Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) Chapter 36: 36: A Humble Captain

Read chapter 36 of Magician's Touch (Deadly Touch book 3) by Deb E Howell on NovelPedia.

Llew burned with multiple points of pain all over her body. Each disappeared after a time, but only seemed to reappear elsewhere. The overall effect was constant pain. Being Syaenuk had not made her immune to pain itself, but accelerated healing had kept most episodes short. This was something she’d never endured before. She would now. Her pain for Jonas’s life. For freedom of Aenuks. And Joelin. Maybe even her mother. For the end of Braph whose face floated in her mind constantly. Eyes closed or open, Braph was there. She didn’t know how much time had passed when Rowan’s voice broke through. He was checking in on Jonas. Jonas responded and there was movement. Still, Braph lingered. After another few moments, the sling supporting her hand swiveled, breaking her contact with the tree, silencing Llew’s body and mind. She sat in that peace a little longer, eyes closed. Braph lingered still. She felt a body move in beside her. Jonas, obviously. That comforting warm aroma that was purely him confirmed it. “Let go, Llew,” he murmured and slid an arm across her shoulders, shattering the lingering vestige of Braph; freeing her. A gentle tug against her shoulder invited her, without demanding, to lean into him. Eyes still closed, she did and took a deep, calming breath. An island of still. “You need to drink.” Llew opened her eyes to find Karlani crouched before her, a cup in her extended hand. “Sorry, I get that you need calm right now, but you need to drink. And eat.” She lifted the cup, centering it in Llew’s attention. In her other hand, hanging over one knee, she held a muffin. Llew looked at the cup, the muffin, and Karlani. Cup, muffin, Karlani. That last still setting off a wave of anxiety, though diminished from what it once was. Jonas withdrew his arm and said “I gotta—” He waved a hand vaguely. “—anyway. Help me up, would you, Rowan?” Rowan did, and insured Jonas was settled with his crutches before stepping back, allowing Jonas to go and find his post blood-transfer relief. Llew accepted the cup and gulped down the water. The farm’s well water was tastier than that of Cheer’s Big River, if she was honest despite the urge to defend her one-time home. With every day that passed at the farm, it felt more and more like home now. “Thank you.” She passed the empty cup back to Karlani and accepted the snack. “That girl, Elka, and the Turhmos soldier Lyneth are really hitting their stride in that kitchen, even if the cripple does ass-over when she gets too excited to keep track of her own feet around the furniture in there.” Karlani held Llew’s gaze. “I never had a reason to hate Aenuks growing up, you know? Never even heard of them until I landed in Phyos. I like what you’ve started here. I believe in it.” Llew swallowed her mouthful as she returned Karlani’s gaze. She didn’t know what the other woman wanted from her and gave a simple acknowledging nod. “I’m grateful to be part of it.” Perhaps sensing Llew’s discomfort, Karlani excused herself and returned to the farmhouse. “Can you handle a little more blood-letting?” Rowan asked. “I can handle it,” Llew said, even as her body threatened to make her a liar, awash with the desire to run. For Jonas. For the Aenuks. She had to force her hand up and into the leather stirrup, and even then – so close to the tree’s trunk – she had to push her palm the final inch, fighting herself the whole way. Offering her other arm for connection to the Gravinator was simpler. “Just a few vials,” Rowan attempted to soothe her. Jonas returned as Rowan finished fastening the needle in place. He watched Rowan attach a glass vessel in place of the needle he himself had been injected with moments before and met Llew’s gaze as Rowan loosened the valve. Then they all watched the blood flow, filling the vial swiftly. The thumps began again beneath Llew’s palm. Then a stab of pain near her spine. A whimper escaped her, drawing Jonas’s attention, his expression pained. But Llew couldn’t carry both his agony an