Adremedian Prince - Chapter 22

James pulled her closer and just held her.

After a moment he asked, ‘What’s next?’

‘A few more stops and then a nap.’

‘Sounds great.’

They walked together for several minutes before she stopped again, but this time she placed his hands into something thick and soft. A soft growl told him it was a bear. ‘Lilly?’

‘It’s okay James. I want to try something, if that’s okay with you.’

‘What’s that?’

‘I want to see if you can sense what is wrong with this bear.’

‘And how would I do that? I cannot see and I’m not Adremedian.’

‘Focus on the energy inside you. Follow it down your arms to your fingers.’

James did so and he felt himself extend his energy to feel around. It almost seemed second nature and he stopped when he found an ulcerated wound. ‘There is a deep wound in the right shoulder.’ He started to move his hands away, but felt Lilly press them into the fur again.

‘You need to pull the energy back into yourself before you remove your hands.’

‘How?’

‘Reverse what you did to put it out. Focus on where it is and bring it back in, like a rope, to your fingers, back up your arms and to your core.’

It took his a little while, but he did it. His brow furrowed and he felt a little more fatigued. Lilly let him rest against a tree while she finished the healing. He was still puzzling over the feeling when Lilly took his hand in hers.

‘Are you okay?’ she asked.

‘Is this how all Adremedians feel after healing?’

‘No. It’s a slightly different feeling. Are you still okay for a few more stops?’

‘Yes.’

They stopped twice and Lilly treated the animals, letting James sit and wait. He was feeling more and more tired as time went on. At the last stop, James asked if he could find out what was wrong. Lilly let him and he was quicker at it. This animal’s leg was broken due to a hunter’s trap. After that, Lilly finished then they moved to their place of rest. It wasn’t far, for which James was grateful. He had to step up to reach the place that Lilly had picked. Then they lay on the smooth surface. James placed an arm over Lilly and was quick to fall asleep.

When he woke again, his eyes were burning a little. His hand came up and he felt the cloth, but it was wet. As he touched it, he realized it was tempering the burning, so he left it alone. James put his arm down, Lilly wasn’t there anymore.

‘Lilly?’

‘Yes?’ her voice broke.

He got up on one elbow and reached a little further and found her back. He scooted behind her and held her. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘All of the energy lines in your eyes are tangled up. It will take time to undo it, but not without pain and the high probability that you will never see again.’

‘But there is still a chance that I could see, once the lines are untangled?’

‘A small one, but it is there.’

‘I want you to try it.’

‘James…’

‘Lilly, even if I don’t get my sight back, painless black would be better than this burning white.’

‘Are you sure this is what you want?’

‘As sure as I am in love with you.’

‘Okay.’

She turned to kneel in front of him and took the bandage away.
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James closed his eyes tightly until he felt her hands. At first he felt nothing then there was a small tug and pain radiated from his eyes into his forehead, nose, and cheeks. In an attempt not to cry, his grip tightened on Lilly’s arms. She only worked for a few minutes before smearing a gel over his eyes and replacing the cloth. Slowly his grip released and he allowed himself to be laid back down. He was grateful that Lilly stayed and he held her tightly against him. Her body shook and he could hear her soft cries in his mind.

‘Thank you, Lilly.’

‘You’re welcome, but there is still more to be done.’

‘Still. Thank you.’

She nodded into his shoulder and they both fell asleep.

James woke and found Lilly still in his arms, but as he sat up she didn’t wake or move. ‘Lilly. Lilly?’

He didn’t get a response. Finding her cheek he brushed the hair from her face and realized he didn’t know if she was still breathing or not. He pinched her cheek several times and even shook her slightly. Still no response. ‘Lilly?!’ His head lowered to rest against her chest and he felt her take a deep breath.

‘James? What’s wrong?’

‘I thought you were gone.’

‘No, just need to recover a little still.’

‘Is the healing really that hard on you?’

‘The healing itself no, but what comes with it… yes.’

‘What comes with it?’

‘My own pain.’ Her shoulders shook again.

He started to pull her close, but she rolled away.

James heard the leaves crunch as she left. His hand that he had held reached out to her, fell to the tree where they had lain. Was his pain her own or was something more going on?

‘Lilly, please come back.’ He was starting to feel drowsy again when some things were placed in his hand.

‘You need to eat these before you sleep again.’

‘Lilly, if helping me is painful, I want you to stop.’

‘Eat.’

‘I’m serious,’ he replied.

She shoved the first berry in his mouth. ‘I can’t be selfish James; besides, I should have dealt with this pain long ago.’ She removed the cloth and covered his eyes with her hands.

He didn’t try to pull them away as the pain radiated through his face. Instead he focused on eating what Lilly had given him. She worked longer this time. He was about to stop her when her hands left his face before more gel was put on his eyes. The brightness has dimmed some and he felt the cloth get tied back into place. She paused halfway through the knot then finished. James grabbed her hands as they fell away. They were shaking.

‘You’ve done too much.’

‘No, but I’ve done all I can for today.’ Her hands slipped from his.

‘Where are you going?’

‘I’ve done enough healing that I need to use a different healing tree to recover.’

‘Take me with you.’

‘Not this time. I don’t want to risk you rolling out of the tree.’

‘What’s to keep you from falling out?’

‘The healing energies immobilize the body since the injury is unknown.’

‘Would it not do the same for me?’

‘No, because you are Human.’

James reached out for her and found her arms. ‘How long will you be gone?’

‘Until tonight. Tomorrow morning at the latest.’

‘See, you have done too much.’

‘I’ll see you later.’ She kissed him and realized her lips were wet with new poison that James was not immune to. Using her sleeve she wiped it off his lips. ‘Sorry.’

‘Go rest. I love you.’

‘I love you too.’ She left and climbed into a nearby healing tree to sleep.