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Until we reach the end of the mountain and turn into a passageway with two long, jagged cliffs overshadowing it. Both look ready to crash and fall upon us.
I open my mouth to ask the question that has been burning at the tip of my tongue all throughout this little trek when Jarek pulls me sideways into the dark.
“Jarek…” My eyes slightly adjust, but I still can’t make out anything. Silent seconds pass before light blares to life around me, flame after flame as the cave is dragged from the shadows to reveal a room full of small makeshift wooden beds and a long wall full of weapons.
“I don’t have to remind you that anything you see or hear while here is not to be mentioned to anyone,” Nikos says to the right of me.
The rest of his men pause, awaiting my reply. But I would never purposely do anything that would put another life in danger, nor ever put Jarek’s life at risk.
“I can vouch for her,” Jarek says, answering before I get the chance to reply.
Nikos looks to me as if waiting on some indication, but he must see something on my face, because he nods his head and leaves us be.
“Come on, let’s get you fixed up.” Jarek takes me through a series of passageways and narrow halls before coming to a small room with a small, raised bed at the center of it.
“Jarek, my boy. How did you fare tonight?” A man with short graying hair and soft brown eyes glances over at me. His clothes are less worn than the other rebels, his appearance well-kept and tidy. And something about the sincere smile that reaches his eyes sets me at ease.
“We fared well thanks to some help, but it seems she isn’t as invincible as she would like to think.” Jarek narrows his eyes at me.
“Ah, so this is the infamous Seren I’ve heard so much about.” A glint of joy sparks in his eyes, lighting up his entire face.
Jarek shakes his head with a small smile. “Ren, this is Matthias, our healer, and now, it seems, our old gossip.”
“Hey now, away with thatoldpart.” He gives Jarek a playful swat before looking to me with a warm smile.
“Come take a seat,” he says, patting the bed, “and I’ll see what I can do for you.”
I shake my head, ready to back out of the room and leave as soon as I can. He may seem trustworthy, but I do not know anyone here. And I most definitely do not trust them with Jarek.
“Honestly, I’ll be fine. I can?—”
“Nonsense. I have this gift for a reason,” he says.
Some Caligo and Sidus have a rare ability to also manipulate the energy of the Sidus and Caligo. I’ve always been able to heal slightly faster than the norm, but I couldn’t heal others, even with my dual nature. A Sidus with the ability to heal can also heal a Caligo, and a Caligo can do the same to the Sidus. I saw it with my own eyes when a Caligo guard managed to injure himself, and a Sidus healer came upon the incident. He healed him within minutes, but the guard only looked at him in disgust. It seems he would have preferred death over a Sidus’ help.
Matthias steps closer to me, his manner telling me he isn’t backing down on this anytime soon.
Keeping my sigh to myself, I move to the bed, and Jarek stands behind me and helps me take off his coat. He hisses through his teeth as he does.
“Why didn’t you tell me it was this bad?” he snaps. But his voice is also laced with worry. It quickly halts any rising anger of my own.
I roll my shoulders, feeling the blaze of pain, but it has eased a little, my own accelerated ability to heal already kicking in.
It would have mostly healed over the next few days if I were able to cover it like every other injury I have had. But now that they’ve seen it, I will have to play along.
Matthias walks around the bed to take a look at my back while Jarek steps in front of me, his eyes filled with fear.
“It’s not that bad,” I tell him.
His eyes flash. “Your back looks like an animal has chewed on it. I can nearly see bone,” he snarls, a panicked expression on his face. “I shouldneverhave left you. What kind of friend?—”
I reach out to grasp his hand, stopping his spiraling guilt. “Itold you to get that woman out of there. For which I’m grateful. The only reason I got this was because I was distracted. It was my own foolish fault.”
“I should not have left you, and that is all there is to it,” he fumes as he gazes off to the side with a conflicted look. “What would have happened if I didn’t make it back in time,” he mumbles more to himself than me, but I still answer him.
“Apparently, your rebels would have shown up to save me.” I give him a pointed look. One he mirrors with a nod.
“We still need to discuss why you were out there in the dark,alone.” He narrows his eyes on me.
