Alternative Life
Page 27
"Yes,-iI-iknow."-iUrien-isaid.-i"What-iI-iwant-ito-italk-ito-iyou-iabout-iis-ihow-iwe-iare-igoing-ito-ihelp-iyou."
###-iChapter-i115-i--iMeeting-iof-ithe-iMinds-i(part-i5)
"The-iIron-iHounds-ihave-icaused-ius-ino-iend-iof-igrief-ithese-ipast-iyears,-iand-inow-ithey've-inearly-idestroyed-ius.-iI-ithink-iit's-itime-iwe-ireturn-ithe-ifavor-iand-itake-ithe-ifight-ito-ithem-ifor-ia-ichange."-iUrien-isaid.
"Are-iyou-ieven-iable-ito-ido-ithat?"-iJames-iasked.-i"You've-ilost-ia-ithird-iof-iyour-ipeople,-iand-ianother-ithird-iare-itoo-iwounded-ito-ifight.-iI-imean,-idon't-iget-ime-iwrong,-iUrien,-iI'm-igrateful-ithat-iyou-iall-iwant-ito-ihelp,-ibut-"
Urien-iheld-iup-ihis-ihand,-iand-iJames-ifell-isilent.
"James,-iare-iyou-iabsolutely-icertain-iyou-iknow-iwhere-ithe-iHound-icamp-iis-ilocated?"-iHe-iasked.
James-inodded.-i"Yes,-iI-iam."
"Then-iI-iappreciate-iyour-iconcern-ifor-ius.-iI-ireally-ido.-iBut-ithis-iwas-idecided-ibefore-iyou-ientered-ithis-iroom."-iUrien-isaid.-i"We-ihave-ibeen-itrying-ito-ilocate-iit-ifor-iyears.-iEvery-iscout-isent-iout-ifor-ithat-ipurpose-ihas-inot-icome-iback.-iWe-iare-inot-igoing-ito-imiss-iout-ion-ithe-iopportunity-ito-irepay-isome-ifavors,-ieven-iwith-iour-idiminished-inumbers."
James-iwanted-ito-iprotest,-ibut-iwhat-icould-ihe-isay?-iHe-icouldn't-ipoint-iout-ithat-ithey'd-iall-iprobably-idie,-ibecause-ithey'd-ijust-ipoint-iout-ithat-ihe'd-iprobably-iend-iup-ithe-isame.-iBut-iwho-iwas-ihe-ikidding?-iWhat-ihe-iwas-iplanning-ion-iwas-ifunctionally-ia-isuicide-imission.-iHe-ihighly-idoubted-ithat-ithe-ijumps-ihis-istats-ihad-imade-iin-ithe-ilast-ifew-idays-iwould-ibe-ienough-ito-iovercome-iwhat-icould-ibe-ihundreds-iof-ignoll-ifighters.-iYes,-iwhat-ihe-iwas-idoing-iwas-iincredibly-istupid,-ibut-iwhat-ielse-icould-ihe-ido?-iHe-ihad-ino-ichance-iof-ibeing-iable-ito-ido-ithis-ion-ihis-iown.-iAnd-ilike-iUrien-ijust-isaid,-ithey-iweren't-idoing-ithis-ifor-ihim.-iNot-ireally.-iHe-iwas-iactually-ihelping-ithem-iout.-iHe-ididn't-ilike-iit,-ibut-ihe-ineeded-ithem-ias-imuch-ias-ithey-ineeded-ihim.-iAnd-iwhat-ibrave-ihero-ihas-iever-isucceeded-iwithout-ihelp?
"Then-iI-iwill-ibe-iglad-ito-ihave-iyour-ihelp."-iJames-isaid.-i"We're-igonna-ineed-iall-ithe-ihelp-iwe-ican-iget."
Farien-iglanced-ifrom-iJames-ito-ihis-ibrother-iand-iback.
"That's-ifine-iand-igreat,-iexcept-iwho's-igoing-ion-ithis-isuicide-imission?-iWe-ionly-ihave-ia-ihandful-iof-iable-bodied-ifighters-ileft,-iand-iI'm-iclearly-iin-ino-iplace-ito-ido-iany-ifighting"-iHe-isaid,-imotioning-ito-ihis-iarm.
