Ethine Ch. 03

"He does need help," the girl said, "he's badly hurt, he will probably die without assistance."

"He looked okay when he left," Monster said.

"That's because he took bodybane before leaving... Look, he was hurt, hurt badly but he insisted he had to fight so he took the potion," the girl said, her voice urgent. "When the effects wear off he'll be weak, so weak his heart may stop - not to mention all the wounds he may have picked up in his fight."

"That settles it, I'm going through - who's with me?" Terror said.

Ethine flew backwards from the glass, screaming - her naked body smeared with blood - falling heavily onto the floor of the dais.

"Calan!" she shouted, struggling to rise.

The girl in grey ran to her, Gilraen close behind.

"Shit!" Terror shouted, pausing only momentarily, before he rushed into the glass, Monster right beside him.

In three breaths they were back, flying from the glass with Calan's inert body between them, blood spilling from his wounds to drip in a trail along the floor.

"He was right there," Monster said. "Practically knocked him over, just kneeling in the mist."

They dragged him into the clear space, lying him down on his back in the open, his body lifeless. The girl in grey rushed to him, pulling vials from her satchel, Ethine already ahead of her, grabbing at his still, battered body, tears flooding from her eyes: "Don't you die on me, Calan! Don't die..." she screamed, clutching at his bloody shirt, his blood staining her skin.

******

Calan woke to sunlight.

He lay on a bed, crisp white sheets drawn up about him, his arms free. Everything hurt, even taking a breath was painful. A moment's examination revealed that tight bandages seemed to be wrapped about his entire body. He looked about him. The room was small, stone walled, a single narrow window with yellow drapes filling the room with a cheerful light. From somewhere outside he could hear the sound of people talking, laughing.

Next to his bed was a low table, on it a stone jug.

"You're awake then?"

Calan jumped, turned his head with difficulty. Roiben sat in a low chair in the far corner of the room, standing once he saw Calan move. That would explain the comfort - he must be back in the Unseelie Court, or the Seelie.

"Ethine?" Calan said, his voice dry, hoarse. "Is she okay?"

"There's water in the pitcher," he said softly. "Rather than get into explanations I'll fetch my sister, she can tell you herself. I am under strict instructions to get her as soon as you wake up, anyway. Just so you know, she's been sat here with you since you returned. She only left because I agreed to get her as soon as you woke up."

"How long?"

"A week. You've barely been awake. Those are the first words you've spoken since they brought you in."

Roiben moved towards the door. "Calan, before I go... Thank you. I know you saved her life, maybe more than that. I won't forget."

Calan nodded and Roiben slipped out, pulling the door to behind him.

Minutes later it reopened and Ethine entered. She looked radiant in a silver dress, her pewter hair was still short but styled beautifully, her eyes flashing like burnished silver in the sunlight and, playing around her mouth, a small, shy smile that made his heart beat faster just to see it.

Wordlessly she crossed to his bed, standing above him. She drew breath to speak, stopped. Tried again.

"It's silly," she said at last. "I've had all week to think about what to say to you, how to say it, and now I get my chance I can't think what to say."

Calan smiled. He opened his mouth to speak but before he could draw breath she stopped him, bending forward quickly to kiss him gently on his lips. He blinked, startled.

"There, that's for saving my life," she said, smiling.

For a moment he was lost for words.

"I seem to recall that you saved mine, too, do I get to kiss you for that?" he said at last.

She bent forward, kissing him again, more confident this time, her tongue flicking over his lips.

"There, that's for me saving you."

"What about..." he started, desperately trying to think of another excuse.

She didn't wait, leaning down and kissing him again passionately.

"What was that for?"

"That was because I love you," she said, her shy smile back on her lips.

******