Chapter 40
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Lehan grabbed her arm, yanking her up from the chair and forcing her to look at him. She pushed him away, desperate to get to where Ilun had just been. Lehan held her tighter, turning her face in his iron grip.
"Tell me what that was," he ordered, his voice hard, ice blue eyes, flat and dark stared into hers.
She shook her head wildly. "I don't know!" she wanted to scream but her words would have no effect, he couldn't hear them and wouldn't believe her anyway.
The thing in her, that sixth sense pushed against her resistance, wanting what power Lehan had, needing it for itself. His darkness twisted around Isilla, his shadows, wet and disjointed where Arren's were soft mist, reached for her, their oily touch sliding over her ankles and up her legs.
"Wait, I think I feel something, something like before," Lehan said his face close to hers."
No, she thought as she moved, pressing her lips against his.
He reacted instantly, shoving his tongue into her mouth, making her gag for a moment before she bit down on it, drawing blood.
Lehan pushed her back grabbing his mouth. She fell over her chair and onto the floor.
"How dare you!" he shouted, the words coming out slightly slurred from his injured tongue. The air shifted, Lehan drawing power.
A growl and from the under the table Ilun launched his body at Lehan, his jaws snapping over the prince's arm, the bone breaking with a loud crunching sound. Lehan let out a sound that was something not quite human as Ilun tossed him across the room.
The animal limped to his mistress.
"You're hurt!" she screeched as she threw her arms around him. His shifting body felt as if it were broken under her, as if bone were trying to fit itself back together under his skin. He lowered himself for her to climb on.
"I can't! You're injured!" she cried.
He growled at her, nudging her with his nose, his actions letting her know that argument was not an option. She nodded, pulling herself onto his back. He moved quickly, his shattered body pulling them through the shadows.
His movement under her jagged, she gripped his fur, hoping the pressure wouldn't hurt him. He burst through the other side, the smell of hay and animals assaulting her.
She opened her eyes. This place, she thought as she looked around. It's almost the same as where I found him in the Veil.
She slid from his back and looked past him. Two cows pushed against the back wall, their eyes wide with fear. She looked back at Ilun, he licked his chops, considering his prey for a moment before striking.
His form became a blur, the familiar features gone, he became something from a nightmare, all fur, teeth, and claws as he fell upon the animals. She couldn't see what happened, Ilun, pure darkness, had covered the area whether to shield her as just part of how he hunted, she wasn't sure. Blood mixed with the smells in the space, fresh and overwhelming.
The hunt, such as it was, over, he returned, pulling himself back together. Panting he stood, huge and dark against the mess he made. Wet, red streaks covered the wall but there was no sign of any parts of the cows that had made them.
Slowly he walked towards her, head lowered, tail between his legs. Does he want my forgiveness, she thought as she held out her hands to him. "I'm sorry you were hurt, my sweet boy," she said softly, touching his head with hers. He pressed his skull against her body, their bond intact. "It's alright, I'm not mad. Are you feeling better?" she asked soothingly as she pet him.
The door creaked open, bright light spilling into the space.
"What happened here?" a man's voice yelled.
Ilun growled as Isilla turned, her hand still on him.
A farmer, the cows' owner she assumed stared at them both, raising a shaky finger. "What," he asked slowly, "is that?"
Isilla looked down at her empty hands. I can't communicate like this. She smiled at him, trying her best to show they were friendly and meant no harm. She touched her lips and shook her head, indicating that she couldn't speak.
"Your beast ate my cows," he stuttered, attempting to put on a brave front.
She smiled and nodded, shivering from the cold.
"What do you want?" he asked stepping back.
She shook her head and pointed out the door, indicating that they wished to leave.
He took another step back and tripped. "Don't hurt me," he yelled throwing his hands above his head.
Isilla frowned and climbed onto Ilun's back. "We should go," she said softly to him.
She undid her bracelet and tossed at the man's feet and then signaled for Ilun to move, to take her somewhere else. Again the jumped through the shadows, this time coming into a storehouse.
She slid from his back and looked around, the open space dusty, clearly not actively in use, light filtered through the windows and spread onto the floor. Boxes and crates still filled the room, their contents a mystery.
"I suppose we can stay here for a little. Just until I can figure out what we should do next."
