Always Luna

analysis

noun ~ a detailed examination of the elements or structure of something

"No, we need to heal you." Gaia tutted. "Stay still and I can do it easily. It is only a flesh wound."

I was about to protest when she asked Leo to hold me down. My arms restricted by him, and my leg still injured, I had no choice but to glare into his eyes. He winked at me, his soft chocolate eyes uncaring of what I wanted.

"It may pinch, Nova. You will feel what the wolves do as your skin knits back together."

My mouth opened to object, but she already started. She had somehow managed to get hold of a pot with some herbs in it; the smell making my stomach flutter. It smelt good and cooled as it touched my skin. It bonded with my blood and when Gaia started chanting in Latin; I felt it sink into my skin. It started gently before it began to burn. I could feel my skin inside, the muscle screaming in protest as she forced it to close up. Blood clotted and nerves twinged with every knit of fibre.

I cried out, still alarmed despite the warnings I was given. Slowly, the pain began to subside, and a humming drew my eyes back to Gaia. She opened her eyes, smiling softly at me as she wiped her thumb across my sealed wound. Her thumb came back clean, and I sighed with relief that it was over.

"Now, what else is there?"

My eyes widened. If that was the pain of a mere flesh wound, I did not want to know about a potentially broken foot.

"Nothing-

"She's hurt her foot." Sean interrupted.

I turned to glare daggers into his face, but he didn't even look my way. Gaia tutted, lifting my leg by the knee to place on her lap. I jerked away, shaking my head as I pleaded with her to not.

"Bones are tricky. I can fix the muscle and the cartilage... but with a foot, I have to be extra careful." She ran featherlight touches along my skin. "I do not want to attempt such intricacy when she will not stay still or be quiet. We don't know who is nearby."

I sighed with relief. "Good."

"I can take away the ache for a while, fix it so she can walk, but the smaller bones will need time."

Thank goodness for that.

'Wimp.' Celimene chortled.

Hey! I protested.

'I am here to lighten your mood and support you, Nova.' She barked playfully.

Yeah, right...

'I think I may have an idea.' Cors grunted, distracting me.

My eyes darted towards him, scrutinising the wince on his face. "You need to tell me everything you know."

"And you need to tell us." Leo interjected. "Open your link."

I pursed my lips, nodding before opening my mind-link. I would rather not let them into my head, in fear of my anxiety slipping through, but they needed to know what Cors was saying.

"Go for it." I cleared my throat.

Cors moved around the kitchen until he was sitting in one of the dining chairs. He turned it to face us all, a small grimace on his face as he ran his fingers along his jaw.

'I should start by going by to Donovan.' He began, and I tensed.

I still wasn't over the dark days from Donovan's hand. Even his name caused an uncomfortable sensation to shoot down my spine. I was so used to calling him a title, so used to his words and abuse, that his name alone made me feel uneasy.