Perfekt Balance (The Ære Saga Book 3)

by S. T. Bende

  My heart thundered in my ears as I shouted at my brother. Fix him!

  My magic extends to protecting, defending, and killing. War-ish things. You’re the High Healer. Got any ideas?

  One look at the entry wound and I knew the restorative energy ball I’d used to heal myself wouldn’t be strong enough to overcome what Runa did to Forse. My rapid-fire pulse and nausea-inducing adrenaline surge did me no favors as I scanned my mental medical journal, honing in on several ways to heal an ailing heart. Each depended on knowing the exact specifications of the injury.

  What do we know about the crystal that gave Runa her powers? I asked.

  “Brynn, did Henrik get back to you with the crystal specs yet?” Tyr barked out loud.

  “Hold on.” Brynn checked her communicator. “Kind of. He’s still doing research, but he e-mailed limited findings while we were fighting.”

  “Convenient.” Forse coughed while I sent a prayer of gratitude. If he still had his sense of humor, then we still had time to heal him. But first I had to get a grip on my energy, and calm down enough to be of use.

  “Isn’t it though?” Brynn ran her finger along her arm. “He knows it’s a miliant crystal, but he hasn’t confirmed any of its properties yet.” She looked up. “Is Elsa in your head?”

  “Ja,” Tyr confirmed.

  “Does that help you diagnose Forse, Elsa?” Brynn asked. “Sorry we don’t know more.”

  It’ll have to do. I’d done more with less hundreds of times. If there was one thing healing had taught me, it was improvisation and calm under the face of stress.

  But it was hard to keep my panic at bay as I watched Forse’s eyes squeeze shut with a fresh wave of pain. Justice was strong—stronger than my brother, in a lot of ways. Seeing him hurting like this was agonizing.

  Hurry up, Else, Tyr urged.

  On it. I took a deep breath and processed Brynn’s words, running Henrik’s classification through a mental diagnostic. Miliants were extremely rare. Like, once-in-a-blue-moon, two-horned-unicorn, cheerful-jotun rare. They were indigenous to Svartalfheim and so far as I knew, there was only one other documented case of ingestion in…in ever.

  And that hadn’t ended well for anybody.

  “Arugh.” Forse groaned and gripped his chest. “It’s burning.”

  Oh gods. Burning wasn’t good. Tyr? Get the emergency healing kit out of Brynn’s backpack. I pressed my thoughts into his head.

  “Brynn, hand me your backpack,” Tyr snapped.

  Brynn threw the bag at Tyr. He plucked it out of the air with one hand, and withdrew the kit.

  Now what? he asked.

  Pull out the necklace—it’s a blue and green crystal that looks like it’s glowing. Hold it against Forse’s wound. A larimar crystal is a really powerful heart stone, and it will work especially well on Forse because of his connection to it. It won’t solve the problem, but it should strengthen his heart enough to slow the progression of the injury for a few minutes.

  Then what? Tyr’s thought sounded panicked.

  Then I think fast. Just get the crystal in place.

  Tyr did as instructed while I mentally scanned pages of medical journals, online reports—everything I’d read during the last two hundred years about miliant crystals. It felt like an eternity. My heart pulled every time Forse winced under the pain, but I finally stumbled on something that might work.

  I’ve got an idea. Your region of the realm should have hemian flowers and tomad roots, probably somewhere near that lake to your north. Tell Brynn to go by the water and look for a black-petaled flower that looks kind of like a rose, and a greenish moss that’s growing at the base of one of those big trees.

  Elsa, he’s really pale. Look at him.

  I drew a sharp breath as I took in Forse’s graying pallor. His cracked lips drew uneven breaths at alarmingly slow intervals, and a faint sheen lined his forehead. What the Helheim was going on? He was Asgardian—his heart should have healed on its own. Coupled with the larimar stone, and its powerful connection not only to its patient, but also to the High Healer who was using it, Forse should have been nearly out of the woods. He most certainly shouldn’t look like he was two steps from Hel’s gate. Whatever breed of miliant crystal Runa had ingested, it must have contained really dark magic…the kind that could kill a god.