Exhaustion overwhelmed her. Her body felt heavy, a dull pain running through her. Frowning she sat, letting Ilun wrap her in his darkness. "Maybe I'll rest first," she mumbled, curling up in his fur, settling into his warmth.
The Veil came to her quickly, springing up around her as soon as she shut her eyes. Ilun wagged his tail in this world but as he stood, she could clearly see that he was still hurt. I don't want that, she thought. Her own energy pooled around the animal, gold and soft it caressed him, finding the parts of him that still hurt and reset them, wrapping his essence to be whole again. It changes when it touches him, she thought as she moved finished, Ilun feeling more like himself.
"But even here, I'm tired. Do I not have enough energy? No, things are fine here. Then what is the matter with me?" she asked as she settled back down, back into her pet's embrace.
"And what will happen to me now? We've attacked the Crown Prince. The penalty is death. Should we run away? I don't know, I don't know what to do. Everything here just leads to another problem. I can't leave Haribit," her thoughts tumbled from her mouth at random.
She flickered and woke briefly. Someone is lifting me, she thought.
"You're burning up. Will you always be this much trouble, my dearest?" the voice, low and gentle against her.
That's what he called me in his letters, she thought, clutching his jacket, that's what my love called me.
"You did well, protecting her, Ilun," he said, "But next time, please try to stay closer. I am nearly at the limit of my strength."
"Arren," her own voice weak, her throat on fire. A violent cough shook her body for a moment.
He held her tighter as the soft touch of his shadows moved them back to the castle, to her rooms.
Her body shook, half from the shiver that raced through it, half from the coughs that erupted from her throat as she sat her on the bed. He released her, letting her sit on on her own, the effort of it almost too much for her to handle. Arren frowned down at her, plucking the flower from her hair.
I lost my book, she thought. I can't explain.
The flower disappeared in a breath of smoke, just as the ones that fell on her bed had before. Arren touched her face, smiling, "We can talk when you're feeling better, my little bird."
Did I hear him wrong before, she thought as he helped her out of her dress, leaving her in the thin shift. She shivered and he pushed her down to the pillows gently, pulling the covers over her.
"You need rest. Close your eyes, the doctor will be here soon," the sound of his voice soothing. Ilun climbed into the bed, laying beside her.
He moved to leave and she grabbed his hand. 'Stay,' she wrote in his palm with her finger.
He sat on the bed, brushing hair from her face. "I won't leave you."
Isilla closed her eyes, tumbling back into the Veil. The feeling in her chest throbbed. Again, she thought, it will happen again. The part of her that was more dream than waking reached forward, her power moving on its own to preserve her.
I'm ill, she realized even as the thick threads of dreaming rose under her fingers, but this breaking is not that. This is something else. This is because I denied it what it wanted, needed.
Her thoughts came rapid fire as she moved, the world blurring and turning gold. She found her thread, the one she searched for and pulled, bringing a streak of darkness to her. There were no words exchanged, the other knew its purpose as well as Isilla did and began to devour the excess energy, changing it and forcing it back to the Veil as nightmares and discord.
Not enough, Isilla thought as he reached for the threads again, more steady, focused shifting through the dreamers to find more that were like the girl, the taste of her familiar now. Her actions, clumsy and violent, shifted the Veil, spilling over into dreams as she tracked and searched.
"There," she said and attacked as Ilun had before. Her threads reached, snatching the first one she found and dragging them back to her. Just as with the first, they began to convert and redistribute the energy around her.
She reached again, finding a third, a forth, a fifth, pulling them all back to her, their work done on instinct until finally she could breathe, the thing in her stilled, suppressed by their drawing.
She looked down at her hands, the numb sensation of waking coming quickly.
"Stop," she said, hoping the order was enough as she came back to wakefulness.
Haribit stared at her concerned, "You're awake, good."
Isilla coughed again, her body shaking with the force of it. Haribit picked up a dark, glass bottle and poured its contents on a spoon. "The doctor said you were to have this four times a day. And that it would make you sleepy."
Isilla glanced around the empty room before turning back to Haribit, her question clear.
"He'll be back soon. There's some sort of uproar in the castle. He told me to tell you that everything was fine and that you shouldn't worry about it."
Isilla nodded and opened her mouth for the spoon. The thick liquid made her grimace as it slid down her throat.
