As Eric came into earshot of the tent he heard Demi say, "Nobody owes me anything." Gods, how wrong she was. Every kid in camp owed her their lives, and so did many others that she had healed over the years. Eric almost stormed into her tent to tell her just that but decided against it.
Eva noticed him immediately and made an excuse to leave, "I'll go spread the word." When Demi turned to see why she'd left, her eyes connected with Eric's. His mate immediately stilled, making it look like she wasn't breathing. For minutes they just stared at each other, with a million things they had yet to say to each other.
"I know that you have a lot of questions," Demi started. "but try to understand that I'm not ready to answer all of them." Eric didn't know how to respond, so he just nodded. "Alright, go ahead and ask."
"Why did you not tell us where you were going?" The question had been killing him. She could've explained things to them and gotten the cure all the same.
"The parasite was controlled by a southern fae. I didn't know how much time the kids would have until the fae decided to kill them." She responded calmly and confidently. Demi believed that what she'd done was right. Eric could tell that it was the truth, except for not knowing exactly when the parasite would kill the kids. Her voice had slightly wavered on that part, telling him that it was a lie.
"Who was your father?" Eric saw that the question had caught Demi off guard. She hadn't been expecting the conversation to turn to her family.
Demi looked slightly angry when she answered, "He is an evil man, that doesn't matter anymore." Eric still wasn't satisfied with the answer and Demi could tell, "He's a southerner, that holds a considerable amount of power."
"But, who is he?" He prodded. Eric knew not to poke the bear, but he needed to know.
"I'm not telling you his name."
"Fine." Demi had said that she wasn't ready to answer some of his questions, so he wouldn't push. "Why were you cuffed with a metal that drains magic?" As Eric asked, he watched Demi's face carefully. It was clear that she wasn't expecting this question either.
"I don't know." Lie.
"You're lying."
"No, I'm not." Demi's tone became defensive. She didn't want to talk about it, so Eric let it go.
"Why did you pass out?" That was another thing that'd been bugging Eric for a while. Demi hadn't gotten sick, it was more like a comma.
"Exhaustion." She replied quickly. She seemed tense but continued, "I was just overworked and stressed from the kids." Eric knew that it was only half of the truth but kept going.
"How'd you escape from the southern fae?"
Demi avoided eye contact with him as she answered, "They were quite incompetent. Left me unchained and unguarded. The first chance I got, I bolted." Again, half-truths but less convincing. "They underestimated me."
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"Well, that was stupid." Demi finally looked into his eyes and smiled. "Are you going to need help here?" Eric's tone turned less serious like they were just talking about the weather.
"Yeah, but Eva was going to see if some older kids and their parents could assist me." Demi stood remembering what she needed to do. Frowning at her mother's entry, she went to work. "Are you worried?"
Eric understood what she was talking about, "A bit. We're outnumbered by a hundred, so there will be losses. But I'm not worried about losing." As he said it, Demi noticed he wasn't talking confidently, which meant he was more than a bit worried, or maybe he just really didn't like the idea of losing anybody. "Do you have everything you need?"
"Yep. I've got enough herbs here to last me through three winters." Demi had the herbs, but not the manpower to help all the injured that would soon come in. She could try healing everyone with magic, but it would drain her too quickly. Then Demi would have to draw energy from an outside force, and after taking so much during her escape, that wasn't an option. Once she took too much, she wouldn't want to stop.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm a little worried I won't be able to keep up with the flow of injured, and about what would happen to me would you lose, plus my ankles bothering me and so is my back, but other than that I'm just peachy." Demi rambled. She didn't usually ramble in front of other people, but with Eric, she seemed to do it much more.
"Don't worry everything will be fine," Eric reassured as he reached for her shaking hands. Demi hadn't even noticed them trembling. She was panicking about so much more but elected to ignore the irrational worries.
"I'm not too worried about everything, more everyone." Demi paused. "Well, more like just one." And that one was definitely not her.
