she had Jai to help her.

And she lost one of her captives because of it.

Allel's wounds had opened up with the lack of Corliss's magic keeping them from being fatal. Blood gushed from her stomach and even more bruises blossomed on her face, making the spelled tattoo on her cheek stand out even more. It looked like Mik had beat her after stabbing her.

Lyv had to work quickly, pressing one hand to Allel's bloodied stomach and the other to her forehead. She focused everything she could into the shapeshifter, healing the bruises and broken bones, the dagger wound, the punctured organs...even some breaks that were old and never healed correctly. By the time she was finished, Allel was glowing again, but not because she was about to shift.

But because she was finally healed after a century.

An easing breath left Allel's lungs as her eyes closed, falling into a deep sleep.

When Lyv was finally able to focus on everyone else, Kalla was crying even more, leaned over her friend as she promised her anything and everything. Gideon and Thia were talking with the two males who had found her in the water. And Jai...well, he was still looking at Lyv, even as he stood and held out his hand for hers. Lyv took it and immediately was in his arms, pressing her face into his chest.

"Thank you," she whispered, and knew he'd realize what she was thanking him for.

"I'm not saying I trust her, but what you did..."

"Please don't say she owes me a lifetime debt now."

"But she does."

"Jai..."

Lyv leaned back to look up at him, clutching the back of his tunic as he reached up to cradle her face in his hands. All he did was look at her, seeing the look of her not backing down from this, not that he seemed to want her to.

"I remembered what Elys said a while ago. About how you would save Allel by getting the cuff off her and the darkness out of Mik. It starts with Allel. She wasn't in Corliss's control like Mik is. She remembers everything, whereas he doesn't. She'll be an asset when it comes to defeating Corliss and stopping whatever she has planned. I don't trust her yet...but I trust you."

Jai leaned forward to kiss her forehead as she closed her eyes and tightened her hold on him.

By the time they pulled apart, Kalla was having Allel moved by Dodge, who had appeared out of the crowd with Shyael. They must have heard about what happened. Shyael had an arm wrapped around Kalla for support, still crying, trying to wipe away the tears that couldn't seem to stop falling, even as Shyael said something quietly to her that made her smile in relief.

Lyv, Jai, Gideon, and Thia followed behind. All eyes were on Lyv and Jai, though, marveling at the power they'd emitted together. Obviously, they all knew Allel from when she was on Blackloch for Corliss, never before then. They still didn't trust the shapeshifter and neither, apparently, did Jai. They all had good reason, which Lyv took into consideration when she decided as soon as they got back to the villa, she was going to put a binding spell on her.