The Guardians

Chapter 21

Lyra began to notice that Aiden wasn't himself. He didn't look well and he was beginning to fall behind. But he kept brushing off Lyra's concern.

"I'm fine." She wasn't convinced. "Really. I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." She reached up to feel his face but he stopped her.

"I don't know why you're so concerned, Lyra. I'm fine. It's just the strain of having to look over my shoulder."

She dropped the subject since he was going to continue to insist that he was fine. But Lyra knew better. He looked ill. His skin was starting to grow pale and he looked like he was developing a fever. Aiden favored his right side when he thought she wasn't looking and she could see the tightness around his eyes of one that was trying to hide pain. Something she had been familiar with and had done for years. She truly hoped that he hadn't been wounded and was hiding the wound in an attempt to make himself look stronger in her eyes. Aiden could see that Lyra was seeing through the ruse. His wound wasn't healing and seemed to be getting worst. The pain was becoming worse and he was falling ill and behind because of it. But he couldn't let her see his weakness. He was the senior Guardian now and he knew she was looking to him for guidance and information on the Guardians. She wasn't as well known among the others, thus she needed him to gain access to Halmont if any of the others were there. He only prayed that he'd make it there before he was forced to rely on Lyra and break his silence over the wound.

Halmont was abandoned, making them think that the rumors were indeed true.

"I was hoping to find at least one other Guardian," Lyra said sadly. "Where are the sleeping quarters?"

"Sleepy?"

"No, but you need to find a bed."

When he didn't respond with his usual "I'm fine," Lyra turned and frowned. He looked worse. Shadows had begun to darken under his eyes. She didn't know how he was still upright. He walked towards the stairs to the upper level. He didn't make it that far. He fell to his knees short of the first step, giving a cry as he fell.

"Aiden!" She was by his side a moment later.

He was holding his right side, pain showing on his face. She knew then that he'd taken a wound in the battle and hadn't said anything.

"We had too much we needed to do," he answered the unasked question.

"That is not an excuse. Where is it?"

"My side." She lifted him up and supported him, channeling her magic into her strength and gently leading him up the stairs. He directed her to one of the rooms. She stripped him of his armor. The right side of his shirt was covered with blood. She removed his shirt and saw he'd been trying to tend to it himself.

"Why didn't you tell me you were wounded? I could have tended to it and it would have been healed by now."

"We couldn't stop. I didn't know how far behind us Arlan's men were."

"We could have gone to Paladin's Keep for aid." She placed a hand on his face. "You've developed a fever because you didn't tend the wound properly."

"We couldn't stop. We can't stop now, either." He tried to sit up but she pushed him back down.

"We're going to have to."

Lyra realized that this must have been what the Great Mother was referring to. Aiden was in worse shape than she originally thought, now that she had examined the wound. Much of the flesh around the wound was red and swollen and when she touched the angry skin, not only did Aiden wince, it felt as if she were touching a flame. Aiden tried to sit up again.

"Don't get up. Just tell me where the linens are."

He told her where to find them and Lyra left him, instructing him not to move and threatening to tie him to the bed if he did. She went downstairs and found the kitchens. Taking a large bowl, she filled it with water and placed the linens in it. She returned to Aiden to find her fellow Guardian struggling to keep his eyes open. She placed the bowl on the nearby table and wrung out a cloth, placing it on his forehead. He sighed and placed his hand on it, closing his eyes. Lyra knew that had to feel good to his heated skin. She returned to examining the wound. It was too far advanced to heal on its own now. It needed healing quickly. Which meant she would need to use her magic on him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Hmm?"

"For not telling you. I didn't want you to think less of me for allowing someone to slip past my defenses."

"It happened to me as well. It happened to Faeren. I think no less of him." She felt the cloth and then turned it over. "I need you to be still now."

He grabbed her hand suddenly. "Don't go," he whispered.

Lyra wondered how far advanced the fever was. "I'm not going anywhere."

She held his hand in her right as she gently placed her left over his wound. He winced. "This might hurt a little but I promise the pain won't last long."

He nodded. Lyra channeled healing magic through her own body. She could feel the power travel down her arm and through her hand. She felt the flaming flesh quiver and then slowly cool. Next, she felt the severed muscle and flesh begin to come together. Aiden winced again. She knew he felt the foreign sensation of her healing magic doing its job. The skin began to knit itself together. In a matter of minutes, his side was whole. She didn't touch his fever so he wouldn't grow suspicious at how powerful she was. Lyra knew he would ask questions when he became coherent again. How would she explain to him that she failed to mention that she was a spellcaster? How would she explain why?