Alone in the Dark

Little Birds

The morning of the execution, Lyana forced herself to stand beside Lady Wyn as Emeltra was executed. Lyana had felt nothing but an odd numbness as she watched and sensed the life of the woman fade.

Lyana knew she shouldn't take death so lightly, and she wondered if she had lost a small part of herself at some point, when not an ounce of pity had crossed her mind. Something about how Emeltra had made Shiar suffer had eliminated the humanity in Lyana's soul, at least while watching Emeltra die for her crimes.

Returning to her brother's side, Lyana and Wyn had battled the effects of Emeltra's death. Braced against his screams and struggles, Lyana could feel the waves of fever that were wasting Shiar's body wash over her through their connection. Whatever the poison had been, Emeltra's demise had shocked his body, as if the contamination was connected to her very life force and had been suddenly released to run amok in Shiar.

Lyana watched him go through a cycle of withdrawal that would have killed him if she hadn't been with him and keeping his body fighting with her power. With her help, he survived the violent fever but mere lapsed back into and unconsciousness that initially seemed no different from the previous several weeks. Lyana ducked her head, closing her eyes against the feelings of despair that threatened to shake her resolve.

Wyn remained silent, merely rubbing her back until Lyana regained control and turned to assess Shiar's condition. Lyana hesitated upon detecting a change in him, her hand moving to his forehead to note break in the feverish heat he had been suffering from.

It was nearly imperceptible, but she knew there was something different coursing through him, a new strength in her brother in place of the physical craving of what Emeltra had addicted him to. Fighting back tears, Lyana washed him down before she coaxed him to drink broth and water. Shiar didn't wake, but he didn't resist drinking either, which was another small change from the battles they'd had trying to keep him alive.

Lyana then used what was left of her and Wyn's energy to bolster Shiar's body for recovery, before sending her friend back to bed. They both needed rest to continue this fight for her brother's health, and Lyana could see it taking its toll on the other woman, just as surely as it was eating away at her.

She had been telling her brother a story he had loved when she was younger when he opened his eyes. They focused on her, his expression lucid as he smiled and brushed his hand over hers. "Little bird, you need to go find her for me."

Lyana's heart broke at her words, meeting his gaze and saying with a hard severity. "Emeltra was executed this morning, she was making you sick. You won't see her again."

Shiar gave her a confused look and shook his head stubbornly after a moment. "Who? No. She told me she would wait for me, but I haven't seen her in months."

Lyana frowned at him, but knew that whatever he was saying was still marred by his fever dreams and the struggles he was going through. Instead of correcting him, she kissed his brow and assured him that whoever it was would be waiting for him to get better.

He nodded and lay back, closing his eyes and falling into an easy slumber, his expression untroubled. She watched him sleep far more peacefully than he had since becoming ill until one of the other healers came in and told her she needed rest.

Lyana had finally given in and left her brother alone with his dreams, starting the short walk back through the palace to where she was staying with Lady Wyn. She felt a weariness in her whole being that seemed to threaten to swallow her whole as she fell into introspection and doubt over what would be waiting for her in the morning.

Lyana stopped at a large window that overlooked the city, glancing out towards the sea in the darkness. She often found herself looking at the harbour, waiting for good news from their friends across the bay in absence of any here. With the change in Shiar, was it a sign of good news for all of them? It had been weeks since Wyn had mentioned any word from Aupana other than bland trade information.