Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
I will ask Tariq to inspect the little ones, with one of the ancients to guard him, Gary assured Elisabeta.
You have seen Elisabeta work, Ferro said. Can you rid them of this infection?
She knew the answer even before she felt the healer’s negative reaction.
I wish I could say that I could, Ferro. I have the memories of my ancestors and all the many situations and experiences they encountered. None have ever run across this before. What Elisabeta does seems unique to her. This is not a poison or injury, although it appears as a burn.
Elisabeta felt Ferro’s frustration and knew what he was going to say before he actually said it, and her heart sank.
She cannot possibly erase these destructive burns from everyone, especially if they are as deep and as massive as this girl’s are. Elisabeta is still weak from long years without proper sustenance. If these children are infected—and you know they are—that is three more right there. That is without the older couple, who most likely are as well.
I am sorry, Ferro, Gary replied. As a healer, I feel my failure even more than you. I am merged with you. We are tied together. I already know the exhaustion she is feeling.
Elisabeta despised that she could not comfort either of them. It wasn’t their fault that some mysterious infestation was creeping through the compound. She didn’t want to think that she may have brought it with her, but looking at the violent scorching in Amelia’s brain, she knew the damage had happened over the last few weeks, not just since Josef had arrived. She was almost certain if they measured the injury, they could pinpoint the exact night of her arrival.
I am an ancient, Gary, Ferro replied. This is my failure as well. I am her lifemate and I have always been able to heal every wound, no matter how bad, yet this eludes my skills.
Elisabeta couldn’t stand it. Neither of you has failed me. Please just find out about the children and the older couple. I will work as long as possible. If Sandu and the other ancients are willing to give me blood, I will be able to continue. It just takes time.
Minan piŋe sarnanak, we do not know what is causing this. You may remove all traces of the infection only to have it back this next rising, Ferro said.
Elisabeta knew he was right, but she couldn’t help the need in her to help. That trait overrode all else, the centuries of conditioning, the strange reaction to large spaces, her fear of giving her opinion, everything.
Perhaps we do not know what is causing this infection, Gary said, but we might be one step closer to identifying it if someone who previously had it gets it back. We need to find something they all have in common.
Because the scoring was so thick, it took much longer to heal, and a concentrated breeze centered on the heavy swath of red, but in the end, the burns gave way, first thinning and then floating in tatters before simply dissolving completely. Elisabeta took her time with the deep scoring, working on healing those crevices the burns had created before she was finally able to withdraw from the teenager.
She found herself dizzy and disoriented. At once, Ferro pressed her head to his chest and she blindly drank from him. Strength poured into her, along with the very essence of her lifemate. He filled every one of her senses. She became aware, after a few minutes, that he was completely supporting her, his arms hiding her from several others in the room. Someone, and she vaguely realized it was Sandu, was giving Ferro blood. Benedek was there, along with a couple of others she didn’t really recognize.
Once she was back up to strength, Tariq strode in with two little girls on either hip. His lifemate, Charlotte, was with him. Lourdes was her niece and now adopted daughter. Bella was Amelia’s little sister. All of the siblings had been adopted by Tariq and Charlotte. The little girls were four. They were beautiful and looked remarkably alike.
They have faint scorching on their brains, Tariq greeted. He sank into one of the chairs opposite Elisabeta and Ferro.
Charlotte sat in the chair beside him and took Lourdes from him to hold on her lap. Charlotte had very curly, thick auburn hair and was on the smaller side, with generous curves. The moment she had secured Lourdes, Tariq waved his hand and both little girls, who had been squirming to get down, immediately froze.
“I don’t believe they were exposed to this infection very long,” Tariq said grimly. “It is strange that neither Charlotte nor Genevieve have it when I did and the children all do.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Gary assured.
With both Tariq and Charlotte looking so anxious and staring at her, Elisabeta felt the familiar recoiling, the need to bury her face and retreat from all those around her. Immediately, Ferro shielded her. “Elisabeta will be very gentle with the girls.”