Warrior's Heart (Book 1 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 40

A woman came out from behind the screen. Her head bent forward, she covered her face with her palms, touching her fingertips to her her forehead. "Walem, Mother." Then she turned towards the room and Leyla recognised her instantly! The intelligent eyes, angular face and the triangular tattoo between her brows; Serena had healed her face on the night she was sent to the Land of Light!

The Healer showed no sign of recognition as she moved forward in a flutter of purple and green robes, her eyes fixed on Finn. Like the Heka, she wore a green turban and gold hoops in her ears with crystals dangling from her arms. Stretching her hands out over Finn's body, Serena closed her eyes for a long time. Then with a sudden move, she raised her arm straight up and curled her fingers. A moan ripped from Finn's lips. Leyla took a short breath as echoing moans rose from the gathering of Healers, many of then wincing as if in pain. What was happening!?

Serena brought her left hand forward, the crystals on her arm jingling over Finn's twitching body. In the next moment she exhaled sharply and Finn's chest rose off the floor, then crashed back down. The gathering moaned, pressing their palms together on the ground while Serena raised both of her hands high, beads of sweat running down her forehead.

For a moment, the room was completely silent, and then Finn's mouth opened with a bloodcurdling scream. Alec took an involuntary step forward, his face pale as the screaming continued. On and on Finn screamed in agony as the Healer flicked her wrists this way and that.

Seeing the sudden shift in Alec's eyes, Leyla grabbed his arm and used all her strength to pull him from the room. She didn't stop until they were standing beside the last of the statues on the long platform, but Finn's muted screams still sent goosebumps down her arms.

"He will be fine." Leyla spoke quickly, trying to distract both Alec and herself from the sounds of pain. "Healers do not promise recovery unless they are certain. That is their code."

Alec leaned his forehead on the statue's arm and closed his eyes, "Finn has been following me around since he was born. I promised his mother that I would take care of him."

Guilt. Regret. They were useless emotions, but she understood them well. A blissful quiet settled around them as Leyla looked up at the canopy of leaves above, "He was performing a simple duty. No Landers have never attacked a convoy with more than a few guards. No one could have guessed we would be ambushed, especially by such a big number." Another scream pierced the air sending a shudder through Alec's body. She wished she could make this easier on him somehow. Not knowing how to comfort him, she reached out to touch his shoulder. "Don't listen. Think of something else."

His shoulders jerked as more sounds of anguish came out of the hut. She patted his arm awkwardly remembering how he had done the same for her the first time they had met. She had been vomiting from the pain of calling the Heat then and Alec had told her it was alright. Alright now Green Eyes. You did well. The desire to comfort him grew with the memory. She owed Alec. For helping her, for saving her life, for remembering and caring about her even after she was sent away. She wanted to comfort him, but she didn't know how. "It will end soon. Finn will be fine. The pain will pass. Everything will be alright."

As yet another scream pierced the air, Alec grabbed her hand and pulled her forward. Before she could get her bearings his lips were on hers and he was kissing her! Leyla balked, her hands pushing at his shoulders as strange sensations swirled in her stomach, but he wouldn't let go. His arms were hard under her fingers, his lips hard on hers and yet he wasn't hurting her. She stopped pushing and he changed the angle of his head, his lips softer now. So this was what a kiss felt like? She breathed in his scent as his hands moved up her arms, encountering the bandage on her upper arm. He pulled back a fraction.