Haribit smiled, "Sorry, it smells awful so I can't imagine it tastes any better."
She sat on the edge of the bed and lifted a bowl. "Some broth, you need to eat," she explained lifting the spoon to her mouth.
Isilla sipped on the offered food, warm, it helped wash away the taste of the medicine. After few bites she shook her head, full and tired.
The door creaked open and Julen poked his head in. "Haribit, is Isilla alright?"
"She's very sick but the doctor said with rest she will be fine," Harbit explained as she stood taking the bowl with her.
Julen entered the room timidly, a stuffed bird, soft and hand stitched in his hands. It had clearly been well loved, the fabric of it thin. "I brought this for you, to help you get better. It helps me when I'm sick and Arren said you were really sick so I wanted you to feel better," the boy blushed.
Isilla smiled weakly and took the offered toy, holding it in her lap.
He smiled back at her before blurting out, "You're going to be fine right? You won't leave like my mom?"
She touched his head with a hot hand and nodded. I'm fine, she signed to him.
"That means she's fine," Haribit explained, pulling the boy away. "But she needs to rest."
Julen nodded waving goodbye as Haribit pushed him out of the room.
"We've only been back together for a day and already you're making me work so hard! This cold, I knew it wasn't good for you!"
Isilla giggled weakly before she was overcome with the cough again. Dizzy from the work of it she laid down, feeling sleepy, her body heavy.
Haribit crossed the room and pulled the blanket up, over her shoulder. Isilla tucked the bird into her arm and fell back to sleep.
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Lehan grabbed her arm, yanking her up from the chair and forcing her to look at him. She pushed him away, desperate to get to where Ilun had just been. Lehan held her tighter, turning her face in his iron grip.
"Tell me what that was," he ordered, his voice hard, ice blue eyes, flat and dark stared into hers.
She shook her head wildly. "I don't know!" she wanted to scream but her words would have no effect, he couldn't hear them and wouldn't believe her anyway.
The thing in her, that sixth sense pushed against her resistance, wanting what power Lehan had, needing it for itself. His darkness twisted around Isilla, his shadows, wet and disjointed where Arren's were soft mist, reached for her, their oily touch sliding over her ankles and up her legs.
"Wait, I think I feel something, something like before," Lehan said his face close to hers."
No, she thought as she moved, pressing her lips against his.
He reacted instantly, shoving his tongue into her mouth, making her gag for a moment before she bit down on it, drawing blood.
Lehan pushed her back grabbing his mouth. She fell over her chair and onto the floor.
"How dare you!" he shouted, the words coming out slightly slurred from his injured tongue. The air shifted, Lehan drawing power.
A growl and from the under the table Ilun launched his body at Lehan, his jaws snapping over the prince's arm, the bone breaking with a loud crunching sound. Lehan let out a sound that was something not quite human as Ilun tossed him across the room.
The animal limped to his mistress.
"You're hurt!" she screeched as she threw her arms around him. His shifting body felt as if it were broken under her, as if bone were trying to fit itself back together under his skin. He lowered himself for her to climb on.
"I can't! You're injured!" she cried.
He growled at her, nudging her with his nose, his actions letting her know that argument was not an option. She nodded, pulling herself onto his back. He moved quickly, his shattered body pulling them through the shadows.
His movement under her jagged, she gripped his fur, hoping the pressure wouldn't hurt him. He burst through the other side, the smell of hay and animals assaulting her.
She opened her eyes. This place, she thought as she looked around. It's almost the same as where I found him in the Veil.
She slid from his back and looked past him. Two cows pushed against the back wall, their eyes wide with fear. She looked back at Ilun, he licked his chops, considering his prey for a moment before striking.
His form became a blur, the familiar features gone, he became something from a nightmare, all fur, teeth, and claws as he fell upon the animals. She couldn't see what happened, Ilun, pure darkness, had covered the area whether to shield her as just part of how he hunted, she wasn't sure. Blood mixed with the smells in the space, fresh and overwhelming.
The hunt, such as it was, over, he returned, pulling himself back together. Panting he stood, huge and dark against the mess he made. Wet, red streaks covered the wall but there was no sign of any parts of the cows that had made them.