"The-iCompany-ican-ispare-iabout-ia-idozen,-iwhich-iI-iwill-ibe-ileading."-iUrien-isaid.-i"You-iwill-iremain-iat-icamp-iwith-ithe-iwounded-iand-ithe-irest-iof-iour-ifighters."
"A-idozen-imen-iwon't-ieven-ibe-ienough-ito-iget-iinside-itheir-idoorstep,-imuch-iless-idefeat-ithem."-iFarien-isnorted.
"I-iwill-ibe-igoing-iwith-ithem.-iAnd-iI've-icalled-iin-isome-ifavors-ifrom-isome-iof-ithe-iregional-iguilds.-iWhile-iIt-iwon't-ibe-ia-ilarge-iforce,-iit-iwill-ibe-ia-icompetent-ione."-iFarlo-isaid.
"I-iwill-ibe-igoing-ias-iwell."-iAbigail-ichimed-iin.
When-ishe-isaid-ithis,-iUrien's-ihead-ijerked-iaround-ito-ilook-iat-iher.-iSeeing-ihis-iexpression,-ishe-ismiled-iand-iraised-ian-ieyebrow.
"What?-iYou-iseriously-iweren't-iexpecting-iyour-ibest-imagic-iuser-ito-istay-ibehind,-iwere-iyou?"-iShe-iasked.
"Abbie,-ino-"-iUrien-istarted,-ibut-iAbigail-ishook-iher-ihead.
"I'm-icoming,-iand-ithat's-ifinal.-iI-ihave-ias-imuch-iright-ito-ikill-ithe-ifleabags-ias-iyou-ido.-iAnd-ibesides,-iyou're-igoing-ito-ineed-imy-ihelp-iif-iyou-iencounter-icasters-iin-itheir-inumbers."-iShe-isaid.-i"So-ishush-iand-isay-ithank-iyou."
Urien-igave-iher-ia-ilook-ithat-iequally-iread-i"God-iI-ilove-iyou"-iand-i"I-ireally-ihate-iyou-iright-ithis-isecond".
"Well,-iI-iguess-ithat's-isettled,-ithen."-iUrien-isaid.-iHe-iturned-ito-iFarlo.
"How-ilong-iuntil-ithe-iguilds-iarrive?"-iHe-iasked.
"They-ishould-iarrive-ibefore-inightfall."-iFarlo-isaid.
"Then-iwe-ihave-ithe-iday-ito-iprepare.-iLet's-ihope-iit's-ienough-itime."-i
###-iChapter-i116-i--iEleanor-iMeets-iMarg'faz
Sometime-ilater,-iafter-ishe'd-irested-iher-ieyes-ia-iwhile,-iEleanor's-irecovery-iwas-iinterrupted-iby-ithe-iarrival-iof-itwo-ignoll-iguards,-ione-iof-iwhom-iunfastened-iher-ineck-ichain-iwhile-ithe-iother-ipulled-iher-iroughly-ito-iher-ifeet.-iThe-isearing-ipain-iin-iher-ileg-icaused-iher-ito-iyelp,-iand-iwhen-ithe-iguard-ipulling-iher-iup-inoticed-ithe-istate-iof-iher-ilimb,-ihe-igrunted-iand-ithrew-iher-iover-ihis-ishoulder.-iThe-iposition-iwas-ifar-ifrom-icomfortable,-iand-iseverely-iimpaired-iher-iability-ito-isee-ianything-ior-iact,-ibut-iconsidering-ithe-ialternative-iof-ibeing-idrug-ialong-ion-ia-ishattered-ileg,-ishe-iwasn't-icomplaining.
The-ignolls-icarried-iher-ithrough-ione-ipassageway-iafter-ianother-iuntil-ithey-ientered-ithe-ifamiliar-ienvironment-iof-ithe-ignoll-ivillage.-iShe-iexpected-ithat-ithey-iwere-itaking-iher-ito-isee-ithe-iShaman-iagain,-ibut-ito-iher-isurprise-iand-iconfusion,-ithey-iinstead-iturned-iinto-ithe-icenter-iof-ithe-ivillage,-iworking-itheir-iway-iaround-iand-ibetween-ihuts-iand-icooking-ifires-iuntil-ithey-istopped-iat-ia-ismall-ihovel.-iThe-ignoll-iholding-iher-iknocked-iwith-ihis-ifree-ihand,-iand-iafter-ia-imoment,-ithe-idoor-iof-ithe-ishack-icreaked-iopen,-iand-ithe-itwo-ignoll-iguards-ispoke-ito-isomeone-istanding-iinside-iin-ia-iseries-iof-ibarks-iand-isnarls,-ibefore-ithe-ione-icarrying-iher-iwalked-iinside,-iand-iunceremoniously-idropped-iher-ionto-ia-irough-icot-ion-ithe-ileft-iside-iof-ithe-ione-room-ibuilding.-iThe-isudden-iimpact-isent-ianother-iwave-iof-iagony-ithrough-iher-ithigh,-iand-ishe-igrit-iher-iteeth-ito-imuffle-ia-iscream.
