Coil of Worlds

Noise at the doorway had him turning his head. Relief poured into him when Skye saw two sets of golden eyes come to stand over him, their eyes shining with relief at seeing him awake. Although he couldn’t see Lara, Skye knew from her tread that she stood beside his head.

He felt a slight weight drop onto his stomach, and he slid a hand up to his stomach, causing the parchment to crinkle.

Skye searched the pakas’ eyes, trying to figure out what they wanted. He was hesitant to ask, but no one broke the growing silence. They waited for him to speak.

His voice hoarse from disuse, he asked, “What’s going on?”

Chion’s deep voice filled the room. Eiren noticed that when she spoke to you through your bond, the pain worsened. We decided that when you woke up she would make one final attempt to talk to you. If it indeed caused you pain, a new method was called upon for you to converse with each other. She will relay to us what she wants you to know through the scroll. It is our hope that by allowing you time to heal, your bond will return to normal.

Shock slid down his spine, leaving his entire body tingling. She knew. He didn’t have to speak the words of shame.

Lara cautioned, “It will take time. But from what I can tell, we have it. The doctor said you have several more days before you’ll be able to sit up.”

Doctor? His head hurt too much, and he was too tired to process the woman’s odd word choices. It took him a moment to interpret the meaning.

A thought occurred to him. “How long have I slept?”

“Um,” Lara cleared her throat, “five days. The d-healer kept you in a coma until the lesions healed enough for you to function.”

Remembering the pain, he was thankful the healer had the power to keep him under, even if he didn’t like being under another’s control. “I did wake once.”

Chion sighed with regret, Ah, yes. The healer apologized to us upon seeing the evidence by your bedside. He was attending another patient during his regularly scheduled visit to your chamber. When he was late, we split up to locate the priest. His magic only works for half a day’s turn. It is why you woke when you did.

Lara interrupted, “It’s also why no one was here. We thought he’d forgotten about you. We were afraid if too much time passed, you’d wake up and destroy all the mending done up to that point.”

Skye’s exhaustion took hold, and his next words slurred, “What did the priest find? What is wrong with my head?” His eyes shut without his permission. Before sleep claimed him, he felt the weight of Eiren’s head on his leg.

Lara whispered, “Sleep. We’ll still be here later.”

The next few days were spent sleeping, waking only to have exhaustion and pain roll him back under. Through it all, someone was always beside him, ensuring his safety while he was at his most vulnerable.

Every time he woke, Skye’s pain level decreased. He was healing, albeit slowly. But his strength languished. Because he was only awake for short periods of time, conversation was kept at a minimum.

Bathing and changing the bed was a chore, requiring the coordinated efforts of several priests under Eiren’s watchful presence. Skye would have been humiliated at his undeniable weakness and illness, except he couldn’t summon the strength for the emotion. The lack of light made it difficult for him to see where the priests were around him, making him twist away from their touch in his fevered state. After a few false starts, the healer started directing the others aloud, which prepared Skye for their hands on his body.

The spit baths left him exhausted and in pain. He never fell asleep until Eiren lay beside him, pressing her small, feline body next to his.

After what seemed like weeks of lying in a sickbed, Skye finally woke with a start, aware of his surroundings. For the first time since the pain began, his mind was unclouded. He shifted his body around, testing his limbs.

Skye brought his hand up to touch his face. When the touch failed to ignite agony or even a little pain, he opened his eyes in surprise. Was he healed? Had the healer accomplished the impossible?

Though tempted, he hesitated to test the boundaries of the healing by reaching for his magic. Skye flexed and released each of his major muscle groups, and was happy to find his weakness was due to his bout of illness, nothing more. Once he started moving again his body would rebound.

Careful not to overdo it, he sat up and swung his feet around to rest on the floor. The movement woke Eiren from a fitful doze.

Without a word, she slipped from the bed to stand in front of him. In the dark, he couldn’t see anything except her eyes, but it was enough.

“I know, Eiren. I also wish to speak to you through our bond, but something tells me it is too soon. First, we must find a way to fix my magic.”

