Page 65 of A Touch of Royalty

“Who-”

“I did not stop to get a signature,” Asan said shortly. “It seemed better to simply dispel it.”

“I would still like to know,” Cas said.

“I will, if given permission, look at the place it was.” He said. “If it had happened often enough to scar a healer of Emryn’s caliber, there will be a signature still etched in the place it was.”

“That makes sense.” Cas turned as Emryn walked back in, deep brown cloak still over her shoulders. “Emryn, we might have a solution to the wing issue.”

“Alright,” Emryn sat back down at the table. “I would love to know what it is.”

“How many times were you made to pull them out, Emryn?” Asan asked.

Shame rose through her eyes, spilling onto her face. “They said I was an abomination and-”

“No, darling, you’re a miracle.” Cas took her hands. “Whoever did that to you was cruel beyond imagining.”

“How many times?”

“Thirteen,” Emryn whispered. “Four for the city and the rest when I was learning. When I lost control, they’d grow, and I’d have to tear them out to teach me control.”

“That’s-” Asan looked disgusted beyond anything Cas had ever seen. “Dreadful, I will discuss this with the college. We must ensure that no other students are going through that.”

“I think I’m the only one with-” she used one wing to push the cloak aside and then covered it again. “At least I never saw anyone else.”

“And the healers did this to you?” Cas was trying to keep a leash on his anger.

Emryn looked down, away from him and Asan, but he could see the tears on her cheeks. “I thought of him as a father, Cas. I didn’t remember, and I wish I still didn’t”

“Emryn, look at me, darling.” He reached out and levered her face up gently. “There’s no shame for what was done to you. You’re free of it now, and I will ensure that no one else falls victim to this thing.”

Emryn wiped at her cheeks and tried to smile. “I never would have remembered if it wasn’t for this, but I’m happier with you than I was in the temple. And I never thought I would be happy anywhere else.”

“Well, now that we have all that out in the open,” Asan broke in, “I see no practical reason why the plan I have should not work.”

“And what is it?” Emryn turned to Asan, who outlined his plan to them both in greater detail.

“If the connection is severed, the wings should vanish,” he finished. “All you need do is remove the connection.”

“We will consider that as sound for now.” Emryn said. “But practically, I have no idea how I would go about it.”

“I will help you, if you will grant me entry into your mind.” Asan replied with a nod. “Between you and I, we can most likely find the pinch point.”

“As you say,” Emryn said, looking at Asan and then over to Cas.

“I’ve trusted him with my life on several occasions,” Cas said after a moment. “He will not harm you, Emryn.”

All he could do was hope he was right as his wife nodded and shut her eyes.

43

WITHIN

Emryn hadn’t had another truly in her head in years. Not since the Head Healer had looked at her conduits and pronounced them sound. And she supposed that she’d had Asan in her head once before. If he’d wanted to harm her, surely he would have done it already.

“Ah, I see now.” He looked at her conduits. “You made these.”

“People have conduits,” Emryn replied, stomping on the shame. “I. Should have guessed at that point that I wasn’t entirely human. But I was seven, and I just wanted to be like everyone else. I didn’t want to die.”

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