The-itwo-iguards-isaid-isomething-ielse-iin-itheir-idog-itongue,-ibefore-iwalking-iout-iof-ithe-ibuilding.-iClosing-ithe-idoor-ibehind-ithe-iguards,-ia-ithird-ignoll-ipulled-ia-ilatchbolt-iinto-iplace,-iand-iturn-iits-iattention-itowards-iEleanor.-iThis-ignoll-iwas-imuch-islimmer-ithan-ithe-iguards,-iand-ishorter.-iInstead-iof-iarmor-ior-ileathers,-iit-iwas-idraped-iin-ia-imyriad-iof-ipatterned-ifabrics-iin-istriking-icolors,-iand-iseveral-ilong-iearrings-ihung-ifrom-ieach-iof-iits-ilarge-idog-iears.-iIts-idark-imuzzle-iwas-ialso-ishot-ithrough-iwith-igrey-iand-iwhite,-iwhich-imeant-iit-iwas-iprobably-ipretty-iold-iby-ignoll-istandards.-iThe-ioverall-ieffect-igave-iher-ithe-iimpression-iof-ian-iold-iwoman.-iThe-icreature-iappraised-iEleanor-ifor-ia-imoment,-ithen-ispoke.
"It-iseems-ithey've-itreated-iworse-ithen-ithey've-itold-ime."-iThe-ignoll-isaid.-iIts-ivoice-iwas-ihigher-ithan-ithe-iothers,-isofter-ieven.-iThere-iwas-ino-ihint-iof-iaccent-ior-idistortion-iin-itheir-iwords.-iWith-iher-ieyes-iclosed,-iEleanor-iwould-ihave-imistaken-ithe-iwords-ifor-icoming-ifrom-ia-ihuman-iwoman.-iThe-ignoll-iwalked-iover-ito-iwhere-iEleanor-ilay,-iand-ifolded-iits-iknees-iunder-iitself-ias-iit-isat-idown-inext-ito-ithe-icot.-iThe-icreature-ilooking-iover-iher-iwounds-iand-ithe-istate-iof-iher-idress,-iand-ishook-iits-ihead-iwith-ia-isigh.-i"Embarrassing."
Eleanor-istared-iat-ithe-ignoll,-iuncertain-iof-ihow-ito-ireact,-iuntil-ithe-ignoll-ifinally-ispoke-iagain.
"What-iis-iyour-iname,-ichild?"-iThe-ignoll-iwoman-iasked.
"Eleanor."-iEleanor-ireplied-icautiously.
"Hello-iEleanor.-iWould-iyou-icare-ifor-isome-itea?"-ishe-iasked.
Uncertain-iof-iwhat-ito-iexpect,-iEleanor-inodded,-iand-ithe-ignoll-iwoman-irose,-iseveral-iof-iher-ijoints-ipopping-ias-ishe-idid-iso.-iThe-iwoman-igrimaced,-iand-icast-iEleanor-ia-iglance-ithat-iseemed-ito-iimply-i"yes,-igetting-iold-iis-ias-ipainful-ias-iit-isounds".
The-ignoll-iwoman-iwalked-iover-ito-ia-ikettle-iset-iover-ia-ilow-ifire-ion-ithe-ifar-iside-iof-ithe-iroom,-iand-ifilled-ia-iwooden-icup-iwith-iit-ibefore-iwalking-iback-iand-ihanding-iit-ito-iEleanor,-iwho-igingerly-ishifted-iher-iposition-imore-iupright-ito-iaccept-ithe-icup.-iThe-itea-iwas-ipungent,-ibut-iwhen-ishe-isipped-iit,-iit-itasted-isurprisingly-isweet-iand-ispicy,-iand-isend-ia-ihaze-ia-iwarmth-iradiatting-iout-ito-iher-ilimbs-ifrom-iher-icenter.-iWhile-ishe-icouldn't-ibe-icertain,-ishe-ihad-ia-ihunch-ithere-iwas-isomething-ialchemical-ior-imagical-iin-ithe-itea.
