Page 52 of Myths and Manuscripts
Dawnbreaker lurched around to stare at the hero. “Have you fallen ill?”
“I’m fine. My medication just doesn’t seem to be helping as much as usual.” He rubbed a hand over his face, holding it there like he was blocking out the light. “Maybe I need a stronger dose. I should head back to the capital and check in with the healers.”
“Or maybe get some sleep and see if it gets better?” I asked hopefully. I wasn’t ready for him to leave yet, but I also didn’t want him to be in pain. “I could always make you something for it too if you want. I’m an apothecary, so it’s my job.”
He peeked at me between his fingers. “Really? You’d do that?”
“Of course. You’ve already done so much for me.” I studied him for clues as to what was really ailing him, knowing that the book alluded to a mysterious illness he’d had since he was a child. Nothing stood out besides his headaches though. “What’s your medication for? Migraines?”
“They’re just a symptom.” He sighed, slipping deeper into the plush chair. “I’ve actually got miasma sickness.”
Dawnbreaker vibrated. “Apparently he inhaled too much miasma as a baby and can’t tolerate it anymore. Maybe that’s why it’s worse. This land is full of it.”
“Miasma sickness?” I hadn’t seen that mentioned anywhere in the books, not a trace of it. “What’s—”
“It doesn’t exist.” Thorne’s voice startled me. He’d been so quiet, I’d almost forgotten he was there. “Miasma is just a cruel word humans use for our magic. Demonic magic is beautiful and pure, the very essence of our world, it would never sicken a child.”
The hero shrugged. “Well, I have it, so it must be real. That’s all I can tell you.”
Shadows whipped around Thorne and Dain like a storm cloud.
“Whoa now.” I held my hands up, feeling like all I did lately was break up fights. “I’m sure he’s not trying to insult you. He’s just answering my question. If they told him it’s miasma sickness, and you say that doesn’t exist, then that’s another clue.” I stared at Thorne, willing him to understand. “This is agood thing. Every clue helps me unravel this story.”
His jaw clenched, but he nodded. “Fine.”
Things got a bit tense after that as I asked the hero for all his symptoms. The sword provided a few the hero missed, but they seemed to be all over the place and vague. No wonder it had taken the healers a while to cure him because in my world, these didn’t add up to anything specific. It was like his body was fighting itself, but not in any way I’d seen before. Thorne was getting more and more irritated every time the hero blamed miasma.
“Okay.” I clapped my hands together to get everyone’s attention. “I think this would go a lot better if we could all start acting like more of a team. I can’t think straight with all this tension.”
They all averted their gazes like children being yelled at by a teacher. Even the holy sword tilted to the side so I couldn’t see it properly.
I sighed, turning to Thorne. “Please? For me?”
His gaze softened and he was about to say something, but then his eyes glazed over like he was lost in his thoughts. He looked up at the ceiling, his jaw clenched even tighter than before. It was like he heard something that we didn’t, something that bothered him far more than the hero and his ailment.
“Is everything okay?” I rested my hand on his arm.
His gaze jerked back to me. “Sorry, but I need to leave for a bit. I’m going to go check on your Gran and see if she needs helpat the shop.”
“Wait… now?” I shook my head, holding onto his sleeve tighter. “That doesn’t make any sense. What just happened?”
He leaned closer, whispering in my ear. “The library is calling to me. Misty needs help with something.”
Ohhh, so that’s what that look was. He must have been communicating with the Misty Mountain Library somehow. I’d have to ask him more about it later, but for now, I pulled away and made a shooing motion with my hands.
“Well hurry up then, Gran needs her assistant! And bring me back some of her scones too.”
A small smile tugged at his lips. “Always giving me orders. I kind of enjoy it.”
“Wait...” The hero’s eyes widened. “You’re telling me the Demon Lord is an elderly woman’s assistant? The surprises never end in this town.”
“It’s almost like you know nothing about demons.” Thorne shot him another dark look. “Before you attack us again, maybe you should figure out who we really are. Helping the elderly, creating beautiful works of art, and growing plants that can heal the masses are just a few things that demons do. It wouldn’t be a surprise if you had ever tried talking to us instead of fighting us.”
I winced. He had a point, but with the hero in pain and Misty calling to Thorne, it didn’t feel like the right time to make it. “Please, go help Gran. I’ll take care of things here.”
He caught my gaze and held it for long enough that heat rose to my cheeks, but he eventually nodded. On his way out of the room, he turned to Dain. “Watch out for that hero. Don’t let him hurt anyone. And continue taking care of Willow too.”
“Yes, sir.” Dain saluted him, standing tall and proud. “You can count on me.”