  Tell Brynn to gather those two flowers, roots and all, and get back to you immediately, I ordered.

  Done.

  Brynn nodded as Tyr voiced his command, removing her now shredded fingernails from her mouth as she blurred to the trees. My attention shifted to Forse while she searched. This particular healing would require a direct application of physical elements, which meant I couldn’t separate my energy from Tyr and heal Forse as a spirit—I’d have to rely on my corporeal brother to do this with me. I’d never helped someone through another god before, but healing was more science than magic, and while Tyr was hardly what anyone would call a stellar student, we had enough experience sharing a mind that I knew he could be an exceptional instruction-follower.

  Gods, this had to work.

  “Got ’em.” Brynn blurred to Forse’s side, holding uprooted samples of the plants I requested.

  Good. I nodded. Tyr, start with the hemian flower. Magic out its heart.

  Since when do plants have hearts? Tyr’s head whirred as he looked the plant over from roots to petals.

  Since always. Not like our hearts, but they have an energy center like every other living being. Look at the top of the stem; where the petals meet the stalk. Use your abilities to extract the ball that’s giving off a subtle pulse. I made a note to explain energy systems to my brother yet again after we all got out of here.

  Tyr’s brain hummed as he narrowed his focus. Silvery sparks bounced around his head, a sign he was accessing his magic. When he touched the base of the flower, a sparkly energy raced through his mind, down his arm, and out his fingertips. It circled the hemian’s heart until it created an iridescent bubble. Tyr held a finger up and pulled it back slowly, withdrawing the bubble-encased-heart.

  Now what? Only my brother could make a thought sound like a grunt.

  Now take off Forse’s shirt and inject the hemian heart.

  Tyr ripped Forse’s black T-shirt over his head, and I was momentarily distracted by the image of Force’s spectacular stomach.

  Try to stay with us, Sis.

  Shut up! Warmth flooded my energy, and a series of images from a very vivid dream I’d had once upon a time flashed through my mind.

  Elsa, that’s gross! You’re my sister! Tyr shuddered. Sometimes, our little mind mash-ups ended in total mortification. We’d both seen things we wished we could unsee.

  Then don’t look, I hissed. Forse’s teeth began to chatter and his pallor dimmed a shade. Warm him up!

  “Brynn,” Tyr barked. He pointed at Forse’s exquisite, goose bump-covered chest.

  Hurry, I pressed.

  “Got it.” Brynn knelt behind Forse and slid her knees underneath his head. She folded herself over him so her arms enveloped his, and rubbed her hands along the bare skin.

  Now what? Tyr brought me back to the present.

  Now magic the flower’s center into his heart. Hold your free hand over his chest.

  “Brynn. Lean right.” Tyr barked. “You’re blocking my access.”

  Okay. Free hand over the chest, check. I need you to scan his aura to see if that iron wall’s still around his heart. Do you know how to do that?

  Please. Tyr gave a mental shove. I was scanning auras and reading minds when you were still in diapers.

  Just do it already.

  The silver sparks pinged around Tyr’s mind as he scanned Forse’s heart. No blocks. His heart’s wide open. And it is absolutely overflowing with love. Guess who it’s for? Tyr couldn’t help but smile as warmth flooded my energy once again.

  But my happy dance would have to wait.

  It’s good there’s a clear path to his heart, but I don’t understand how
it’s unblocked. There was a wall around it a few days ago—one so thick even a bomb couldn’t have burst it open…That’s it! My energy sparked.

  What? Tyr paused, his hand over Forse’s heart.

  The beam didn’t hit his heart; it hit the wall. The barrier he built to protect his heart is the reason he’s alive! I couldn’t believe it. Forse’s typically cautious approach to our relationship—and to everything in his life—suddenly seemed like our saving grace. If the exploding rock back at the battle site was indicative of what Runa’s blue beam of death could do, Forse’s heart should have stopped beating the minute he was hit. The fact that he was still breathing, albeit barely, meant the beam hadn’t touched his heart at all. His heart had been pierced by his own defenses. Granted his wall had probably been charged with the energy from Runa’s beam, but he would have received a transitive dose of dark energy, not a direct one.

  And that was something Tyr and I could definitely fix.