Her eyes nodded up and down in agreement. When he saw her head cock to one side, he could almost hear her question. His chuckle was weak. “I’m getting up to stand on my own two feet. I won’t use the bedpan one more time.”

When Eiren dashed forward to put her cold nose against his hipbone, he had difficulty keeping his voice steady. “What was that for?”

She did it again, and warmth infused his face. He’d forgotten that although he couldn’t see, everyone else could. With reflexes that hadn’t lost any of their quickness while ill, he pulled the blankets over his legs, covering himself.

Her head twisted from one side to another, and he could practically hear her laughter.

He grumbled, “For both the God’s and my sake, don’t sing. Having lived through it once, I refuse to do so again.”

He stared around the black surroundings. He had no idea where to even search for his clothes. Suddenly, his brain came awake with a vengeance. Questions exploded in his mind, jumbling together into a whirlwind of words. What was wrong with his magic? Did the priest find the Lan’Ai’s tomb in one of his maps? Why couldn’t he find a way to block the pain? How many days had passed while he slept? The invasion in Pyran. Had Gharra been overrun by Malirrans yet? They were in the House of the Dead.

His burning thoughts died a quick death at the feel of cloth falling into his lap. Skye snorted when he felt the familiar weave of his clothing. Eiren nodded once before leaving him alone in the room to dress. He heaved a quiet sigh of relief. It took some time, but he dressed himself without any help. He stood up and tested his legs. Bending his knees a couple of times, he knew they’d hold. He took a shaky step forward and then another, each step becoming easier than the last.

He reached the doorway, and with deep satisfaction he walked across the small chamber to the adjoining room. Using Eiren’s eyes as a guide, he pushed open the door and grinned at his bondmate’s forethought. A fire crackled in a makeshift fireplace in the far corner of the room, providing him with some much needed light.

Lara said dryly, “You aren’t the only one who likes to see a real fire every now and then, you know.”

She gave him a thorough perusal before grinning. Skye was surprised when she stepped forward and gave him a heartfelt hug. At the feel of her body against his, Skye’s mind shifted to thoughts that he knew were inappropriate. His muscles went rigid as he fought off the feelings they invoked. Busy trying to get himself under control, Skye didn’t return the embrace until it was too late.

To move past the awkwardness, he teased her, “I don’t see why. Your world’s idea of a fire entails white lights hanging from the ceiling.”

Lara tapped him on the chest with the flat of her hand. “I just meant that it feels strange being underground and not needing any light to see. That’s all. Having a fire makes me feel almost normal.”

Skye grabbed hold of her fist, bringing it up so he could drop a kiss on her knuckles. His playful voice gone, he said with grave seriousness, “I cannot describe my gratitude for your assistance while I was unconscious.”

Releasing her hand, he lowered himself into a formal bow. Skye stood back up to his full height so he could include Chion and Eiren in his acknowledgement of their sacrifice. He struggled to put his thoughts into words. “I know we’ve been through so much together, but what you did for me goes beyond the bounds of friendship. Your constant vigilance provided me with the sense of security I needed to sleep deeply. Otherwise, I might still be in bed. May the Goddess bless you for your sacrifice.”

Silence met his statement, but he refused to lower his eyes. Skye stared at each of them, willing them to know he meant every word he said.

It was Lara who broke the silence. “Oh, Skye. Haven’t you figured it out? We are in this crazy situation together. I don’t know about anyone else, but I take heart from the fact that I can depend on each of you if I ever find myself in a mess.”

While she spoke, Eiren came to stand beside him, looking up at him with proud, golden eyes.

Chion took a step toward him, drawing Skye’s attention away from Eiren. Lara is correct. Although we face an unknown destiny, we were brought together for a reason. As Eiren has reiterated during these past several weeks, the Goddess placed all of us on this path together. Therein lies our strength and our chance of success in what is to come.

Chion’s words were a reminder of their quest. And yet, they almost felt like an oath. Although Eiren had said those same words, hearing them spoken by the white paka made them altogether more real. Skye felt as if he stood on a precipice. On one side, he could turn away from this quest and find a new future; however, he stared into the determined faces of his companions and knew his answer.

