Shara knew Lyra's secret now but the other woman swore not to say anything. She helped Lyra back to the others. The force of Deandra's tail had broken, what felt like, every rib on her right side. Her breath was coming in short gasps.
"If you need to stop to heal..."
"I'll heal myself when I'm back with the others."
"I don't want you to push yourself."
"I'll..." She hissed in pain. "I'll be fine until we reach the others."
"No, you..."
Lyra shot her a look.
Shara gave up. "Fine. Suit yourself."
Lyra's thoughts went to Alora. To free Deandra, she would have to face Alora. And facing Alora was something she was going to have to do on her own. She couldn't put the others in danger like that. Only she and Shara truly knew how powerful and dangerous the sorceress was. They came in view of the others. Lyra couldn't put Aiden into something that dangerous. She thought of her fight with Kyrie. She was just as afraid of her sister as she was of Alora and she'd faced Kyrie without hesitation.
"Lyra!" Aiden ran towards them. "How hurt are you?"
"Just get me somewhere where I can heal myself."
Aiden gently picked her up, trying not to jar her. Lyra still hissed in pain. "Clear a space."
"Great Gaia!" Neve exclaimed. "What happened?"
"Deandra's tail got her." Aiden knelt down and as gently as he could set her down. She was leaning against him and he was grasping her shoulder.
Lyra placed her left hand over her injured side and grasped Aiden's with her other hand. "Oh, damn...," she breathed. "This is going to bloody hurt."
Talish started to reach down.
She shook her head. "No. The rest of you give me room."
Talish nodded and the others backed away. The last time Lyra had healed her own broken bones was when her arm had been shattered by a spell meant for Kalmin. And that had hurt like hell then. She took a deep breath and began. She felt the magic flowing through her arm and into her side. She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth as the bones began to move and mend. She squeezed Aiden's hand and he, in turn, squeezed her shoulder. Lyra was determined not to cry out. She knew she was pushing her magical limits and could feel her energy draining away as she healed herself. She felt the trickle of blood, the sign that she was at her limit. She felt the tears of pain fall.
"Lyra, stop!" Aiden said. "You're pushing yourself too far. Let Talish or Will finish this."
She let go of her magic just as the bones finished mending. She gasped for breath. "It's... finished."
Lyra saw the worry on Aiden's face just before she passed out.
~~~
Deandra truly hoped that the spell Lyra cast on her would work. She didn't want to betray her or the others. She made her way into the caverns, stepping over the wards laid for Alora's protection. She hoped they had been placed while Lyra had been Alora's slave, or the sorceress would know they were coming.
"Is the village completely destroyed as I asked?" Alora asked.
"Yes, mistress." Deandra was surprised at how easily the lie had rolled off her tongue.
"Good. You may go and rest now."
"Yes, mistress," she growled as her legs moved on their own accord. She truly hoped that Lyra was as powerful as she claimed to be. Otherwise, she'd die before she had the chance to free Deandra.