Fate and Destiny (The Fated Series, #2)

Chapter 54 - Rohana - Impossibilities

We have one-hundred and seventy-five ships from the Devil's Pride fleet, little over five-hundred Jade assassins, us ten magical Thralians, less than fifty Thralians in hiding, whatever number of Vandarian guards, and two elementals, all so far allied to fight against whatever other hell hounds Xaxias is pulling from the underworld.

Nilsa and Mak didn't find anyone in the dungeons when they went swimming in the maze, and there were no signs of escape. The Queen's tunnel from her cell to the surface was sealed by her, though the southern wall seemed to be half standing and half-collapsed. We took a guess as to who was the result of such a mess. Both of them are tired now, though they stand tall and alert as always on the other side of the door beside me. Every one of us is tired, and despite us being able to stand here for a few more days before beginning to complain, I'd rather us be rested than not.

I open the door to the Mater's room on the third floor of the Healer's Tower and motion for all of them to follow.

Willa sits in the chair next to the Mater's bed, the Queen fast asleep with her alpha already at her bedside. The healer lays in the bed on the other side of the room, the witch and Gretel sitting at her side as she sleeps. I motion for my sisters to stand down. They need the rest, and with us all in here I doubt that things will go too far sideways.

"How is she?" I ask Willa, coming to stand at the foot of the bed.

"Recovering beautifully, albeit slowly. She'll have to gain her own muscle and strength back, but we managed to save her organs before they all went cold. Her kidneys are the worst, but it's not anything I can't mend given the time. Both of their lives would've gone forfeit had we waited one more day."

I suppose she's right. The moment the Mater died, they would've ended the healer's life since she was useless. Xaxias wouldn't have seen her as leverage over us, and despite knowing that we would've at least attempted to free her, if not to negotiate her release, he would've seen it as a waste of time and cut her loose. He's psychotic.

"And the healer?"

"Should wake soon..." she drifts off, her eyes narrowing at the young woman.

I watch the healer too, feel at how something inside me tugs towards her and begs to get closer. I don't know this woman aside from her name and the deed she's done in the past months. Tanith can't get into her head. She's tried multiple times since we've walked in, as people's minds are more vulnerable when they're sleeping. Dee still can't see anything aside from her present, same goes for the witch at her side. The witch we know nothing about aside from her two professions, name, and heritage. The two of them are mysteries, and I don't like it.

"Are you going to tell me what you're hiding?" I ask, turning my gaze back to Willa.

She rubs at her head, likely harboring another headache with her powers being stretched far and wide at the moment. "I've been hiding many things for many years, Rohana. You're going to have to be more specific."

"Don't give me that immortal crap. You know something - perhaps several somethings - about the Mater, and you're not the only one who knows it. I think there's a reason why Tanith can't get into your mind, nor can she read those of Roseia, Gretel, Claritia, and Thomas, not to mention those two," I say with a glance to the witch and her apprentice. "And don't say you don't know what I'm talking about. It's your mental walls that are shielding us from them."

"Some things, Rohana, you don't need to be told what they are to see them. Your eyes are there for a reason. Use them."

*****

The healer wakes up an hour later, her head cleaned and skull once more clear of all cracks. Siscilla said that she had fractured hands when she and Roseia went to go see her the night before yesterday. We knew very well of the healer's health status. Kathika was there when they took the hammer and broke them. The Vandarian healer glared, but she knows our reason for not aiding the girl.