Avondale: The Golden Door

Fever

Suruli had briefed the others to the plan on the way back to the meeting room. She also crossed paths with Master Śānti, and was able to tell her about the effects of the potion, and what exactly it would do to Kendra.

Nisvārtha hadn't been able to think of anything comforting to say to Kendra, and hoped that either she could cope on her own, or that Sanna may be able to help. He arrived with the rest of their companions as well as the wizard who carried the potion.

Nisvārtha watched as his friend embraced Kendra, whispered words of encouragement in her ear but their was no response from the golden eyed fledgling. She seemed to be in a trance of some sort, the thoughts in her head moving so fast that he wondered if she could even comprehend what was happening around her.

As everyone spoke to her, trying to snap her out of her state, Nisvārtha stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

We will wait until you are prepared to come back to us, he said gently through Tale hādu. There is no rush.

Whether it was his words echoing through her mind that woke her up, or her coping process completing, Nisvārtha had no idea. Kendra just blinked, her eyes focused again, and she held her hand out to Master Śānti, speaking the words everyone needed to hear, "I'm ready."

It happened quickly. The small vial of orange fluid was handed over, uncorked, and drank in a second. Immediately Kendra started coughing, her face flushed with blood, and she put a hand to her throat in fear. Those golden eyes filled with a look Nisvārtha had only seen once before.

Complete terror.

In between coughs, Kendra asked, "Is it supposed to burn?"

Master Śānti frowned, "The sensation of heat is normal but burning—"

Kendra cried out in pain before she dropped from her chair, falling to the floor, her body writhing and spasming. Her eyes had closed, and she made no more sound as her limbs flailed about mindlessly.

"Is fainting normal?" Nisvārtha demanded through clenched teeth.

Master Śānti looked a little panicked, "No. No it is not."

"This makes no sense," Suruli groaned, running a hand through her short brown locks, making them stick out. "Kendra is a phoenix! This should not be happening!"

Nisvārtha ignored her and knelt on the floor to gather Kendra in his arms. She was still seizing, and the longer her eyes remained closed and her body tense, the more Nisvārtha's rage built.

"Something must have gone wrong with the potion," Śānti began. "Let me see her, I can help—"

"Stay back!" Nisvārtha growled. "You have done enough." He carried the writhing Kendra out of the meeting house and quickly made his way toward the dorms. "What will this do to her?" he barked at Suruli.

The phoenix didn't waste time, "It is trying to ignite the fire that starts the change. In a phoenix this would have made her body burst into harmless flames and change her body. It would hurt, but she would be fine." Suruli had barely enough time to take a breath before Nisvārtha's burning violet eyes glared at her. "But in another dragon, it would cause pain. When the pain became too much the dragon would pass out and their temperature would rise. It would keep rising unless they were healed or they would die."

Nisvārtha let out a savage growl, "Why were we not told of this?"

Suruli sighed, "No one expected this to happen. Kendra shows all the clues of being a phoenix."

Nisvārtha scowled, "She always has to do the unexpected." he muttered furiously.

They reached the dorms and Nisvārtha roared and the nearest phoenix, "I do not have the time or patience to climb to this woman's room, so find me an empty bed and find it fast!"

The young man yelped and led Nisvārtha up the stairs to the next floor, turning into a large bedroom with a full sized bed, all other decorations in the room became irrelevant to Nisvārtha. He laid Kendra on the bed. She had stopped convulsing, her body now limp but her skin was burning, and getting hotter.

Nisvārtha slit his wrist and put it to her mouth. Unconsciously, Kendra's body must have recognized the need for the healing substance, and latched onto him tightly. As she drank Sanna demanded, "What are you doing?"

"Saving her life," Nisvārtha snapped, only acknowledging the presence of other people in the room because they had spoken. "Which is more than you have done."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sanna growled.

"You treat her carelessly. Putting her in danger in the mountains with that hunt. You try to shield her from things she needs to know. Every act you have taken with her has failed or been misguided. If you can't handle me doing my job then leave."

"But-"

"Everyone leave!" He roared.

The room emptied except for Suruli. She touched Kendra's forehead and nodded at Nisvārtha. "That is enough," she said softly.

Nisvārtha pulled away, shaking. Kendra slept, her breathing calm and deep, her skin cooling to its normal healthy temperature.

"You need food and fluids Nisvārtha." Suruli said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "She took a lot of blood."

"I am not leaving," Nisvārtha grunted.

Suruli looked at him for a long moment. "I will bring you something."

Nisvārtha sat at Kendra's side for the entire day. The girls took turns bringing food for him, Sanna was too upset to come visit. Śarat had mentioned how the wyvern was now holed up in his room trying not to destroy everything. Nisvārtha couldn't bring himself to care, his head was filled with thoughts and his chest filled with a strange ache as he stared at the sleeping woman who had so completely ruined his life. He hadn't realized how much he cared for her until she had become sick, how cruel it was of Prīti to make him blind as he had been.

As the hours passed and the sun reached its zenith, Nisvārtha thought about something he hadn't had to use in years. He desperately wanted to be wrong this time, but those wings...pale feathers brushed with gold. With those he knew Truth, but had never dreamed it would be possible. If he was wrong he would regret it. The hope he had been trying to squash would vanish, leaving behind a gaping hole of despair and loneliness. But if he was right, then Kendra McLane was in far more peril than anyone could have imagined.

Nisvārtha reached out and took her pale hand. Such soft skin, and the color not so different from what his had been. It had taken him a long time to darken his skin so that he could blend more easily, but he had been born as pale as Kendra, just as all of his kind had been.

Nisvārtha sighed and wished there was another way. There was a reason he didn't use his gift. It was cheating, and dangerous if the fledgling wasn't ready. Not to mention embarrassing to use.

But he had to do it. He had to know, and she deserved to finally have an answer.