  Okay. Put the blue crystal aside and send the flower directly into his chest. Try to apply it to the spot where his heart was struck. It should look like a small bump, either an angry red one or a black one, depending on how much magic already got in.

  I see it, Tyr confirmed. The silver sparks in his head lit up as he held the hemian heart over Forse’s torso. As glitter rained inside Tyr’s mind, the flower passed inside Forse’s skin and through his sternum, then deposited itself neatly in the pebble-sized hole in his heart. The organ emitted a gold glow as it accepted the plant, absorbing its regenerative properties. Besides being an exceptional binding agent, hemian was known to promote honor and fidelity, virtues both innate in Forse’s genetic makeup and drilled into him as justice god. I knew its structure would repel any dark magic interfering with Forse’s healing ability.

  Rule number one of being High Healer: Darkness loathes light.

  It worked, I confirmed. The light show in Tyr’s head dimmed, and I felt him relax into relief.

  So he’s good then?

  Not yet. The hemian heart is repairing Forse’s, but you need to withdraw the lingering dark energy. Isolate the tomad root and use your fingertips to grind it into a powder. Then magic that on top of the hemian, I instructed.

  Forse shuddered as Tyr rubbed the root between his finger and thumb.

  “Is he doing okay?” Brynn asked.

  “Keep warming him,” Tyr ordered. “Elsa says we have to extract the dark energy now.”

  “Elsa,” Forse murmured. His head rolled to the side, a small smile playing at his lips. His energy pulsed weakly beneath pale gray skin. We needed to get that darkness out right now. He was delirious.

  Hurry! I urged.

  I am. Tyr sounded frustrated. The light show began anew as my brother magicked the tomad powder through Forse’s flesh. Forse’s skin brightened the minute the dust broke through his chest bone, and by the time it settled around his heart, Forse’s breathing had almost returned to normal.

  Leave the powder for thirty seconds then pull it out. The tomad should work like a magnet to draw all the dark energy out of Forse’s system. He’ll be exhausted and sore, but Odin willing, he’ll survive.

  Tyr followed my instructions, and within a minute Brynn cradled a healing, albeit battered, justice god in her arms.

  “He’s still cold,” Brynn’s fingertips grazed the goose bumps that peppered Forse’s arms.

  “Here.” Tyr threw Forse’s shirt at Brynn. She tugged it over his head, sliding his arms through the holes and covering the loveliest view in all the realms with disappointing ease.

  I can still hear you, Tyr complained.

  Shut up, Tyr! Fasten the larimar necklace around his neck. Its heart-healing properties will work on both energetic and physical levels, and should speed the recovery process. I waited while Tyr followed my instructions.

  “It’s on.” This time Tyr spoke out loud.

  Brynn looked up. “That was scary. Is Elsa doing okay in there?”

  Tyr met her gaze. “She’s upset you took away her view.”

  Brynn giggled, and even Forse gave a small smile. His eyelids flickered, then opened, and he looked up at Tyr with a reverence that filled me with joy. He’s okay!

  “You saved me,” Forse whispered quietly. He stared at Tyr, his eyes glowing with warmth.

  “It was nothing.” Tyr shrugged, but I could feel his relief. Tyr had been nearly as anxious as I was. “I owed you one from that time in Jotunheim when you jumped in front of that frost giant and—”

  “Not you.” Forse rolled his eyes. “Her. Is Elsa still in your head?”

  Yes! I screamed.

  “She is,” Tyr answered. “But if you don’t stop staring at me like a lovesick puppy, I’m going to ban her from my brain for life. This little infatuation fest is getting weird.”

  Tell him I miss him, I pressed.

  Tell him yourself, Tyr groaned. He’s awake. You can call him on the communicator now.

  Oh! That would be infinitely preferable to using my brother as a walkie-talkie.

  You said it, Tyr agreed.

  “Tell Elsa I miss her,” Forse murmured. I couldn’t help my grin.

  I miss you too! I shouted in Tyr’s head.

  “She misses you too,” Tyr muttered begrudgingly. “She’s going to call you any minute.”

