Taking a pen and a pad of paper, Betony made a couple of notes. “Were you tested for magic as a child?”
“In the fifth grade, along with the rest of my age group. I was declared a null.”
“Well, healing powers along with a few others can develop later. Does anyone else in your family have a gift.”
Aletta thought carefully. “My mother is an Empath, she registered as a level 8. There are varying levels of empathy, usually in the women of the family, on my maternal side. My mother has the strongest gift. Nothing else that I can think of.”
She added to the words already on the page. “Interesting. And you never registered as empathetic?”
Aletta shook her head. “I seem to have a low-level amount of empathy, but not enough to register. It could even be the result of having grown up with an empath for a mother, just a strong awareness of emotions and environment.”
Betony paused and thought for a moment. “You know, that never occurred to me before, how living with an empath can affect a child’s development. Something to keep in mind. How long have you had healing potential?”
Aletta hedged, “It depends.”
Taking another sip of tea, Betony observed her closely. “Depends how?”
Tucking another escaped curl behind her ear, Aletta sighed. “It depends on how you define healing potential.”
“And how would you define healing potential?”
Feeling frustrated by the questions but knowing that they were meant to help, Aletta asked cautiously, “How much do you know about Sheridan Awena’s, um, history?”
She smiled at Aletta’s careful wording. “I was her primary healer while she was here until she was moved to the sanitarium. I have her full permission to discuss her case with you should it be necessary.”
Aletta was grateful that she wouldn’t have to outline the whole situation, but still decided to err on the side of caution. “Her nephew Lirim and I both work at HSI in Isenton. We were partnered together several months ago.”
Betony interrupted, “How many is several?”
“Five, give or take. Anyway, on our first case, it became vital that we locate an object. There was a chance that Sheridan Awena might have been able to aid us, as she did have lucid days. When we arrived at the sanitarium, we discovered that it was not a good day and that she seemed to be locked into her own mind.”
Betony’s good cheer seemed to dim and she murmured, “I know of what you speak.”
Aletta nodded. “I went to walk away, but there was a tugging that I couldn’t ignore. Instead, I walked back and sat next to her. When I held her hands, my mind was filled with the image of a giant hedge maze. I felt what felt like a child slip their hand into mine. Grabbing tightly, I navigated our way out of the maze while talking about inconsequential things. When we exited the maze, Awena had returned to herself.”
“Extraordinary. What made you think of a maze?”
Aletta shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t know. She just felt, lost. I can’t explain what I did or why it worked or even if it will last. It just happened.”
Betony straightened from where she had leaned forward unconsciously. So why don’t you count this as healing potential?”
She took a sip to moisten her dry mouth. “Well, it wasn’t until recently that I physically healed someone.”
“What happened?”
“Lirim and I were on a case. During the course of the investigation, we ended up on a theater stage. A stage light fell and he pushed a civilian out of the way. However, this put him directly in the light’s path. Both his arms were broken, his hand was crushed, and he was knocked unconscious.” She drew in a shuddering breath, pushing away the horrific memories. “We were able to get the light off of him and I assessed his injuries. However, when I stood to get help, I was unable to remove my hands. There was a tugging sensation again so I positioned my hands how the magic wanted me to do. As soon as they were in the correct position, magic just poured out of me into him. I felt his injuries as if they were my own. Then my magic flared and just like that, they were gone. Then my hands were freed and I was completely drained.”
“Hmm.” Betony tapped the pen thoughtfully against her lips. “You say that each time before you healed, you felt a tugging sensation?”
Aletta nodded. “Yes. I was unable to walk away because it was so strong both times. But neither time do I feel like I healed. It just happened.”
The healer smiled at her. “That’s actually common for new healers. Their gifts reach to help before they can even realize what’s happening. Don’t worry, with training that can be overcome and you’ll also learn how to control the flow of your magic so you don’t end up drained but only use what you need. I think I’ve gathered what I need for now. Let’s go ahead and test you, see what type of healer you are.”