###-iChapter-i117-i--iEleanor-iMeets-iMarg'faz-i(part-i2)
As-iif-ito
-iconfirm-iher-isuspicions,-iwithin-imoments-ithe-ipain-iin-iher-ileg-ibegan-ito-ilessen.
As-iEleanor-isipped-ion-ithe-itea,-ithe-ignoll-iwoman-ispoke-iagain.
"I'm-isure-iyou're-iwondering-iwho-iI-iam,-ior-iwhy-iyou're-ihere."-iShe-isaid,-ikneeling-idown-inext-ito-iEleanor-iagain.-i
"You-icould-isay-ithat."-iEleanor-isaid,-imeeting-ithe-iwoman's-igaze.-iTo-iher-isurprise,-ithe-ieyes-ishe-imet-iwere-isoft.-iSeeing-isomeone-ilook-iat-iher-ias-imore-ithan-ia-itool-ior-ia-ifuture-imeal-imade-iher-ifeel-imore-ithan-ia-ilittle-iuneasy.
"Marg'faz"-iThe-iwoman-isaid,-iin-iwhat-isounded-ilike-ia-imixture-ibetween-ia-ibark-iand-ia-isnarl.
The-isudden-ishift-iin-itone-icaused-iEleanor-ito-iflinch.-i"I'm-isorry?"
"My-iname.-iIt's-iMarg'faz."-iThe-iwoman-iresponded,-iseemingly-iunruffled-iby-iEleanor's-ireaction.-i"You-iwere-ibrought-ihere-iat-imy-irequest.-iAs-iit-iis-inow,-imy-ison-idoes-inot-iknow-iI-iam-ispeaking-ito-iyou.-iHowever,-iit-iis-isafe-ito-isay-ithat-iwhen-ihe-ifinds-iout,-ihe-iwill-iput-ian-iend-ito-iit."-iShe-isaid.
Eleanor-ifurrowed-iher-ibrow.-i"Your-ison?"
"The-icurrent-ichieftain-iof-iour-iclan.-iI-ibelieve-iyou're....-iwell-acquainted."-iMarg'faz-isaid,-iglancing-iacross-iEleanor's-ibody-iand-igrimacing.-i"Females-iare-iforbidden-ifrom-ichieftainship-iin-iour-iclan,-ior-ielse-iwe-iwould-inot-ibe-ihaving-ithis-iconversation-iin-ia-ihovel-iinstead-iof-ithe-ithrone-iroom.-iI-ithankfully-ihave-ienough-irespect-ito-igive-isome-iof-ithe-iguards-iorders-iwithout-ibeing-iquestioned,-iat-ileast."
The-ithought-ithat-ithis-ignoll-iwoman-iwas-ithe-imother-iof-ithe-imonster-ishe'd-ifought-ibefore-iand-isuffered-iunder-imade-iEleanor-iqueasy.-iIt-ialso-iput-iher-iat-ihuge-iamounts-iof-irisk.-iSure,-ishe-iseemed-iunthreatening,-iperhaps-iand-ikind,-iand-iseemed-ito-iwant-idiscretion,-ibut-ihow-idid-ishe-iknow-ithis-ibeing-iwouldn't-ijust-isell-iher-iout-ilater,-ior-iwasn't-itrying-ito-itreat-iher-ibetter-ito-imake-iher-imore-icompliant?-iAll-iof-ithis-iset-iher-iinternally-ion-iguard,-iand-ishored-iup-iher-imental-idefenses-iagainst-ithe-istrange-ifeeling-iof-itrustworthiness-ishe-ifelt-iemanating-ioff-iof-iMarg'faz.
