Time to Heal Read online

  “In a what?” Emmeline shook her head. “And how did you know the little butterfly creature was leading me into a trap?”

  “Kat, you know they don’t have movies in Emmeline’s world,” Liv said, frowning.

  The auburn-haired woman just shrugged her off.

  “I knew it was a trap because I didn’t trust that little fairy thing,” she told Emmeline. “Those beady little eyes…I knew it wasn’t right.” She shook her head. “But look—we’re getting off the point.”

  “Which is?” Sophie raised an eyebrow at her.

  “The point is, we’ve tried everything modern Kindred medical science can do to heal Skahr,” Kat said. “And according to Richard, it’s not working.”

  They all looked up at Emmeline’s cousin, who had been standing quietly by while they talked. He shook his head grimly.

  “Unfortunately not.”

  “So then, if we’ve tried science and it doesn’t work, it seems to me it’s time to try magic,” Kat pointed out. “I mean, since we have access to it—or Skahr does, anyway. Some of the things he can do with that magic dust are amazing. Remember Rose’s face?”

  “Oh, that poor girl!” Sophie said, shaking her head. “I mean, she was a nasty piece of work and she totally deserved it but still…”

  “That one big eye and the one tiny nostril…” Liv shivered.

  “Anyway, the point is—why not try magic if you’ve got access to it,” Kat asked.

  “I already tried it,” Emmeline said dully. “If you were all watching as you said you were, you ought to know that. Don’t you remember how I tried rubbing the magic healing salve over the place where the poisoned blade scratched him? It didn’t make a bit of difference.”

  “Well maybe the shaman guy—the Old One—has some stronger magic,” Kat said reasonably. “Anyway, it can’t hurt to at least ask. Can it?”

  “I suppose not.” Emmeline felt the tiniest spark of hope bloom in her chest. She looked up at Richard. “Can he be moved?”

  He frowned. “We’ve given him a stimulant and pain medicine so he’s at least responsive enough to understand what’s going on.” He cleared his throat. “I was actually coming out to tell you that you might want to go talk to him…to say…” His voice sank. “To say goodbye.”

  “Oh, no!” Emmeline felt tears stinging her eyes again. “Is he really that close to death?”

  “It’s not far off.” Richard shook his head. “So if you want to try taking him through the PORTAL to his home world, now is the time to do it.”

  Emmeline jumped up, startling Jamie who woke with a thin cry.

  “We must go at once.” She looked at Caroline. “I’m not sure if the crystal shard will take us exactly where we need to go—it might put us back at the Hidden Hill since that was the last place we were when we left from Skahr’s home world.”

  “Don’t worry.” Caroline reached out and squeezed her arm firmly. “I can have my PORTAL take the two of you straight back to the cave where the Peace Crystal is. I think that’s where you’re most likely to find the Old One.”

  “Thank you,” Emmeline said gratefully. She turned to Richard. “Let’s go get him at once. We have to hurry if we’re to have any chance of saving him.”

  He nodded briskly. “At once. Let us go.”

  * * *

  A short time later, Emmeline and Skahr stood together in front of the large, rectangular brass frame which Caroline called the window of her PORTAL machine. It was showing the cave with the Peace Crystal and they were ready to go.

  Emmeline had Jamie in one arm and Skahr was leaning on her other. He was still looking as pale as paper and it was clear he was ill, but the thought of going home to see his mentor seemed to have given him strength.

  “Be careful, cousin,” Richard murmured in her ear. “And get him medical attention as soon as you get there.” He shook his head as he looked at Skahr. “I don’t know how he’s even standing.”

  “We’ll be all right,” Emmeline said with more conviction than she felt.

  Richard enfolded her in a sudden fierce hug.

  “If you don’t come back, know that I love you, Cousin. And I will be watching through the PORTAL to be sure you live a happy life.”

  “Not come back? Of course I’m coming back!” Emmeline protested, hugging him back. “Just as soon as we get everything tended to.” She lifted her chin and looked at Skahr. “Are you ready?”

  “Ready.” His voice was a tired sigh and he swayed on his feet, yet somehow he managed not to topple over. “Come, Emmeline—we must go,” he rasped. “Perhaps the Old One can help me.”

  “He can and he will,” Emmeline said firmly. “Come on.”

  Taking a tighter grip on his hand, she pulled him towards healing and hope and home.

  The Old One would heal Skahr—of that she was certain, she told herself. And then everything would be as it should be again.

  Twenty-Four

  “I am sorry but I cannot heal him.” There was a sorrowful look on the Old One’s wrinkled face as he bent to examine Skahr.

  The big warrior lay on a low bed in his own tent-house. The bed was covered in a patchwork quilt of sorts, sewn out of many different animal hides. His breathing was even but shallow and his face was even paler than it had been before. The moment he had lain down, it seemed as though the strength had run out of him. In fact, he was so pale and still, Emmeline was afraid that every breath he took might be his last.

  “What do you mean, you can’t heal him?” she demanded, glaring at the old man. “You have to heal him! You’re his mentor! I brought him all the way from another world so you could save him.”

  “I cannot heal him,” the Old One repeated firmly. “But I believe that you can, Emmeline.”

  “Me?” Emmeline shook her head. “But…how? I tried the magic salve. And you tried the magic dust. What else can we do—what else can I do?”

  “You have had the Mother’s Milk,” the old man pointed out.

  “Well…yes.” Emmeline nodded hesitantly. “But my nectar has turned back into breast milk now that Jamie is healed.”

  Jamie was currently being watched in another tent by Talli, who was completely in love with him already. He seemed to have taken to her as well, so much so that he hadn’t cried a bit when Emmeline had left him with Skahr’s sister. She was grateful that she had someone she could trust her son with during this difficult time, but she still didn’t understand what the Old One meant.

  “Are you certain your nectar has turned back into milk?” he asked, giving her a penetrating look. “Are you, daughter?”

  “I…I thought it had. Last time I looked it seemed like normal milk,” she protested. “And besides, I thought it only worked for a mother who needed to heal her child.”

  The Old One shook his head.

  “You had the Mother’s Milk only a day ago. I do not believe the healing magic would have left your body so quickly. And now you have another that you love who needs healing—I believe the magic will respond to that.” He put a hand on Emmeline’s arm and squeezed gently. “You must give of yourself to heal him, daughter. If you are willing, you may yet save him.”

  Emmeline looked at him uncertainly.

  “I’m not sure if you’re right but I’m willing to try—I’ll try anything to heal him, to bring him back to me.”

  “Very well—that is all anyone can ask,” the Old One said, nodding. “Then I will leave you with him, daughter, and pray to the Goddess that all will be well.”

  “Thank you,” Emmeline said numbly. As he left the tent house, allowing the flap to swing shut behind him, she looked at Skahr and wondered if this could possibly work.

  Well, there was only one way to find out. But first there was something she needed to do first. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, she began to pray.

  “Please, Goddess,” she murmured, feeling awkward. “I know I’ve never prayed to you before, but you’ve been with me all the way—from the very beginning of this q