Slowly he walked towards her, head lowered, tail between his legs. Does he want my forgiveness, she thought as she held out her hands to him. "I'm sorry you were hurt, my sweet boy," she said softly, touching his head with hers. He pressed his skull against her body, their bond intact. "It's alright, I'm not mad. Are you feeling better?" she asked soothingly as she pet him.
The door creaked open, bright light spilling into the space.
"What happened here?" a man's voice yelled.
Ilun growled as Isilla turned, her hand still on him.
A farmer, the cows' owner she assumed stared at them both, raising a shaky finger. "What," he asked slowly, "is that?"
Isilla looked down at her empty hands. I can't communicate like this. She smiled at him, trying her best to show they were friendly and meant no harm. She touched her lips and shook her head, indicating that she couldn't speak.
"Your beast ate my cows," he stuttered, attempting to put on a brave front.
She smiled and nodded, shivering from the cold.
"What do you want?" he asked stepping back.
She shook her head and pointed out the door, indicating that they wished to leave.
He took another step back and tripped. "Don't hurt me," he yelled throwing his hands above his head.
Isilla frowned and climbed onto Ilun's back. "We should go," she said softly to him.
She undid her bracelet and tossed at the man's feet and then signaled for Ilun to move, to take her somewhere else. Again the jumped through the shadows, this time coming into a storehouse.
She slid from his back and looked around, the open space dusty, clearly not actively in use, light filtered through the windows and spread onto the floor. Boxes and crates still filled the room, their contents a mystery.
"I suppose we can stay here for a little. Just until I can figure out what we should do next."
Exhaustion overwhelmed her. Her body felt heavy, a dull pain running through her. Frowning she sat, letting Ilun wrap her in his darkness. "Maybe I'll rest first," she mumbled, curling up in his fur, settling into his warmth.
The Veil came to her quickly, springing up around her as soon as she shut her eyes. Ilun wagged his tail in this world but as he stood, she could clearly see that he was still hurt. I don't want that, she thought. Her own energy pooled around the animal, gold and soft it caressed him, finding the parts of him that still hurt and reset them, wrapping his essence to be whole again. It changes when it touches him, she thought as she moved finished, Ilun feeling more like himself.
"But even here, I'm tired. Do I not have enough energy? No, things are fine here. Then what is the matter with me?" she asked as she settled back down, back into her pet's embrace.
"And what will happen to me now? We've attacked the Crown Prince. The penalty is death. Should we run away? I don't know, I don't know what to do. Everything here just leads to another problem. I can't leave Haribit," her thoughts tumbled from her mouth at random.
She flickered and woke briefly. Someone is lifting me, she thought.
"You're burning up. Will you always be this much trouble, my dearest?" the voice, low and gentle against her.
That's what he called me in his letters, she thought, clutching his jacket, that's what my love called me.
"You did well, protecting her, Ilun," he said, "But next time, please try to stay closer. I am nearly at the limit of my strength."
"Arren," her own voice weak, her throat on fire. A violent cough shook her body for a moment.
He held her tighter as the soft touch of his shadows moved them back to the castle, to her rooms.
Her body shook, half from the shiver that raced through it, half from the coughs that erupted from her throat as she sat her on the bed. He released her, letting her sit on on her own, the effort of it almost too much for her to handle. Arren frowned down at her, plucking the flower from her hair.
I lost my book, she thought. I can't explain.
The flower disappeared in a breath of smoke, just as the ones that fell on her bed had before. Arren touched her face, smiling, "We can talk when you're feeling better, my little bird."
Did I hear him wrong before, she thought as he helped her out of her dress, leaving her in the thin shift. She shivered and he pushed her down to the pillows gently, pulling the covers over her.
"You need rest. Close your eyes, the doctor will be here soon," the sound of his voice soothing. Ilun climbed into the bed, laying beside her.
He moved to leave and she grabbed his hand. 'Stay,' she wrote in his palm with her finger.
He sat on the bed, brushing hair from her face. "I won't leave you."
Isilla closed her eyes, tumbling back into the Veil. The feeling in her chest throbbed. Again, she thought, it will happen again. The part of her that was more dream than waking reached forward, her power moving on its own to preserve her.
I'm ill, she realized even as the thick threads of dreaming rose under her fingers, but this breaking is not that. This is something else. This is because I denied it what it wanted, needed.
