Page 7 of A Court So Dark
Fresh flowers!
I reached for them eagerly and realized that I didn’t only want them. I needed them. I was drawing from them, taking what little life they had to build my strength, to heal the damage that had nearly obliterated every single cell in my body.
This was it. This was the last batch I needed to awaken. Once I was done drawing its energy, there would be enough of my own life force to let my magic work, to heal myself.
I eagerly drew and drew and drew, like sucking on a straw without taking a breath. I took everything the flowers had to give in an instant, then my healing skills kicked in and swept over my body.
“Kryn, stay here,” someone said. “Larina, find my uncle. Tell him I want his best guards to come here and protect Daniella. When the guards get here, come find me.”
Kalyll! Kalyll was here.
I struggled to speak, but not a word came out. I willed my healing skills to hurry up, to push away the cold. My entire body tingled as it attempted to warm itself up.
A moment later, I came to, gasping and shivering. I wrapped my arms around my torso, trembling, nothing but a grunt escaping my lips.
“Dani!”
I blinked, and a mane of red hair took shape. “K-Kryn,” I managed in a hoarse voice.
His emerald gaze snapped to one side. It looked as if he were going to call someone, but he stopped himself and returned his attention to me.
“You… are you all right?” he asked.
I frowned, my mind so addled that I couldn’t begin to shape an answer. I grabbed Kryn’s hand and tried to sit up with his help, but I collapsed back down, exhausted, my healing abilities already drained. Before I knew what I was doing, I got hold of Kryn’s life force.
His eyes shot wide open as I drew from him. His energy felt like a ray of sunshine after an endless night, but I bit on my lower lip and managed to clamp down the desperate hunger for self-preservation.
I let him go, a sob escaping me.
“No, no, it’s all right,” Kryn said and seized my hand. “Take what you need.”
I shook my head weakly.
“C’mon, Dani. We need you. Kalyll needs you.” He squeezed my fingers, urging me to draw more energy from him.
“S-sometimes I can’t s-stop,” I said, a shiver raking its nails down my spine.
“You’ll stop. I know you will.”
Kalyll needs you,Kryn had said.
I needed him too. I needed his arms around me to warm me and get rid of this unbearable cold.
Without further protest, I found the spark of Kryn’s life, something like a glow in the middle of his chest, and drew from it. Strength filled me. My eyes rolled into the back of my head, and I sighed as a measure of blessed warmth suffused my limbs, driving life into the tips of my frigid fingers and toes. When I opened my eyes again, Kryn was pale, his teeth bared as he did his best not to collapse in a heap.
I let go of him, even though I needed so much more. He inhaled sharply and took a step back, pressing a hand to his chest. He swayed on his feet, and I thought he would pass out, but after several deep breaths, he straightened and gave me one of his patent mean looks.
“Don’t ever let me be nice to you again,” he grumbled.
I was still cold, but it was bearable.
I sat up with some difficulty. There was a blanket over my legs. I fumbled with it, my hands clumsy as I picked it up and wrapped it around me, welcoming its warmth. Two pedestals with large arrangements of dead flowers sat on either side of my bed. I blinked at the dead petals on the floor.
“This is… incredible.” Kryn looked me up and down, his eyes round.
I glanced around the room as memories slowly trickled back into my mind. The first one threatened to overwhelm my senses. It was a sharp blast of flight followed by unbearable pain. I shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut. When I opened them again, I searched Kryn’s green gaze.
“Kalyll… he’s all right?” I asked.
