Dreams of the Oracle

Chapter 40

Evelyn returned the next morning to find Ashur wide awake and staring at the ceiling. To her relief he didn't seem to have tried to move a muscle since her departure. She brought him some water.

He looked up at her as she handed him a tin cup. His eyes were red from the tears shed the previous night. He accepted the water wordlessly lifting himself slightly so as to swallow it down. She handed him some bread and collapsed down on his back chewing wordlessly.

"How do you feel?" she asked after a moment.

He was silent for a time. She thought he might not answer at all then his mouth opened,

"What did you do to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

She hesitated, "It was just a healing song. You never had trouble with it before and you seemed to be having a relapse. Were you in pain?"

"I never had a healing song do that before."

"Do what?"

"You went inside my head."

"Healers sometimes bring up memories to put people at ease. Did the magic trigger a bad memory? Is that what happened?"

"Don't do that again."

"I just thought--."

"Never again! Understand?" said Ashur vehemently.

"Yes, okay," said Evelyn watching him closely.

"How is Cassandra?"

"She is sleeping."

Ashur turned his head away and looked at the far wall. He gave an involuntary shudder under the blankets.

"I heard about what you did for her," said Evelyn softly, "that was very brave. You must love her a lot."

"She's my sister."

"When the Iron Hand brought you here you were both passed out cold but you were still holding her in your arms. She is lucky to have a brother like you."

Ashur turned and looked up at her,

"I am sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"For when I grabbed your arm, if I hurt you."

Evelyn nodded slowly,

"I am sorry too. For whatever I made you remember."

Ashur turned away.

He heard Evelyn ascend the stairs and closed his eyes. The smell of the earthen room made him think of working in the rain. It made him think of working alongside his father, and of coming home to his sister. It made him think of Cassandra being so happy to see them and the smell of soup drifting out of their little house.

When he opened his eyes he knew that those days were gone. They were gone and they were never coming back.