Her thoughts came rapid fire as she moved, the world blurring and turning gold. She found her thread, the one she searched for and pulled, bringing a streak of darkness to her. There were no words exchanged, the other knew its purpose as well as Isilla did and began to devour the excess energy, changing it and forcing it back to the Veil as nightmares and discord.
Not enough, Isilla thought as he reached for the threads again, more steady, focused shifting through the dreamers to find more that were like the girl, the taste of her familiar now. Her actions, clumsy and violent, shifted the Veil, spilling over into dreams as she tracked and searched.
"There," she said and attacked as Ilun had before. Her threads reached, snatching the first one she found and dragging them back to her. Just as with the first, they began to convert and redistribute the energy around her.
She reached again, finding a third, a forth, a fifth, pulling them all back to her, their work done on instinct until finally she could breathe, the thing in her stilled, suppressed by their drawing.
She looked down at her hands, the numb sensation of waking coming quickly.
"Stop," she said, hoping the order was enough as she came back to wakefulness.
Haribit stared at her concerned, "You're awake, good."
Isilla coughed again, her body shaking with the force of it. Haribit picked up a dark, glass bottle and poured its contents on a spoon. "The doctor said you were to have this four times a day. And that it would make you sleepy."
Isilla glanced around the empty room before turning back to Haribit, her question clear.
"He'll be back soon. There's some sort of uproar in the castle. He told me to tell you that everything was fine and that you shouldn't worry about it."
Isilla nodded and opened her mouth for the spoon. The thick liquid made her grimace as it slid down her throat.
Haribit smiled, "Sorry, it smells awful so I can't imagine it tastes any better."
She sat on the edge of the bed and lifted a bowl. "Some broth, you need to eat," she explained lifting the spoon to her mouth.
Isilla sipped on the offered food, warm, it helped wash away the taste of the medicine. After few bites she shook her head, full and tired.
The door creaked open and Julen poked his head in. "Haribit, is Isilla alright?"
"She's very sick but the doctor said with rest she will be fine," Harbit explained as she stood taking the bowl with her.
Julen entered the room timidly, a stuffed bird, soft and hand stitched in his hands. It had clearly been well loved, the fabric of it thin. "I brought this for you, to help you get better. It helps me when I'm sick and Arren said you were really sick so I wanted you to feel better," the boy blushed.
Isilla smiled weakly and took the offered toy, holding it in her lap.
He smiled back at her before blurting out, "You're going to be fine right? You won't leave like my mom?"
She touched his head with a hot hand and nodded. I'm fine, she signed to him.
"That means she's fine," Haribit explained, pulling the boy away. "But she needs to rest."
Julen nodded waving goodbye as Haribit pushed him out of the room.
"We've only been back together for a day and already you're making me work so hard! This cold, I knew it wasn't good for you!"
Isilla giggled weakly before she was overcome with the cough again. Dizzy from the work of it she laid down, feeling sleepy, her body heavy.
Haribit crossed the room and pulled the blanket up, over her shoulder. Isilla tucked the bird into her arm and fell back to sleep.
