A Siren's Crown (Book Two in the APK Trilogy)

(7) Confusion and Loss

“I have everything you asked for.” She huffed.

“Hello Circe.” Leonardo followed Lacy through the door, his expression sombre.

“Leonardo,” I nodded towards the tall fair haired man, his appearance reminding me of Nathaniel. I had left him I realised with a jolt. I wonder what he was up too?

“It is good to have you back,” He continued. ‘We have been very worried about Cobalt. It is a great relief to have you back, just in time as well.”

“Yes,” I said grimly. “I would have been back much earlier if I had known about his condition, but no matter.”

The small room was now becoming very crowded, but I understood all of their need to see Cobalt healed. When an apologetic look at Leonardo I asked if he would wait outside the door to make sure no-one burst in unexpectedly and interrupted. He smiled understandingly and nodded, slipping quietly out of the door and shutting it behind him.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves that had been steadily creeping up on me. “Okay. Lacy I need you to be quiet and do everything that I tell you to. You are going to be my assistant.” I ordered and she nodded compliantly.

“What can I do?” Obsidian asked, looking slightly awkward and out of place.

I smiled gently at him. He was just too adorable. “Just stay there,” I said. “you aren’t going to be much help.” He scowled at me and grumbled under his breath, but I had already turned away and was now removing the gauze fully.
“Oh my darling,” I whispered. “Look at what they’ve done to you.”

The wound was red and inflamed and festering badly. I was very nervous by this point, having never healed anything of this size before. I could see Lacy’s neat little stitches holding the wound together, but in this case all that was doing was holding the infection in.

“Knife,” I requested, holding out  my hand and gripping my necklace tightly with the other. The knife was placed in my hand and I took a deep breath trying again to steady my shaking hands. This was Cobalt, his life was in my hands. What if I slipped up?

Suddenly there was another voice in my head.

Vanima.

Anthemin?

Yes.

Anthemin, I am so scared. I don’t know where to start. I know I need to clean it out but I haven’t the first idea as to how!

Show me, Came the whisper and suddenly he was more in my mind than before and I felt him peering out of my eyes, seeing everything that I was seeing. I heard two sharp intakes of breath and guessed that my appearance had been changed by the presence of the Dragon.

I see. That will require much energy to heal, but with our combined life source and your energy stone we can do it. Have faith in yourself Vanima.

Okay. I breathed out long and deep and with new courage I reached forward with steady hands and cut away the stitches. The wound oozed open and I heard Lacy gag slightly.

But I took no notice. I was completely focused on the task ahead. "Bucket please." I had to remove the pus and clean out the wound before I could heal it. The bucket was placed in front of me .

Relax Vanima and pay close attention, I have seen the Air Weavers heal like this many times. 

I nodded, my nervousness giving way to curiosity as my arms suddenly wanted to lift up. Obliging, I followed the guidance that Anthemin gave, concentrating on remembering the movements. As I twisted my hands elegantly through the air, to every two twists I would smoothly pull inwards towards my chest, and then push my palms down towards the ground, before repeating the process. Just in time, Lacy held the bucket up to the gash as pus began to ooze reluctantly into the bucket.