"He-iand-iI-ihave....-idiffering-iopinions-iabout-ithe-idirection-iof-ithe-iclan's-iactions,-iand-itreatment-iof-iother-iraces-iin-igeneral.-iBut,-ithat's-inot-iimportant-inow.-iWhat's-iimportant-inow-iis-itending-ito-ithese-iwounds-iof-iyours."-iThe-ignoll-iwoman-icontinued.-iShe-irose-iwith-ianother-ichorus-iof-icracks-iand-icreaks,-iand-iwalked-iover-ito-ia-icabinet-ion-ithe-iwall,-iwhich-ishe-iopened-iand-ibegan-itaking-ivarious-ipouches,-ibottles,-iand-iother-iitems-iout-iof-iand-isetting-ithem-ion-ithe-ifloor-iof-ithe-ihut-inear-ithe-ibed.
Tending-iher-iwounds?-iNo,-ithere-iwas-ino-iway-ithings-iwere-igoing-ito-ibe-ithis-isimple.-iThen-iagain,-ithe-ignolls-ihad-ikept-iher-iin-iperfect-ihealth-ibefore-ishe-iwas-iattacked.-iIf-ithat-iis-ireally-iwhat-iwas-iabout-ito-ihappen,-ishe-icould-inot-ibelieve-iher-iluck.-iHer-irecovery-iwas-ithe-ionly-imajor-ihurdle-ito-iher-iescape,-iand-iher-ishe-iwas-iabout-iit-ihave-iit-icompletely-iremoved-iwithout-ihaving-ito-ifigure-iout-iall-iof-ithe-isigils-iand-iincantations-iand-iacquire-iall-iof-ithe-icomponents.
Something-iabout-ithis-iwas-ifar-itoo-igood-ito-ibe-itrue.
"Lie-iback-iand-iraise-iyour-idress,-idear."-iThe-ignoll-iwoman-isaid,-ipicking-iup-ia-ibrown-ibottle.
"Why-iare-iyou-ihealing-ime?"-iEleanor-iasked,-ilooking-iMarg'faz-iin-ithe-ieyes.-i"There's-ino-ireason-ifor-ime-ito-ibe-iwell-ito-iserve-iyour-ison's-ipurposes,-iand-iyou-ihave-ijust-isaid-iyourself-iif-ihe-ifound-iout-iwe-iwere-ieven-italking-ihe'd-iput-ian-iend-ito-iit.-iWhat's-iyour-ipurpose-ifor-ihelping-ime?"
"Keep-iyour-ivoice-idown,-igirl."-iMarg'faz-isaid,-iher-ivoice-ia-ilow-isnarl-ias-iher-iears-itwitched-iaround-ifor-ia-imoment-ibefore-ishe-iseemed-ito-ibe-isatisfied-ithat-ino-ione-ihad-ibeen-ilistening-iin.
"I-iam-ihelping-iyou-ibecause-iI-iwant-iyour-ihelp-iwith-isomething-iin-ireturn.-iAnd-iif-iyou're-iin-inot-iin-iany-iposition-ito-iwant-ito-irefuse-imy-irequest,-iall-ithe-ibetter."-iMarg'faz-isaid-isimply.-i"Now-ilie-iback,-iplease."-i
###-iChapter-i118-i--iEleanor-iMeets-iMarg'faz-i(part-i3)
For-ia-imoment,-iEleanor-ididn't-iknow-ihow-ito-iproceed.-iHere-iwas-isomeone-iwho-ididn't-ipresent-ithemselves-ias-ian-iimmediate-ithreat-itrying-ito-itake-icare-iof-iher,-iand-ispeaking-inegtively-iabout-ithose-iwho'd-ihurt-iher.-iBut-ithis-iperson-iwas-ialso-ithe-imother-iof-ithe-iShaman-iwho'd-ibeaten-iand-iabused-iher,-iand-ishe-ihad-ino-iway-iof-iknowing-iif-ithis-istrange-ignoll-iwoman-icould-ibe-itrusted.
But-iwhat-ichoice-idid-ishe-ihave?-iIf-ishe-irefused,-iwhat-iwould-iMarg'faz-ido-ito-iher?-iWould-ithe-iold-iwoman-ijust-isummon-ithe-iguards-iand-ihave-iher-ihauled-iback-ito-iher-ichain-ipost,-ior-iwould-isomething-ifar-iworse-ihappen?-iAnd-iwhat-iif-ithe-ichieftain-ifound-iout-iabout-itheir-imeeting?-iWhat-iwould-ihe-ido-ito-iher-ithen?-iThe-iodds-iof-isomething-ibad-ihappening-iwere-ihigh,-iand-ithe-iodds-iof-isomething-iworking-iout-iin-iany-iway-ifavorable-iwere-ipretty-imuch-inon-existent.
