Everything Is Eternal (Book Two)

XLIII

"This is Hotaru. She is going to help with your burn."

Will was dubious as he eyed Hotaru. Aside from loose hair, she looked like a perfectly respectable woman in her thirties.

But he could see something in her that wasn't quite right. The way her eyes focused on Will, as if she was seeing into his soul. He got plenty of that from Sister Celine. The novice would look away, apparently not wanting to see too much.

Kate wouldn't even look at the former priestess. She led her in and seemed a bit—ashamed? That couldn't be it. Kate was never ashamed.

Will really hoped that she hadn't done something terrible to find a former priestess in this wretched city.

"Hello," Will said. "I'm Will. I'd get up but..."

"The pain would tear you apart," Hotaru said easily. "I can see."

She walked over to the bed. It was only the three of them. The entire family was out, so they could deny any knowledge of illegal activity. Kate had also sent Evelyn away; ostensibly to protect the nurse. Will didn't think she was doing the woman much of a favor. She had been dragged deeply into their mess.

"I need to see the burn," Hotaru said. "And I need to see it alone. I don't want to botch anything."

Kate cast an uncertain look at Will. He shrugged. He didn't want to be alone with a servant of the Eternal—former or not—but they had come this far. So Kate left and Hotaru came closer to the bed. Will rolled up the leg of the pant and let Hotaru look at his knee. Hotaru didn't even blink at the gruesome sight—she had probably seen worse.

She had probably done worse.

Hotaru touched the knee and Will struggled not to react. "Oh, yes," she said. "I see. This burn goes deep. Deep into your spirit. What does it feel like?"

"Like it's being stabbed while it's in a red-hot stove," Will said flatly.

"That would be quite a sight." Hotaru beamed, seeming enthralled by the idea. "But if your leg was in a stove and being stabbed, someone would have to get themselves cooked in the stove just to stab your knee."

"I was being figurative."

"No, there was truth in what you said. I can see from the burns. Someone had to hurt themselves just to burn you. These weren't done by a priest."

Will refused to be taken in by the all-knowing act. "Kate told you."

"No, she didn't," Hotaru asserted. "I didn't want any preconceived notions before I saw your burn. Preconceived notions can distort your ability to see the whole of the truth. I can see the whole of the truth. These are not controlled burns. They are wild bursts. Orbs were broken over your knee."

Will folded his arms. "Anyone could work that out."

"Did you know the Eternal Light can link people together? When a priest uses the Light on you, they are connected to you in a small way."

"I know that," Will said.

"Did you know it works, even when the Light isn't summoned by one of the people? If you are both in contact with the Light at the same time, there is a link between the two people. I can see the echo of that link. The person who broke the orbs was furious with you. The Light acted as a conduit and drove his anger into you. That's why you are in such pain; there is a psychic impression of pain that keeps driving into you."

"I already know that," Will said crossly. "I was there. I know exactly what happened."

"Do you?" Hotaru stared at the burn. "Because what I see is all distorted. The pain is tearing up your truth. Are you sure that's what happened?"