Somehow, without realizing it, Skye had held back a small part of himself, protecting himself from undue pain. Yes, he considered these three his friends, his new battlemates. It was as if Skye had been waiting for something to change.

The change wasn’t an external event like he’d expected. It had occurred within him. He could never turn his back on these three. Skye nodded once in response to Chion’s words, but he knew it was more than a mere agreement. Even as Skye’s exhausted body expended the last of his newfound energy, he took the vow into his soul, holding it close.

For the first time since meeting Eiren, Skye felt like one of them. He’d taken that last step.

Unknowing of the momentous changes occurring within him, Lara waved them toward the pillows where Chion and she were lounging before they entered the room.

After they sat on the pillows around the fire, Lara said, “Now, tell us what problems you’ve had with your magic.”

Skye reached over and stroked Eiren head. “Two to three days after we came out of the Pyrannis’ cell, I started feeling a small amount of pain.”

Chion cut in, You began using your Tal’Ai magic in the cell?

He nodded in agreement. “Yes, once I determined how to keep my vision without it slipping, I used my magic every moment I was awake. I can’t see in the tunnels otherwise.” Skye looked over at Eiren when she shook her head. He didn’t have to hear her to know how disappointed she was. He sighed, before picking up his story, “As the days progressed, the pain worsened until I struggled to connect with my magic upon waking. I’ve tried every mental trick possible to stop the pain. Nothing works.”

They sat in silence, letting the information sink in. Lara spoke up, “Our last day at the training school, I was finally able to gain some control over my power. I have to picture myself immersed in water. It doesn’t stop the influx, but it definitely helps to dampen them. I can now feel my own emotions without being overwhelmed by others.”

Skye was shaking his head long before she finished. “I’ve already tested that possibility. If anything, it made the pain worse.”

Could you explain what you see when you connect with your power? Chion asked curiously. Perhaps if we better understand what your Tal’Ai magic entails, we can consider possible solutions that you can test.

Leaning back, Skye stared into the fire. “It doesn’t feel as if I connect with the magic, but more as if I open my senses farther than I’ve ever been able to in the past. I almost feel as if I can predict intentions based on their movements, though I can’t hear the thoughts of anyone.”

Eiren sat up in excitement. When he stopped to look at her, she simply dipped her head, urging him to continue.

Wrapping an arm around a bent knee, he sought the words he needed to explain. “I become aware of minute movements—a man’s breath speeds up, a slight shift in balance, an arm tenses. My vision expands out farther, and every piece of information about the people around me comes to me simultaneously. Where my eyes can only see what is immediately before me, my sight informs me of every move around me.”

Eiren jumped up and hopped over to the scroll. Pushing the scroll open with her nose, she spelled out a question. Chion stated each word aloud, then repeated the question when Eiren was done, What if the magic is subjecting you to too much information?

Lara picked up where Eiren’s question left off, gesturing at his bondmate. “Eiren’s right. You said yourself that you’re receiving information from every direction at once. What if our brains aren’t capable of handling that much information at once? It could be the reason why your magic is going wonky.” Seeing their expressions, Lara rolled her eyes. “Fine. The doctor told us that Skye had lesions on his brain. What if the over-stimulation is causing the lesions and pain?”

Chion hummed in agreement. He gazed at Skye for a moment. The first two times your magic made itself known transpired when you were in a skirmish, fighting for your life, he paused for Skye’s grunt in affirmation. Perhaps your magic is for battle.

“Is that even possible?” Lara queried. Both Lara and Skye shared a look. Even with their short stint under the tutorage of Tryvor and Audren, neither of them had any idea one way or the other.

Eiren’s insistent tapping brought Skye’s head around. This time Skye said each word as she spelled them out on the scroll. He scratched at his beard while he considered what she said.

“You’re saying that Tal’Ai powers are sometimes specific to certain tasks.”

“Chion, wasn’t it you that said a person’s magic is an extension of his natural ability? If that’s the case, it makes sense that Skye’s Tal’Ai magic is related to battle. I’m no expert, but even I can see that Skye’s ability is extraordinary,” Lara divulged with frank admiration.