Aletta moved her empty cup to the side so that the desk in front of her was clear. “You believe that I do have a healing gift?”
Betony pulled a warm mahogany case from a drawer. It was about the size of a computer keyboard and positively glowed in the light. “Oh yes, there’s no doubt about it. However, it looks like placing you might be a bit trickier. Most healers specialize early. They will heal either mental or physical, be pulled to a certain type of wounds. We have a water nymph here who’s talent lies solely with burns. Your talents seem to be a bit more flexible. That’s where these come in.”
She opened the case and Aletta was hard pressed not to gape at the stones nestled in the green velvet. Pushing down the urge to touch, she asked breathlessly, “What are those?”
“You can touch them. These are testing stones. They’ve been carefully selected to react with different types of healing.” Betony picked up a piece of jade and it started to glow. “My talent is with herbs and growing things. Medicine ended up being my main focus, although I can still do basic healing when required.”
Aletta was mesmerized by the gentle glow. “What do I do? How do I know what stone will react? Do I need to cover them with my magic?”
Her tone was gentle, “No, just pick them up until you find one that feels right to you. When you connect with the stone, it will begin to glow and tell us what kind of healer you are.”
She set the case in front of Aletta. Aletta stared at it, then shifted forward in her seat, careful to position her leg so it wasn’t strained. Reaching in, she picked up a silvery stone and marveled at its cool feel. When nothing happened, she set it aside and picked up another one. After a few minutes, she started to frown. While the stones were lovely and appealing, none had called to her. She started working her way methodically through them, but there was no sudden connection or glow. Setting the last one back into the case, her hand trembled slightly.
Turning to face Healer Betony who had been watching her impassively, she murmured, “Nothing. None of them called to me.”
Trying to ease her distress, Betony smiled. “That’s all right, we know what you aren’t. That is something.”
Fighting to keep her voice level, she asked, “Does this mean that I’m not a healer?” Her hands clenched in her lap where they couldn’t be seen. She’d been so sure that her secondary gift was healing, but the dark stones in front of her said otherwise.
Betony laughed and Aletta stiffened. “Not at all. You are definitely a healer. But while magic is wonderous, it can still be limited. These stones react to the most common types of healing magic, with some specialized types. However, these do not cover all of them. The box would be too heavy to lift if it contained stones for every single type. All this means is that your magic is unique.”
Aletta turned it over in her mind for a minute. “Oh, I see. So, what do we do now?”
“We go on a tour of the guild and the infirmary, see if anything sparks your talents. If not, we’ll think of something else.”
She stood and Aletta followed her lead. Crossing the room behind the healer, Aletta realized the dull ache that she’d been feeling all morning had eased away. She st
opped and Betony correctly read her face. “I am gifted with herbs.”
The tea, Aletta realized suddenly, had been much more than just a pleasant drink. “How did you know?”
Stepping into the hallway, Betony smiled, “You have very good control. However, I’ve been a healer a long time and my gift can tell when someone’s in pain. If you do not mind me asking, what happened to your leg?”
Enjoying her easier movements, Aletta answered, “In the same case where Lirim was injured, the perpetrator managed to get me down and stomped on my leg, breaking it. Because of some healing I’d had from other incidents, my body couldn’t withstand any more magical healing. I’m having to let it heal normally. However, it hasn’t been so bad, things could’ve ended much worse than they did.”
“When you leave, I’ll make sure to give you some tea that should help with the ache and any strain.”
“Thank you, I really appreciate it.”
Betony nodded and then turned her attention to the tour. They’d passed through the dormitories, where the medicines were stored and prepared, the gardens, and the kitchens. Nothing had drawn Aletta in the least, although she marveled at the size, variety, and efficiency of everywhere they had passed.