Lehan grabbed her arm, yanking her up from the chair and forcing her to look at him. She pushed him away, desperate to get to where Ilun had just been. Lehan held her tighter, turning her face in his iron grip."Tell me what that was," he ordered, his voice hard, ice blue eyes, flat and dark stared into hers.She shook her head wildly. "I don't know!" she wanted to scream but her words would have no effect, he couldn't hear them and wouldn't believe her anyway.The thing in her, that sixth sense pushed against her resistance, wanting what power Lehan had, needing it for itself. His darkness twisted around Isilla, his shadows, wet and disjointed where Arren's were soft mist, reached for her, their oily touch sliding over her ankles and up her legs."Wait, I think I feel something, something like before," Lehan said his face close to hers."No, she thought as she moved, pressing her lips against his.He reacted instantly, shoving his tongue into her mouth, making her gag for a moment before she bit down on it, drawing blood.Lehan pushed her back grabbing his mouth. She fell over her chair and onto the floor."How dare you!" he shouted, the words coming out slightly slurred from his injured tongue. The air shifted, Lehan drawing power.A growl and from the under the table Ilun launched his body at Lehan, his jaws snapping over the prince's arm, the bone breaking with a loud crunching sound. Lehan let out a sound that was something not quite human as Ilun tossed him across the room.The animal limped to his mistress."You're hurt!" she screeched as she threw her arms around him. His shifting body felt as if it were broken under her, as if bone were trying to fit itself back together under his skin. He lowered himself for her to climb on."I can't! You're injured!" she cried.He growled at her, nudging her with his nose, his actions letting her know that argument was not an option. She nodded, pulling herself onto his back. He moved quickly, his shattered body pulling them through the shadows.His movement under her jagged, she gripped his fur, hoping the pressure wouldn't hurt him. He burst through the other side, the smell of hay and animals assaulting her.She opened her eyes. This place, she thought as she looked around. It's almost the same as where I found him in the Veil.She slid from his back and looked past him. Two cows pushed against the back wall, their eyes wide with fear. She looked back at Ilun, he licked his chops, considering his prey for a moment before striking.His form became a blur, the familiar features gone, he became something from a nightmare, all fur, teeth, and claws as he fell upon the animals. She couldn't see what happened, Ilun, pure darkness, had covered the area whether to shield her as just part of how he hunted, she wasn't sure. Blood mixed with the smells in the space, fresh and overwhelming.The hunt, such as it was, over, he returned, pulling himself back together. Panting he stood, huge and dark against the mess he made. Wet, red streaks covered the wall but there was no sign of any parts of the cows that had made them.Slowly he walked towards her, head lowered, tail between his legs. Does he want my forgiveness, she thought as she held out her hands to him. "I'm sorry you were hurt, my sweet boy," she said softly, touching his head with hers. He pressed his skull against her body, their bond intact. "It's alright, I'm not mad. Are you feeling better?" she asked soothingly as she pet him.The door creaked open, bright light spilling into the space."What happened here?" a man's voice yelled.Ilun growled as Isilla turned, her hand still on him.A farmer, the cows' owner she assumed stared at them both, raising a shaky finger. "What," he asked slowly, "is that?"Isilla looked down at her empty hands. I can't communicate like this. She smiled at him, trying her best to show they were friendly and meant no harm. She touched her lips and shook her head, indicating that she couldn't speak."Your beast ate my cows," he stuttered, attempting to put on a brave front.She smiled and nodded, shivering from the cold."What do you want?" he asked stepping back.She shook her head and pointed out the door, indicating that they wished to leave.He took another step back and tripped. "Don't hurt me," he yelled throwing his hands above his head.Isilla frowned and climbed onto Ilun's back. "We should go," she said softly to him.She undid her bracelet and tossed at the man's feet and then signaled for Ilun to move, to take her somewhere else. Again the jumped through the shadows, this time coming into a storehouse.She slid from his back and looked around, the open space dusty, clearly not actively in use, light filtered through the windows and spread onto the floor. Boxes and crates still filled the room, their contents a mystery."I suppose we can stay here for a little. Just until I can figure out what we should do next."Exhaustion overwhelmed her. Her body felt heavy, a dull pain running through her. Frowning she sat, letting Ilun wrap her in his darkness. "Maybe I'll rest first," she mumbled, curling up in his fur, settling into his warmth.The Veil came to her quickly, springing up around her as soon as she shut her eyes. Ilun wagged his tail in this world but as he stood, she could clearly see that he was still hurt. I don't want that, she thought. Her own energy pooled around the animal, gold and soft it caressed him, finding the parts of him that still hurt and reset them, wrapping his essence to be whole again. It changes when it touches him, she thought as she moved finished, Ilun feeling more like himself."But even here, I'm tired. Do I not have enough energy? No, things are fine here. Then what is the matter with me?" she asked as she settled back down, back into her pet's embrace."And what will