On-ithe-iother-ihand,-ishe-icould-iaccept-ithe-iold-iwoman's-iaid,-iin-iwhatever-iform-iit-itook,-iand-iuse-iit-ito-iher-iadvantage-iwhile-ihoping-ithe-iold-iwoman's-irequest-iwas-inot-iworse-ithan-ithe-ialternative-iof-iwounds-iand-ibondage.-iThe-iworst-ithat-icould-ihappen-iis-ithat-iMarg'faz-iwould-isell-iher-iout-iafter-itreating-iher.-iBut-ithat-iwouldn't-imake-ia-ilot-iof-isense-iunless-ithe-isole-ipurpose-iwas-ifor-ithe-ichieftain's-ipleasure.-iShe-iwouldn't-iput-iit-ipast-ithe-imonster,-ibut-ieven-iin-ispite-iof-ihis-icleverness,-ishe-idoubted-ihe'd-ibe-ithat-isophisticated-iin-ihis-itorture-imethods.-iAnd-ihonestly,-iwhat-icould-ihappen-ito-iher-ithat-ishe'd-inot-ialready-iexperienced-ialready?-i
Next-iworst-ioption-iwould-ibe-ithat-iMarg'faz-iwould-idemand-isomething-ihorrifying-iin-ireturn.-iBut-iwhat-icould-ishe-iask-ifor-ithat-iEleanor-iwouldn't-iaccept-iand-ido-iif-iit-imeant-iher-iescape?-iNothing-icould-ibe-itoo-igrotesque-ito-inot-ibe-iworth-ihaving-iher-ifreedom-iagain.
The-ilast-ialternative-iwas-ithat-iMarg'faz-iwas-iin-isome-iway-igenuinely-igood,-iand-iwas-ihelping-iout-iof-ibenevolence,-iand-iwould-ionly-iask-ifor-iEleanor's-ihelp-iwith-isomething-ireasonable,-ibut-iotherwise-inot-ipossible-iwithout-iher.
Weighing-iall-iof-ithis,-iit-iseemed-ithat-ithere-ireally-iwas-ino-itrue-idownside-ito-isaying-iyes-ito-ithe-iwoman's-irequest.
"Alright.-iWhat-ido-iyou-iwant-ifrom-ime?"-iShe-iasked.
Marg'faz-ilooked-iat-iEleanor,-iand-ithe-iposture-iof-iher-iface-ishifted-iinto-iwhat-iwas-iprobably-imeant-ito-ibe-ia-ismile.
"Excellent.-iI-iwill-ibe-iglad-ifor-iyour-ihelp.-iBut,-ibefore-iwe-iget-iinto-ithe-idetails-iof-iwhat-iI-iwill-ineed-iyou-ifor,-iwe-ineed-ito-iget-iyour-ileg-iand-iother-iinjuries-isorted.-iOnce-iagain,-ilie-iback,-iplease."
Laying-iback-ionto-ithe-icot-iand-ishifting-iher-iposition,-iEleanor-istared-iup-iat-ithe-iceiling-ias-ishe-igingerly-iwalked-ithe-ihem-iof-iher-ibattered-idress-iup-iwith-iher-ifingertips,-iuntil-iit-iup-ito-iher-iupper-ithigh-iand-ipast-ithe-ipoint-iof-ithe-ibreak.-iMarg'faz-ishifted-iher-ipostion-iso-ithat-ishe-iwas-ileaning-iover-iEleanor's-ibody,-iand-ishe-iseemed-ito-itake-isudden-iintense-iinterest-iin-iEleanor's-ileg,-iwhich-ishe-ileaned-iin-icloser-ito-iinspect.
"Well,-iyou've-ibeen-iworking-ifaster-ithan-iI-iexpected."-iMarg'faz-isaid-isimply,-icasting-iEleanor-ia-isideways-iglance.
