Page 26 of The Fae Girl 1

“The Agnai did it. We didn’t have a healer with us. All we could do was bandage them up.” I stated. All the while feeling like I was justifying myself.

The healer pulled back the sleeves of the strange top she had on, removed the bandages and inspected the wounds.

“They’re healing well. No signs of infection. The cuts are clean.” The healer stated but she pulled a crystal and set about healing them anyway.

It took some effort not to smirk at Jelric. He was acting like I was an imbecile. Like this was my first time out of the castle. Like I hadn’t commanded an entire army. Like I hadn’t fought in countless battles.

“Does she have any other injuries?” Jelric asked.

“No.” I replied.

He let out a low breath looking to the healer. “Why is she unconscious?”

The healer ran her hand, hovering it over the girl’s forehead. “It’s just exhaustion. Nothing a good rest won’t fix.”

I grunted. Exactly what I’d thought.

Jelric huffed again before fixing his gaze back on me. “We need to talk. Privately.”

I tilted my head, seeing the way he was stood. Was it the healer he didn’t want listening in? The maid was here somewhere, perhaps he didn’t want her to hear whatever he had to say.

“I’ll see you in your office then.” I stated.

He inclined his head. And then left.

I stood watching the healer for a moment. Whatever she was doing now definitely didn’t have anything to do with the wounds on the girl’s arms.

She glanced up at me. No doubt reading the expression on my face. “I’m revitalising her life cells.”

“Excuse me?”

“She’s exhausted. I’m assuming that whatever you and Jelric have planned, you’ll want her recovered as quickly as possible. By providing her with some of my magic I can replenish her stores more quickly.”

“I see.” I murmured. Though in truth I didn’t. Nor did I want to. It was bad enough that we had magic in this world, bad enough that we needed to use it, to rely on it as much as we did, but as far as I was concerned the less I interacted with it, the less I dealt with it directly, the better.

I turned to leave, pausing on the threshold to look back at the healer.

“Let me guess.” She said smiling. “Not a word to anyone of what she is.”

I nodded. My eyes flashing just enough for her to feel the warning.

“You should have taken more care.” Jelric said as soon as the servants left.

“I did what was needed.” I replied tersely. I’d be damned if I’d sit here and be schooled by a Magi, even if it was Jelric.

“She’s half dead on her feet. You brought her here like she was some sort of traitor.”

I gritted my teeth, got up and poured myself a drink.The girl wasn’t the only one that’d had a hard journey. But that thought didn’t negate the sense of guilt. Jelric was right, the girl was half dead and I was the one responsible for it.

Still, she was Fae.

“So where is he?” I asked after taking a long gulp of wine. It was all Jelric ever seemed to drink though I preferred something stronger. Something less sweet too.

“Who?”

“My brother of course. The High King.” I said. Clarifying exactly which brother I meant.

Jelric paused, something flickering across his face. “He’s gone to Seford.”

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