Bound Book 2

Chapter 60 - Life Giver

"He hasn't gotten any worse. Have a quick bath and one of us will keep an eye on him," Ally says as we enter the bathroom.

Raina is busy throwing some herbs and flowers into the bath, the scent of lavender filling the entire room.

They are both clean and have changed into different clothing.

"How long was I asleep?" I ask, stripping down and climbing into the hot water.

"Sixteen hours," Raina answers as she hands me the shampoo.

"What. How?" I ask, thinking it must only have been an hour or two.

"I don't know. We tried waking you. You needed the rest. Dr. Andrews will look at you when you are done. And you need to eat. If not for you, for the baby." Raina's words have me looking down at my belly, my hand running over my stomach, which appears bigger than I last remember.

They leave the bathroom, and I lie back in the water, my mind returning to the man lying unconscious in the bed in the other room. It seems unfair that after everything we have been through, it should end like this. Gael was gone. For the first time in my life, I was free from that monster, from a man who had impacted my life so much in such a negative way. This should be our time, and yet, even from the grave, Gael is tearing my life apart.

I close my eyes as tears start prickling again, willing myself to calm down. I inhale deeply, breathing in the scent of the lavender. Lavender. Flowers. The little white flowers from my dream.

My eyes fly open as I jump out of the bath, quickly drying myself off before pulling on the clothes that Ally had placed next to the tub.

Hope blossoms in my chest as I rush out of the bathroom, my eyes sweeping Dmitri's unconscious form before running down the passage. I nearly take Dr. Andrews out as he exits the spare room, a quick apology furnished as I continue. I run into the sunroom, my eyes flying over all the hanging plant pots. I know it is here somewhere—the little white flower from my dream. A single one grew in one of my pots. I remember seeing it there when I was watering my plants months ago. It was not a flower I had seen ever before. The problem is none of these plants had been watered in months, all of these dead. I only took a couple with me when I moved to pack lands due to limited space.

White catches my eye, my gaze drifting to a small pot hiding behind another bigger pot. I shift the big pot out of the way, my eyes going wide as they land on the one behind. There, as if watered just yesterday, is a little white flower. It should be dead, but it isn't. I pick up the little pot, bringing it to eye level as I gaze at the flower from my dreams.

"Sky?" Ally calls as she enters the sunroom. A gasp leaves her mouth as she comes running up to me, her eyes on the little white flower.

"It's impossible," she breathes out as we stand shoulder to shoulder, both of us looking at a little white flower.

"Raina! Come and look at this!" Ally shouts, making me jump beside her.

Raina comes running out, concern on her face as I turn around, the little pot in my hands.

She gasps, her hand gesturing towards the plant in my hand.

"Is that what I think it is?" Raina asks, stepping forward to take a closer look.

"What is it?" I ask, finally finding my words.

"It's called Marulia by everyone else, but to witches, it is known as vita dantis or life giver. I have only ever seen one in books, never in real life. It was said to have gone extinct years ago." Raina reaches out to take the pot from me, looking at it from different angles, like a child looking at an insect.

"I saw it in my dream. This," I say, pointing to the flower, "will save Dmitri."

"It's never been tried on werewolves or Lycans, but if it can bring humans and witches back from the brink of death, then why not any other species? It's worth a try, at the very least. I will make a tea and use other herbs to help enhance the properties," Ally says, taking the flower from Raina.

"I will help you make it. It's a long story, but when I was at Gael's, I saw my Gran in a dream state of sorts. She told me that I am an elemental witch and one of my strengths was medicinal plant healing," I say, looking between them.

Ally's face lights up. "No wonder you found such success with your business Sky. You have been infusing your magic into the balms you make. That makes a lot of sense actually. Though with the curse hiding everything and now with your tribrid growing in your belly, it's been hard to see your true nature. This is exciting!"

Ally isn't the only one beaming at this news. Raina has a massive smile on her face as well.

"You are one of us," Raina says proudly, pulling me into a huge hug.

"Okay, let's celebrate later. First, we need to get your man up and running," Ally says as we all head to the kitchen.

Ally and I work side by side preparing the tea, my intention flowing into every herb I touch until there is only one ingredient to add. I pluck the little white flower, willing healing power into it before I drop it into the waiting liquid. It bobs on the top for a second before its edges start dissolving, all the way towards the center of the flower, until nothing remains. It is now infused with the liquid.

We rush to the room, Ally and Raina helping me to prop Dmitri up as I bring the liquid to his lips. Slowly, I start pouring the liquid into his mouth, careful not to put too much. With only one flower, we couldn't afford to waste anything. The process takes an excruciatingly long time until, eventually, the last sip passes his lips. It happens slowly at first, Dmitri's lips regaining some color, and then his cheeks. Even his hair seems to regain some shine.

My heart thunders in my chest when his eyes twitch—a twitch that turns into a flutter. Until finally, green eyes meet brown.

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