happen to me now? We've attacked the Crown Prince. The penalty is death. Should we run away? I don't know, I don't know what to do. Everything here just leads to another problem. I can't leave Haribit," her thoughts tumbled from her mouth at random.She flickered and woke briefly. Someone is lifting me, she thought."You're burning up. Will you always be this much trouble, my dearest?" the voice, low and gentle against her.That's what he called me in his letters, she thought, clutching his jacket, that's what my love called me."You did well, protecting her, Ilun," he said, "But next time, please try to stay closer. I am nearly at the limit of my strength.""Arren," her own voice weak, her throat on fire. A violent cough shook her body for a moment.He held her tighter as the soft touch of his shadows moved them back to the castle, to her rooms.Her body shook, half from the shiver that raced through it, half from the coughs that erupted from her throat as she sat her on the bed. He released her, letting her sit on on her own, the effort of it almost too much for her to handle. Arren frowned down at her, plucking the flower from her hair.I lost my book, she thought. I can't explain.The flower disappeared in a breath of smoke, just as the ones that fell on her bed had before. Arren touched her face, smiling, "We can talk when you're feeling better, my little bird."Did I hear him wrong before, she thought as he helped her out of her dress, leaving her in the thin shift. She shivered and he pushed her down to the pillows gently, pulling the covers over her."You need rest. Close your eyes, the doctor will be here soon," the sound of his voice soothing. Ilun climbed into the bed, laying beside her.He moved to leave and she grabbed his hand. 'Stay,' she wrote in his palm with her finger.He sat on the bed, brushing hair from her face. "I won't leave you."Isilla closed her eyes, tumbling back into the Veil. The feeling in her chest throbbed. Again, she thought, it will happen again. The part of her that was more dream than waking reached forward, her power moving on its own to preserve her.I'm ill, she realized even as the thick threads of dreaming rose under her fingers, but this breaking is not that. This is something else. This is because I denied it what it wanted, needed.Her thoughts came rapid fire as she moved, the world blurring and turning gold. She found her thread, the one she searched for and pulled, bringing a streak of darkness to her. There were no words exchanged, the other knew its purpose as well as Isilla did and began to devour the excess energy, changing it and forcing it back to the Veil as nightmares and discord.Not enough, Isilla thought as he reached for the threads again, more steady, focused shifting through the dreamers to find more that were like the girl, the taste of her familiar now. Her actions, clumsy and violent, shifted the Veil, spilling over into dreams as she tracked and searched."There," she said and attacked as Ilun had before. Her threads reached, snatching the first one she found and dragging them back to her. Just as with the first, they began to convert and redistribute the energy around her.She reached again, finding a third, a forth, a fifth, pulling them all back to her, their work done on instinct until finally she could breathe, the thing in her stilled, suppressed by their drawing.She looked down at her hands, the numb sensation of waking coming quickly."Stop," she said, hoping the order was enough as she came back to wakefulness.Haribit stared at her concerned, "You're awake, good."Isilla coughed again, her body shaking with the force of it. Haribit picked up a dark, glass bottle and poured its contents on a spoon. "The doctor said you were to have this four times a day. And that it would make you sleepy."Isilla glanced around the empty room before turning back to Haribit, her question clear."He'll be back soon. There's some sort of uproar in the castle. He told me to tell you that everything was fine and that you shouldn't worry about it."Isilla nodded and opened her mouth for the spoon. The thick liquid made her grimace as it slid down her throat.Haribit smiled, "Sorry, it smells awful so I can't imagine it tastes any better."She sat on the edge of the bed and lifted a bowl. "Some broth, you need to eat," she explained lifting the spoon to her mouth.Isilla sipped on the offered food, warm, it helped wash away the taste of the medicine. After few bites she shook her head, full and tired.The door creaked open and Julen poked his head in. "Haribit, is Isilla alright?""She's very sick but the doctor said with rest she will be fine," Harbit explained as she stood taking the bowl with her.Julen entered the room timidly, a stuffed bird, soft and hand stitched in his hands. It had clearly been well loved, the fabric of it thin. "I brought this for you, to help you get better. It helps me when I'm sick and Arren said you were really sick so I wanted you to feel better," the boy blushed.Isilla smiled weakly and took the offered toy, holding it in her lap.He smiled back at her before blurting out, "You're going to be fine right? You won't leave like my mom?"She touched his head with a hot hand and nodded. I'm fine, she signed to him."That means she's fine," Haribit explained, pulling the boy away. "But she needs to rest."Julen nodded waving goodbye as Haribit pushed him out of the room."We've only been back together for a day and already you're making me work so hard! This cold, I knew it wasn't good for you!"Isilla giggled weakly before she was overcome with the cough again. Dizzy from the work of it she laid down, feeling sleepy, her body heavy.Haribit crossed the room and pulled the blanket up, over her shoulder. Isilla tucked the bird into her arm and fell back to sleep.
