Page 30 of Primal Bonds

The burning changed, became a pleasant glow that infused his wounds with healing energy. The buzzing in his head receded as his own quartz’s crystals hummed louder in response, until his whole body was vibrating with an unearthly music that was both sound and magic.

He drew a deep breath and released it, and let himself float in the soothing sea of energy.

Time passed. Ten minutes, then another ten.

Adric touched Jace’s shoulder, ignoring Suha’s directive to add his energy to the mix.

Jace slit his eyes. His friend squeezed Jace’s shoulder, his normally sculpted, arrogant face soft with concern.

Suha shook her head at Adric, but allowed him to braid his energy through hers. They all knew that he couldn’t remain idle when any of his people were hurting. The vibrations swelled to an ocean of sound, peaceful and yet energizing.

More time passed as the energy ebbed and flowed, washing the pain away. His eyelids grew too heavy to lift.

“There,” Suha said. “That should do it. You’re going to have a couple of scars, but that can’t be helped.” She touched his cheek. “How do you feel?”

He forced his lids to open. Suha’s pretty oval face hovered above him, her large doe-eyes narrowed with concentration.

“Great,” he murmured. “Sleepy, but great. Thank you.”

“Good. I want you to stay in bed for a few days, got it?”

He nodded.

“He’ll be fine,” Suha said to Adric.

He briefly closed his eyes, and Jace realized how worried he’d been. “Thank you,” he told the healer.

“You’ll stay with him?”

“Only until his den mates arrive, and then I have to get home to Marjani. But I’ll check back later.”

“How is she?”

Adric shrugged. A year ago last spring, Marjani had been kidnapped and raped by a den of feral water fada. All the ferals were dead, and Marjani’s body was healed, but it was going to take a long time before her mind was whole again. It clawed at all of them, but Adric had taken it extra hard—because how do you get over your sister being hurt like that?

Jace knew the answer: you didn’t. It was always part of you. The regrets, the what-ifs, the fucking helplessness. Because if you’d only known your sister was in danger…

“About the same,” Adric said at last.

Suha pressed her lips together. “I’ll come by to see her later.”

“Thank you.” The alpha’s face was naked with the love and hurt he felt for his sister. “I thought she was getting better, but she hasn’t been outside in over a week. I can’t—” He spread his hands.

Jace roused himself to say, “Tell her…I need a visitor.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Suha said. “Tomorrow, maybe.” She squeezed Jace’s hand. “You be good now, you hear? When I say stay in bed, I mean it. You don’t want a relapse.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

A slim black brow winged up. “And don’t think I don’t know when someone’s being evasive. Say the words.”

He scowled, but she simply gazed back until he muttered, “All right. I’ll stay in bed. For the rest of the day.”

He caught Adric’s smirk and scowled at him as well, but his friend returned, “Listen to the healer, Jace. I need you at full strength to help get the bastard that did this. Now, are you hungry?”

And Jace realized he was. Starving, in fact.

“Just liquids today,” Suha said. “Broth, a yogurt smoothie. We don’t want to stress his digestive system yet.” She gave them both a kiss and let herself out.

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