He again felt warmth suffuse his face and dropped his gaze to stare at his fist. Skye was confident in his swordsmanship, but no one had ever openly complimented him before. He found it was…uncomfortable receiving praise from another. When Eiren nudged him with her shoulder, he glanced up. Seeing her mirth at his expense, Skye pushed her away.

Drawing in a breath, he said to no one in particular, “If this is true, what does this mean for me? Are you aware of any mental techniques that will help me?”

Chion overrode Lara’s dissent, declaring, If your magic is indeed adapted for battle, then you may be overtaxing your body.

“But the magic allows me the ability to see in Kureto,” Skye argued. “If I don’t use my magic, I am forced to rely on each of you.” He shook his head and said, “Even with the damage it causes, I refuse to return to my previous state.”

Eiren’s objection was so strong, it came through their bond. She spoke for the first time, expressing her opinion, If you do that, you’ll find yourself back in bed unconscious. My Lord, how is that a better option?

Despite her criticism, he breathed a sigh of relief. Skye didn’t realize the amount of tension he was holding with his inability to converse with her. Their link was as strong as ever, and the pain never materialized. Still tentative, he replied, Neither is an option.

My Lord? Does speaking this way cause you pain?

Again, he waited for the pain to spike, but nothing happened. He looked at her with something akin to hope.

“No pain?”

He smiled and replied aloud, “No pain.” When Lara cocked her head in confusion, he explained, “My link with Eiren doesn’t cause me any pain.”

The woman grinned and exclaimed, “That’s great news. Now, we just need to find a way to keep your magic under control.” She became serious once more, a slight frown drawing her eyebrows down. “Skye, I know not being able to see is debilitating, especially for someone like you. How about if you compromise a little. When we’re in a place that allows us to build a fire, give yourself a chance to release your magic. Use your real eyes when you have the chance.”

Eiren flicked her tail to grab everyone’s attention. Remember Kureto’s history, My Lord. Kurites once had to use light underground before the magic from above soaked into the ground. Kurites once had eyes much like Pyrannis.

Skye relayed her comment to the others with a yawn. In the short time he’d been up, his body was already exhausted.

Chion insisted, Skye, rest. Tomorrow is soon enough to decide on a course of action. We have much to discuss with you. The priest has uncovered a potential burial site matching the date of the letter.

My Lord, I apologize for my lack of thought. I’ll have a meal brought to our new rooms.

Eiren’s comment had Skye noticing that the white paka and Lara had changed rooms with them. His gratitude welled up within him, and he had to swallow a couple times. “Again, thank you for your assistance these past few days. I apologize for stealing your resting chamber, forcing you both to switch with Eiren and me. I will think on your words tonight.”

He left the light and room behind with Eiren trailing behind him. When the door shut behind them, Skye stood blinking in the dark. Eiren rubbed up against him, reminding him he wasn’t alone.

He entreated, “Guide us to our rooms, My Lady.”

Thankfully, our rooms are across the hall from each other. When the servant comes with our meal, please request that a fire be made for our rooms. As she talked, Skye followed her body’s movement to their door. When she stopped, he did as well and reached for the doorknob.

Eiren walked him all the way to the bed. Once he was sitting, Skye asked a question that had been bothering him, “How does the smoke from the fire not fill the rooms. I remember walking down the steps that took us to the House of the Dead. We are deep under the earth.”

Her gentle chuckle traveled through their link. I never stopped to consider the smoke. The only answer I can think of is that Kurites once used fires to light the city and homes. The builders of the city must have created some means of releasing the smoke. I am grateful the smoke disappears. Goddess knows we have enough of our own worries.

He grunted in response. She was right; they had enough to deal with. A second yawn escaped him. As much as he had slept these past few days, Skye’s body craved more.

Lie down, My Lord. Like Chion mentioned, tomorrow will arrive soon enough. I’ll wake you when the meal arrives. Until then, rest. I will be here.

With a last sigh, he closed his eyes. Thank you, Eiren, for staying by my side. I humbly ask for your forgiveness.

My Lord, there is nothing to forgive. We are Tal’Ai. It is a bond stronger than family. He heard her step closer to the bed as she spoke.

“Yes, we are,” Skye murmured as he drifted off to sleep.