  Forse smiled. His eyelids closed, no doubt heavy with both physical and mental exhaustion. I stared at his peaceful form, knowing underneath his shirt, his chest wound was already regenerating with fresh skin. The process would involve a good amount of pain, and he’d be wiped out for a few hours, maybe even a full day. But he would survive. And with his wall gone, he might finally be able to live—which was what I’d always dreamed for him.

  We need to let him sleep this off, I told my brother. That was a big-time healing, and his body’s going to need time to catch up. Ask him to call me when he wakes up.

  Will do. The minute he’s well enough to travel, we’re coming after you again, Tyr vowed. But I don’t think it’s smart to split up this soon after an attack.

  I agree. Just take care of Forse. And be careful, I warned. Runa is on a warpath. She wants Fenrir, and she’s willing to kill Forse to get me to give up his location.

  You don’t know the dog’s location, Tyr said.

  She thinks she can make me use my gift to track him.

  She doesn’t know you very well, does she? I could hear Tyr’s smile in his words.

  Nope.

  Tyr sighed. We’ll get out of here together. Be safe out there. Wherever you are.

  I love you too, big brother.

  With one final look at Forse, I withdrew my energy from Tyr’s head and made my way back to my body. It was cold in my tower, but I didn’t care about the chill. As soon as Forse woke up, I’d get to talk to the god I loved. And on a deep, knowing level, I could sense that he loved me back.

  I just had to wait for him to realize it.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “HEI.” I EXHALED AS I spoke, releasing the tension of the past few hours into one breath. My fingers loosened their grip on my forearm, my knuckles cracking as they stretched for the first time in thirty minutes. Apparently, willing my arm to ring hadn’t been particularly efficient.

  “Hei,” Forse repeated. “I’m sorry that I slept for so long.”

  “Don’t be. Your body needed the rest.” Physical beings took much longer to recover than their energetic counterparts. We’d removed a significant amount of dark energy from Forse’s heart. It would have taken a mortal days to recover from a healing of that level, if they’d been able to recover at all. Thankfully for my nerves, Asgardian bodies were much more efficient.

  “What I needed was to talk to you.” Forse looked so serious, it caught me off guard.

  “Are you okay?” I asked cautiously.

  “Thanks to you, I am.”

  “It was nothing,”

  “It was everything,” Forse corrected. “But why am I wearing your necklace? How did you get it t
o Tyr?”

  “I tucked it into the emergency kit before we left, just in case,” I admitted. “I was afraid I’d lose it if I wore it around my neck on the Bifrost trip, but it was too special to leave behind. I’ll expect you to return it to me the minute I see you.”

  “Deal.” Forse smiled. “You know I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you.”

  I waved my hand. “It was a group effort. Tyr technically performed the healing; I just talked him through the steps. Besides, that necklace did half the work for us. Larimar heals the heart on both physical and energetic levels, and because that particular crystal was a gift from you to me, its tie to both of us increased its potency. So in a way, you saved yourself.”

  “When are you going to realize how incredibly special you are?” Forse rubbed his jaw. “Your gift is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

  “Thanks, but that’s not true. We have lots of healers,” I reminded him. “Any one of them could have extracted the dark magic.”

  “Ja. They’ve worked on me before, and it was nothing like what I felt when you did…whatever it is you do. Hel, it was even different from the other times you’ve worked on me. Did you change your approach?”

  No, you did. You dropped your wall and you can actually feel now, you robot. I wanted to shout the truth at him, but Forse’s feelings were something he’d have to sort through on his own. It would have been nice if he’d sorted them before I got trapped in a lunatic’s tower, but one worked with the hand one was dealt.

  “I think you’re going to find you’re seeing things with a lot more clarity from now on,” I answered honestly. “Runa’s beam knocked some, erm, extraneous matter loose, and Tyr and I just cleared out the remnants.”

  “Huh. Well, whatever you did, thank you. My mind feels more refreshed than it has in years. If I had my caseload in front of me, I’d be able to work clear through my spring sentencings in two, three hours tops.”

  “Good. Then I did my job.”

  Forse held up his forearm so I could see him as he lay on his back. If the bags beneath his eyes were any indication, the poor guy was still exhausted.