"Why, Demi Viitor, are you saying that you are worried that I might get hurt?" Though his tone was teasing, Eric's eyes were full of unspoken emotion.
"Maybe," Demi said while averting her gaze. She couldn't let him see everything she felt at the moment. When Eric pulled her chin to face him, Demi still averted her eyes.
"Look at me." She looked up at him and decided to let him see her and her emotions for a moment. "Everything's going to be fine. I'm going to be fine, and so are you." Eric said it like he was trying to command everything to work out. However, Demi knew better, she knew that something would go to hell in the next few hours. Nothing in her life ever worked out perfectly.
She was about to voice her concerns when Eric leaned in closer and put his mouth to hers, effectively shutting her up. An intoxicating tingling sensation erupted from her lips and spread throughout her body. At that moment Demi realized that she'd wanted to do this for a long time, wanted Eric for a long time. He kissed her lightly, not deepening it, not like she wanted him to. It was more of a promise of what would come after the battle. It reassured Demi that they would see each other again, and continue what had been started.
When Eric did pull away, Demi felt the urge to pull him back. She wanted him to kiss her until both were gasping for breath. Instead, she said, "I don't want to see you back in here until the battles over." That was her way of saying be safe. Eric seemed to understand her meaning and walked out of the tent with a smirk on his face. He resembled a cat that had just caught a mouse in its trap.
Gods, what had Demi just gotten herself into. While she considered it, Eva came in beaming like all her dreams had come true. "What?" Demi asked.
"Nothing. But why was Eric so happy when he left?" By her tone, Eva knew exactly why he'd been so happy. Sighing deeply, Demi gave her the details of their conversation. "Anything else interesting?"
"Nope, nothing at all." Demi would never be sharing the details of their kiss. Which just happened to be her first. Though it was clear that Eva already knew. She made an mm-hmm noise that made Demi shake her head and laugh. "Where is the help you promised?"
"I told them to be ready, but thought that you and Eric would want some alone time." Eva wiggled her eyebrows as Demi threw a jar at her head. She easily caught it, "They'll be here as soon as the patrols spot the southern fae." Eva stopped and a serious look came to her face, "Did you tell him?" Demi knew what she was asking, instead of answering she just shrugged. "I'll take that as a no."
"You said after the battle. Plus I don't want him to be distracted, and I can't be distracted when I'm healing." Demi didn't really need to defend herself or her choices but felt like she owed Eva an explanation.
"Alright, I get it. But you need to tell him, especially after your conversation." Eva emphasized that last word while wiggling her eyebrows. Again Demi threw a jar at her, and again Eva caught it effortlessly. Stupid fae and their stupid reflexes.
Demi cursed as she put weight on her ankle. Eva's eyes instantly went to the injury and practically carried Demi over to the work table. "I could've done that myself," She grumbled when Eva started wrapping her ankle. When Demi tried to stand Eva stopped her.
"I'm going to get you a walking stick. Don't move." And that's how Demi found herself sitting alone in the healer's tent, cursing the fussy fae she called friends. She carefully brought her leg up and let magic flow through it. And, poof! Just like that, there was no more pain. "What are you doing?!" Eva half yelled when she came back and found Demi walking around.
"I'm fine, see," She said while hopping up and down on her foot. "Stop fussing, you're worse than the males" Before Eva could reply, about two dozen people rushed in. All were adults, and Demi guessed that they were here to help.
"Are they here?" She asked, somehow keeping her voice even, though her hands shook slightly. Nobody replied, only nodded. Eva hugged Demi and whispered a quick goodbye before leaving to find her mate. She wished that she could go fight alongside the males and Eva, but knew that her place was here.
A healer calm started to settle itself over Demi's mind, and she began shouting out orders almost instinctively. The others in the tent nervously went to work, and she could only hope that they'd be up to the job. Being a healer isn't for the weak-stomached, and the last thing Demi needed was somebody throwing up in the tent.