Looking-idown,-iEleanor's-iheart-inearly-istopped-iwhen-ishe-isaw-ithe-iwritten-ispell-iformulae-itemporarily-imarked-ion-ithe-iinsides-iof-iher-ithighs-iwere-iclearly-ivisible.-iOh-igod,-ishe-ihadn't-ieven-ibeen-ithinking-iabout-ithat!-iHow-icould-ishe-ihave-iforgotten?-iThe-isudden-irealization-ithat-ishe'd-iaccidentally-ijust-igiven-iaway-iher-ientire-iplan-iof-iescape-iset-iher-iinto-ia-ilight-headed-ipanic-ias-iher-ibreath-icame-iquickly-iand-ishe-ihad-ithe-ioverwhelming-iurge-ito-itry-iand-irun-iaway.
"Breathe,-igirl.-iThere-iis-ino-ineed-ifor-ialarm."-iMarg'faz-isaid-isimply,-iher-ieyes-imeeting-iEleanor's.-i"Who-ido-iyou-isuppose-iinstructed-ithe-icooks-ito-ileave-ithe-ibowl-iand-ispoon-ibehind?"-i
###-iChapter-i119-i--iEleanor-iMeets-iMarg'faz-i(part-i4)
Eleanor's-ieyes-iwidened,-ibut-ibefore-ishe-icould-irespond,-iMarg'faz-igently-i
but-ifirmly-iplaced-iher-ihand-ion-iEleanor's-ishoulder-iand-ipushed-iher-iback-iflat,-iseemingly-ioblivious-ito-ithe-itemperature-iof-iher-iskin.
"I-iknow-iyou-iwant-ianswers,-ibut-ianswers-ican-icome-ishortly.-iI-idon't-iknow-ihow-imuch-itime-iwe-iwill-ihave,-iand-iI-ineed-ito-imove-iquickly-iif-iI-iam-igoing-ito-iget-iyou-iback-iin-ishape."-iThe-ignoll-iwoman-isaid.
She-ireached-idown-ibeside-iherself,-ipicked-iup-ia-iclear-iglass-ivial-ithat-icontained-ia-ibright-ired-ifluid,-iand-ipopped-ithe-icork.
"I-itrust-iyou-iknow-ihow-ihealing-ipotions-iwork."-iShe-isaid,-ihanding-iit-ito-iEleanor.
Eleanor-igrabbed-ithe-ivial-iand-itilted-ithe-icontents-iinto-iher-imouth.-iThe-ifluid-itasted-istrongly-iof-ifruit-iand-ialcohol,-ias-iwell-ias-iother-iflavors-ithat-ishe-irecognized-ifrom-iher-ialchemy-iclasses,-ibut-icouldn't-iname-iby-imemory.-iAs-ishe-iswallowed,-ishe-ifelt-ia-iradiant-iglow-ishift-ithroughout-iher-ibody,-isetting-iall-iof-iher-inerve-iendings-ialight-iwith-ielectric-itingles.-iGlancing-idown,-ishe-icould-isee-ithe-ibruises-ion-iher-iarms-iand-ilegs-ifading,-iand-ithe-ivarious-icuts-istarting-ito-iclose.-iWhatever-ishe'd-ijust-itaken,-iit-iwas-iclearly-ibetter-ithan-ia-itypical-iCure-iLight-iWounds-ipotion.
As-ithe-itingles-ibegan-ito-isubside,-iMarg'faz-ipulled-ithe-istopper-ion-ianother-ibottle,-ithis-ione-ipale-iwhite-iand-iopaque.-iShe-ileaned-iover-iand-ipoured-ia-ismall-iamount-iof-ia-ithick,-iwhite-ish-ifluid-ifrom-ithe-ibottle-iinto-iEleanor's-isteaming-imug-iof-itea.
"That'll-ibe-ifor-imending-ithat-ileg-iof-iyours.-iYou-idon't-ihave-ito-idrink-iit-iyet,-ibut-isoon-ias-iyou-ido,-iyou-iwill-ibe-ireturning-ito-iyour-iholding-iroom.-iI-ican-ipromise-iyou-ithat-iby-itomorrow,-iyou-iwill-ibe-iright-ias-irain.-iI-ican-ialso-ipromise-iyou-ithat-ithe-iprocess-iwill-ibe-imiserably-ipainful,-iand-iyou-iwill-ilikely-inot-iget-iany-isleep."-iMarg'faz-isaid-isimply.-i"But-ithere-iis-ino-iother-iway-iafforded-ito-ius-iright-inow."