Magic

18: Speaking and Spells

Niomi's POV:  

After we get back to the house, I find the others all milling about, most of them looking worried. Hazel is frazzled. 

"Where were you guys?" she screech's, hugging us each in turn. 

"Well, we were attacked in the woods, so we had to fight our way out. But the leader got away." Henson answers, leaving out the part where he attacked me. 

We discussed what he was actually doing. And I now understand why he had come after me.  But I wasn't going to tell the others. 

I slid my chakram sling off my back, the chakram still slick with blood. But then I remembered. I cleaned it off when we were riding back. So who's blood is on it now? 

That's when I saw the pattern. I had felt dizzy on the ride back. And the pattern of blood was only on the side strapped to my back. 

I sit down on a stool, feeling wobbly. Kaden must have noticed because he's the only one who spoke up. 

"Niomi? Is something wrong?" he asked, his voice full of concern. 

I could barely answer. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." 

And that's all I could manage before my vision darkened and I felt myself falling. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~6 Hours Later~ 

My eyes open, filled again with some light. I pry my eyes open, then I try to roll over. Bad idea. 

I hiss as a new pain fills my shoulder blades and upper back. I can almost feel the skin trying to mend itself, but for some reason, it can't. That's when I feel a light hand on my lower back. 

It's Kaden, who is trying to keep me still. I turn my head to look at him from laying on my stomach. He gives me a sad smile, but it's genuine. I try to smile back, but it's hard. 

"You had one nasty gash there. Why didn't you tell us when you got back?" he asks, rubbing my arm. 

"I didn't know about it myself. My chakram kept enough pressure on it, I guess." I say weakly, still trying to get the sleep out of my voice. 

And that's when I notice that I'm not actually wearing a shirt. 

This makes me scramble for the blanket, but all it does is send a few new waves of pain through my back. I call out in pain. Kaden jumps up. I push him away, not wanting him to see anything. 

"If your really worried about me seeing anything, just know that we bandaged around them. And Audrey and Winnie wouldn't let us in. She said it would be disrespectful. So me and Henson discussed some things. Anything you'd like to say before I ask?" he finishes, looking to me for an answer. 

I gulp. I knew someone would find out, but I didn't think I would have to tell anyone this soon. I take a deep breath, small pains shooting off into my front. 

"Well, fine. Henson attacked me. And I don't know why, he just said he needed to be sure of something. He wouldn't tell me what. That's all I know. I swear." 

He seems satisfied with this answer, standing up and pulling the blanket back up onto my body. 

"You need more rest. That cut needs to heal. Sweet dreams." He says, kissing the back of my head. 

I smile as I drift off to sleep. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'

 When I do eventually wake up, and manage to stay awake, all I feel is pain. My back hurts, mostly from the GIANT GASH RUNNING IN BETWEEN MY SHOULDER BLADES and my front hurts from laying on it for so long. So when no one is looking, I quickly sit up, almost completely regretting the motion.