“I know who she is,” Kirsten said defensively while looking off to the side.
“Then let her help you,” Anders pleaded.
“Can’t you just snap your fingers and make it better?” Kirsten asked.
He could, but you might lose the strength of your grip, Zahara said, her mental voice cutting through to Kirsten’s thoughts.
Anders was used to Zahara’s shared comments, but saw Kirsten jump at the sudden intrusion. Before she could respond, Anders explained, “Zahara’s right. Healing with magic is more complex than it seems. I need an understanding of the full extent of the injury before applying the spell. You could have severed your tendons and if I repair them the same way I work on skin tissue, you wouldn’t be able to use them again.”
Kirsten glanced at Ophelia and chewed at the inside of her lip. After a moment’s thought she said, “Okay, go ahead and look.”
Ophelia reached gently and took hold of Kirsten’s arm. Her hand was lacerated across the entire width of her palm. When she held her hand out, her fingers flopped open and blood continued to flow from the gash. “Can you make a fist?” Ophelia asked.
Kirsten attempted to curl her fingers, but only her middle finger would curl past the first knuckle. She moaned.
“How did you do this?” Ophelia asked.
“I went to find this,” Kirsten said, putting her good hand into her pocket and pulling out the crystal she’d taken from Rankstine.
“Is that the crystal from the man on horseback?” Anders asked, raising his eyes to meet Kirsten’s.
“Rankstine,” she said with a nod. “Merglan sent him to Grandwood. He was supposed to make a home base for the occupiers in Westland while he took over. I thought the goblins got him, but apparently he had only been knocked out when I saw him last. When I found his body out there,” she said nodding to the plains, “and tried to take the crystal…” she paused. Anders knew his cousin and could tell she was shaken by the memory. “I managed to grab the blade of my sword and put an end to that relentless earwig of a man’s life.”
“You should’ve come and gotten me,” Anders said. “Zahara and I could’ve helped you.”
Kirsten inhaled sharply and withdrew her hand. Anders noticed Ophelia stuffing the vial of clean water she’d just poured into Kirsten’s palm back into her apron.
“I thought he was dead. I didn’t know someone could survive dragon fire,” Kirsten said defensively as she offered her palm to Ophelia again.
While Ophelia dabbed a white cloth at the wound, Anders waited for her to tell him which of her tendons would need to be repaired. Touching on Tarron’s presence, Anders prepared to ask him for guidance in mending.
“Each finger’s tendon, except for the middle, is severed. Her palm tendons have sustained some damage as well. You’ll need to heal them individually. Without a surgeon’s touch, it would be very difficult for her to have a full recovery,” Ophelia said.
“And after the tendons have been repaired, it’s just muscle and skin tissue?” Anders asked.
Ophelia nodded, “Can you do that?”
“It will be harder than mending a bone, but with Tarron’s help, I bet we’ll manage,” Anders said. Kirsten eyed him at the mention of Tarron’s name. He’d forgotten that he hadn’t told her about him yet and it probably sounded odd to speak about another person when only the three of them and Zahara were standing there.
Taking Kirsten’s arm, Anders focused on the task at hand. Tarron guided him in reciting the ancient language. Anders could feel the energy within him pass from his hand to Kirsten’s flesh. When the last of the magic spell was complete, Anders felt the chilling aftershock of using more energy than he had intended. Staggering, he refocused his vision on Kirsten’s palm.
She flexed her hand, moving each finger individually as if they had never been injured. Anders blinked purposefully and looked at Kirsten. She was staring at him with concern. “Anders, are you alright?”
Anders rubbed his eyes and stepped back to catch himself from tipping. “Yeah. I’m just a little tired.” He felt Zahara’s touch on his mind as she passed some of her energy into him, cutting it off before she reached a similar state of vertigo. Shaking his head and planting his feet, he said, “Sorry. I’ve never healed so many serious injuries before. It really zaps the strength out of me.”
“You must be exhausted,” Ophelia said. “He’s been at this for hours. You should take a rest.”
“You were the last person who needed healing?” Anders asked Kirsten.
Kirsten shrugged and Ophelia nodded in confirmation.
“Let me see that crystal,” Anders said, again staggering.
Kirsten handed him the light-blue sapphire. Tapping into its remaining energy, Anders drank in just enough to regain mental clarity. Once steady, he said, “I need to talk with Rune and the others in charge. We have lots to do whether we stay and fight or run.”
As he left Kirsten and Ophelia to their duties, Anders’ thoughts turned to Maija. He wondered how she was faring with her newly bonded dragon.
***
Anders stopped to rest against a tree. He continued to feel the effects of healing so many people. Even though he had a wealth of energy stored in Lazuran and in what remained within the crystal Kirsten had retrieved, he didn’t want to resort to using them unless he absolutely had to.
We need to eat, he said to Zahara while she sat down on the forest floor next to him.
Maybe they have some food? she said, looking to the line of people beginning to march back toward Brookside.
For me, but there’s no way they could feed you.
There are deer a plenty in the Riverlands. I can feel them, not too far from here.
This might be a good time for you to go hunting. I know the people we healed are warming up to the idea of having a dragon around, but there are probably many who still fear you. I might make more progress speaking with them on my own, Anders said, feeling slightly guilty for telling her to leave for a few hours.
It’s okay, Anders. Remember the last time we were in Westland together, I had to remain hidden until you could speak with me in private. This is much better than that.
Be careful, he said as Zahara stood to leave.
I won’t go far, she assured him and walked off into the forest.
Anders continued to lean against the tree, his mind now wandering to the memory of Ivan’s death. He hadn’t faced the repercussions. Forcing the memory of his father’s demise from his mind, he walked along the newly beaten path to the Revolution’s hidden base camp. Working his way through the nearly deserted encampment caused him to wish he’d gone and asked the people he’d seen earlier for some food. Smoldering campfires reminded him of roasted lamb, making his stomach growl.
