Chapter 44 CHAPTER 44
The healer was horrified at the state of me when Master Florian deposited me in the healing pool with my clothes still on.
I was horrified that I would have to go to the library with wet clothes and he was… I don't know… sad?
I couldn't figure the dragon rider out and I don't even know why I was trying to.
“Florian, you were asked to train her to get stronger, not rearrange her bone structure!”
Her words suddenly made me aware of how broken I was. The pain had been so far away from my mind, my body had adjusted to the feeling but in this water, with the healer putting attention to it, I felt every broken bone that had healed itself.
“The Principal knows every Instructor’s style of teaching Eruwan,” he breathed as he lounged on a couch by the far left, “and he knows that this is the only way for her to get stronger. Put her back in shape instead of quizzing me about my methods, will you?”
The slender-looking woman with a tail huffed out and then began walking towards the pool.
The temperature hadn't registered in my mind until she dipped her hand inside and she pulled it out immediately, making me realize the smoke wasn't actually from it being too cold and my body being hot clashing with it.
I was in a boiling temperature level of water and I didn't even feel it.
How was I going to adjust back on earth?
What if I never do?
“Alright pretty girl,” the healer sent a smile my way, the type Kassandra failed to hide, “let's get you in tip top shape for tomorrow, shall we?”
I watched her walk through a step by the other side of the stony pool and waded into the waters, her flowy white gown carried behind her by the water.
This place was literally putting me through all the fantasy scenes I'd watched since growing up. Maybe someone on their team is from Drakkonia.
“What do you need me to do?”
“Stop talking,” she warned, her voice a whisper that was still loud in my ears.
She took my hand and pulled me towards the middle of the pool, and I realized Master Florian had put me on the shallow end where I'd perched for the past ten minutes.
So here in the middle, the water got to my neck.
“Look what that wild beast did to you,” she grumbled as she looked me over.
“He's not a wild –”
“Hush!” Her eyes shone with anger, “You dare not defend him. You don't know anything and I have told you to keep your mouth shut!”
“No can do Ma'am,” I shook off her hand, irritation boiling in my guts. “If he wasn't doing me a favour, he wouldn't have brought me here to get healed. His methods are written in the Fourth Volume of the Drakhis, the fighting Tome that we need to defeat the Faes. Isn't that what all of this is for?”
“You must be stronger than they give you credit for,” she sighed as she finished checking my body. “Any normal person would be screaming from the medicines in the pool now.”
That was when I noticed it.
Her tail was emitting something red and it was gradually tainting the blue water, spreading it towards me and I watched it gradually seep into my bones.
The relief was immense, my body sang with calmness and I felt the healed parts get stronger.
“Oh that's why you're the healer,” I realized out loud.
“Everyone in my family is. Some are just very accomplished and the rest of us are decorating ornaments for officials who will never wield a sword in their lives.”
“You must feel very accomplished then, working here.”
“It's the dream of all, but the greatest honour is riding into battle with a warrior. My sister rides with your instructor and she never tires of telling me about his strength on the battlefield.”
I ignored the stupid pull in my chest that seemed a lot like jealousy but I knew it couldn't be. I mean, why would I feel that way?
“That's why you were calling him a wild beast?”
“Not just that,” she whispered, taking my hair dragging me backwards till my head dipped into the water, “he's not one of us.”
“Something we have in common I guess.”
“What's that?” She gasped, pointing to my glowing marks.
“Marks that I got when I got here,” I replied as I pulled my head out of her hold gently, “it glows sometimes.”
“It's a mating mark. You have three mating marks!”
She was overreacting, right? She's not the first to have seen it so why was she behaving like I'd killed someone and buried them in my neck?
“Another reason why I'm not one of you right?”
“You sound too calm for this Alira!”
“What seems to be the problem?” Master Florian demanded, standing up.
“Don't come here!” She snapped at him, and I frowned at the disrespect for someone of his status.
“What does having three mating marks mean?” I pressed.
“You're a child of destiny, but the cost of that,” she shook her head.
“I feel better now,” I told her, “can I leave now?”
“Stay in the water for five more minutes,” she grumbled and began wading out of the water.
“There's no clock here but no problem.”
I closed my eyes and dunked into the water, loving the way it filled me with calmness.
Throughout our interactions, I knew it could have gotten out of hand.
Every time she called him a wild beast, I felt that familiar surge of anger but the water quelled it.
And then this whole talk of sacrifices, hmph!
That's only if I don't find a way out of here, otherwise, destiny can find someone else to bother.
So I knew that if I didn't have somewhere to be at, I would have stayed longer than five minutes in here.
“I'll be leaving now,” Master Florian said, making me pull my head out of the water to see him standing by the end of the pool.
“Thank you sir.”
“Remember what I told you, I don't want to have to keep doing this, no one can help you get over that fear except you.”
“Then we're in for a long ride Master Florian,” I breathed, “because I have no idea how to do any of that.”
He looked at me with a long frown.
“I know exactly what to do.”
And then he walked away, leaving me in suspense.
I climbed out of the water after a bit of time and I felt stronger than ever.
Since Miss Eruwan had disappeared as well, I took that as my chance to leave, dripping and everything.
Today, I would scour that entire library until I found something to help me get out of here.
I'm not sacrificing anything and I don't want to find out what Master Florian is preparing to do to make me transform into wolverine between now and tomorrow evening.
It's time to put this magical place behind me.