The walls had turned to a pale blue gray when Aletta felt a slight tugging from down the left-handed corridor when they paused at a junction while Betony answered a novice’s question. The sensation was gentle, almost ephemeral compared to the other times she had felt it. But still, the feeling was unmistakable. She waited impatiently until Betony finished and turned back to her. Remembering to keep her voice low at the last moment, Aletta asked, “What’s down this way?”
“Why do you ask? Do you feel something?”
Aletta rubbed her nose absently. “Maybe. It feels like the other times, but less somehow. Not as urgent, as immediate, but still important.”
Her face was unreadable as she took in Aletta’s words. Finally she spoke, “Ok, we’ll try going this way then. This is the wing where the long-term patients are. Magic cannot cure everything sadly. Some of the people in this wing, their diseases are simply too far advanced and all we can do it make them comfortable. Others have ailments that we haven’t been able to diagnose, but there is something undeniably wrong with them. And some have been injured so badly that it takes a considerable amount of time to heal. They cannot care for themselves and gradual healing has to be done because the injuries need to be healed on several levels, so we take care of them until they can return home. This process can sometimes take years, but they are the lucky ones.”
Aletta shrugged. “This is still where my magic is leading.”
Betony sighed. “All right, follow me then. But if it gets to be too much, tell me and we can try again another day.”
They turned left and Betony explained that each patient had individual rooms, unlike in the main infirmary. As they made their way down the corridor, they passed several doors. None of these doors drew her, the fine thread leading her onward. They went to pass the next door when Aletta felt a sharp tug and stopped. “Here. This one.”
Betony read the chart beside the door. “This one belongs to a little boy. He’s one of the ones that we can’t diagnose. Let’s see if he’s awake and available for visitors.”
She knocked gently before slipping inside. Aletta waited patiently in the hall, listening to the quiet murmur of voices. After only a minute or two, Betony was back and beckoning for her to enter. Aletta entered and shut the door softly behind her, not wanting to disturb the other patients in the wing. The first thing she saw was a woman with long, pale blue hair and indigo eyes. She sat next to a bed and while she smiled, Aletta could see the strain and exhaustion. However, the magic didn’t react to her. Aletta offered her a smile and turned her attention to the bed. A little boy who couldn’t have been more than seven or eight lay there. He had his mother’s blue eyes, but his hair was a rich brown.
The magic gave a subtle tug and before she realized what she was doing, Aletta had crossed the room and perched on the bed. “Hey, I’m Aletta. Who are you?”
Even though he was thin and pale, the boy’s smile was bright and mischievous. “I’m Dax. Are you here to poke me or take some blood?”
His mother exclaimed but Aletta just laughed. Smiling so he could see all of her teeth, she said, “Do I look like a vampire? Besides, it doesn’t look like you have very tasty blood.”
Thankfully her words didn’t upset him but he giggled instead. “Silly, you’re not a vampire. I meant for tests and stuff.”
Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she leaned in close and whispered. “Well, it depends. What’re you here for?”
He sighed and the sound was much too adult for such a young child. “I don’t know. I’m sick but no one knows why.”
Aletta pulled a face. “Well that’s no fun. I broke my leg but at least I knew why.”
His curiosity reappeared. “You broke your leg? Does it hurt?”
Pulling her pant leg enough so that he could see the cast, she nodded. “Yep. And it hurt something awful. But I didn’t cry. I bet you’re brave and don’t cry when it hurts either. Tell you what. Let me take a peek at you with my magic and I’ll let you draw on my cast.”
The offer obviously tempted him but he hesitated. “Will it hurt?”
Honesty was important with children, so Aletta said, “Well Dax, I can’t promise that it won’t hurt. But I’ll try my best to make sure that it doesn’t.”
He wavered for a minute but the temptation of drawing on her cast proved to be too much. “All right. What do I gotta do?”
Aletta drawled, “Well, first you’ve got to stand on your head.”
His eyes widened comically. “I can’t do that!”
