Broken Kingdom

22

I didn't know what time it was when I opened my eyes. There were candles lighting up the room, the shutters of the windows kept shut. I don't have shutters on my windows. I moved my head, my neck protesting. I grunted as I tried to move more. My left side hurt, worse than the right side at least, and my muscled barked a protest of the movement. A gentle hand quickly pushed me back, shushing me. A woman around the age of Haelyn stood over me, a kind but wary smile on her face. "Stay down, Protector," her gentle voice says. 
"Eira," I say, the sound raw and hoarse. 
"Don't worry, you'll feel better soon. Try to sleep, Eira."
"Who-"
"No, no don't. It won't do you any good. I'm Sina. I'm here to help. Just sleep. You'll feel better in the morning." I nodded, closed my eyes, and waited for the blackness to sweep me away again. 

Next time I awoke, I noticed the sun on my face. I took a deep breath, my ribs hurting from the big movement. I hissed and grabbed my side, which was already bound. I sat up, the movement still causing my muscles to ache. I was sore, as if I'd trained for a few weeks straight. I recognized the sage green curtains of my room. I sat up even further, which caused a sharp pain through my right side. It took me a while to remember what had happened. The attack, what the Silver Night Guards had said to me, what it could possibly mean. It all flooded back to me, causing me to have a headache. I put my pillow a bit up, leaning on it. Half sitting, half laying, I looked out the window. It couldn't be any later than noon. Which day was the next question that popped up in my head. 

When there was a knock on my door, I answer short. Haelyn, Holden, Nolan, Wessel, Thomas and the lady from that night, Sina, all came in. Monica followed them with some supplies, which she put next to Sina. The woman thanked Monica and walked up to me a vial and a salve in her hands. 
"Protector Eira, do you remember me?" she asks. 
"You are Sina. You told me to sleep," I say. My voice is still rough and breaks repeatedly, and my throat burns. 
"Oh dear, that didn't sound much better. Here, drink this tea. It should help soften that throat." She pressed a cup of tea in my hands. A bit shaky, I lifted the cup to my lips, smelling it. Ginger, elderflower and honey entered my nose. At least that worked. I took a few sips, letting the tea do its job. Sina remains quiet until I finish the entire thing. 

"Thank you. It feels better," I thank the woman. 
"Can you tell me how you feel? What you feel?" she softly asks. 
"Sore. Everything hurts. My right just hurt worse. This stabbing pain."
"That's to be expected. Do you feel any dizziness, discomfort or fatigue? And can you remember what happened?"
"Other than my muscles screaming and burning right now, and the nagging headache, I feel fine. And yes, I can remember what happened."
"Good. Here, eat this. They," Sina nods towards the other waiting impatiently for her to finish, "have some questions for you. I'll check on you afterwards, and I'll be here should you need anything."
"Thank you, Sina." The woman dipped her head, and went to sit on one of the couches in my room. 

I turned my gaze to the concerned, annoyed, and wary faces. Haelyn moved first, walking up to the bed, and sitting down on it, so we were at eye level. "I suppose I should start with a thank you. You saved me, Thomas, and made sure none of the Royal Guards got hurt," she says. "What happened after you send us away?"
"They stayed," I say solemn. "They weren't after you, Your Majesty. I didn't save you." Shock washes over the room and all of them exchange confused glances. 
"Can you elaborate?" Nolan asks.
"I sent the carriage away, and all thirty-three stayed. They surrounded me. A few of them had a Gift of the Gods. Three fire wielders. One girl could control stone, though I took her out quite early on. One of them... he wanted me to come willingly. Told me I'd get answers from his masters. There's more than one." I took a second to think before I continued. "The fire wielders used their fire to render my shadows useless. It wasn't enough for them. I dipped deeper into my magic, and I could go through. And while dodging arrows, or trying to, they fought. My shadows did a lot. And in the fighting, I got this shallow cut. At least I thought it was shallow."