Aletta laughed, “I just need to hold your hand. This should only take a minute and then you can draw on my cast. Deal?”
She held out her hand. Dax nodded and exclaimed, “Deal!” Extending his hand, he tucked it trustingly into hers.
Taking a deep breath, she carefully loosed her magic, just a strand, and let it explore. The first scan didn’t tell her anything other than he was definitely ill. Firming her grasp, she reduced her magic until it was just a fine thread and re-examined him inch by inch. She paused when she reached his chest. Something there was wrong, but she couldn’t tell exactly what it was. Whatever it was was centered right beneath his collarbones, a knot of energy that wasn’t flowing in sync with the rest of his body.
Letting go of her magic, she looked at Dax. “There, all done. Did that hurt?”
He scrunched up his face. “It tickled!”
Aletta laughed and he joined in. When they finally quieted, he asked, “Do you know what’s wrong with me?”
“I don’t know, maybe. I need to talk with your mama for a minute, then you can draw because you held up your side of the deal. Do you have markers?”
“Yeah, over here.” Climbing out of bed, he made his way slowly over to a toy chest in the corner of the room.
Aletta turned and walked over to where the mother stood anxiously next to Betony. “Forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Aletta Sheridan.”
The woman smiled but there was a mix of anxiety and weariness in her eyes. “Eileen. Do you know what’s wrong with my baby?”
“Maybe. The problem is, I’m not familiar with fae and what it normal and what is not. I need to ask you a few questions that might be intrusive. I mean no offense.”
Hope warred momentarily on Eileen’s face. “Ask your questions, I’ll take no offense.”
Aletta let out a soft sigh. “Thank you. Is Dax your first?”
Eileen looked over at him and smiled. “Yes. A precious gift.”
“How long has he been ill?”
“Since he was an infant. He’s such a sweet boy, but there has always been something wrong.” The words trembled as she spoke.
Aletta soothed, “He’s strong and he’s not about to die, I promise you. Now, what type of fae are you?”
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br /> The woman looked at her oddly for a moment before seeming to remember Aletta’s previous statement. Flicking a strand of hair over her shoulder, she said, “I’m a water nymph, from a pond family, not a stream one.”
Aletta filed that away, wondering at the significance of the different types. “And his father?”
“He’s a mix, part satyr, part wood elf. What does this have to do with Dax?”
Aletta shrugged. “Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. I need to do what I did with Dax with you.”
Eileen held out her hand immediately. Aletta took it and the scanning took even less time this time around. She felt a subtle difference, but was unable to pinpoint the exact difference.
Meeting Eileen’s eyes, she hesitated before finally saying, “I have an idea of what might be wrong. But I’ll need to see your husband before I can say for sure. Can he come here now? Or would that be an imposition?”
Betony spoke up, “He’s at the nearest guard post. We can send a runner to fetch him right away.”
Moving back over to the bed where Dax was waiting patiently with the markers, Aletta smiled over her shoulder. “No worries, I can do that, I have a friend there this morning.”
Settling herself comfortably and pulling up her pant leg enough so that Dax could start drawing, she sent the mental knock and waited.
* . * . *
Lirim turned and walked away from Aletta, but it was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. Even though she’d been doing well concealing it, he could feel Aletta’s uncertainty. Not to mention that she was struggling with whether or not to reveal that healing was her secondary gift. That kind of information could be key in deciphering what sort of healing gift she did have. Still, he ultimately left the choice up to her.
Pushing his guilt and anxiety down and locking them away, he headed swiftly towards the guard post. He had been called here for a legitimate reason after all. He frowned, not liking the abrupt departure from the normal behavior of the chimas. Chimas most closely resembled foxes, but foxes with a mean streak and the attitude to back it up. At this time of the year, the females should still be with the pups in the den and the males should be hunting. They wouldn’t start their migration until the fall, when the pups were grown. That they had altered their normal pattern argued that magic was behind it.
In Search of High Society Page 10