Page 51 of Family Found

In the end, Aragis dipped his head once.

“That means yes, I think,” Gesango said. “He cannot and should not speak above a whisper. His voice box is very damaged.”

Fuckers. Pieces of shit. The Koa Esher needed to meet my guys, or better yet, Kinnek, Vergis, and Charles combined. I had a feeling the three of them could do some damage.

I nodded too, tried to smile, and held my hands out as I approached Aragis. He slowly let out a measured breath and unwound his arms from around his middle, holding his hands out just enough for me to take them.

There. Can you please work fast?

The land, for once, did exactly what I needed it to. Aragis hissed when the magic started, but I held on, not that he really tried pulling away. It was only two seconds or so, and when the land was done, I sensed its satisfaction with the result.

I couldn’t help her or her sister. The land showed me that memory of the two green-eyed girls again. It feels good to help him. I’ve never healed horns such as these. If it’s needed again, I’ll be able to do it even faster.

I sighed. Let’s hope nothing like that ever happens again.

The land seemed to regard me with a tired sadness. The terrible things always happen again. They happen every day. The pain is loud, incredibly loud, but no one listens. Next time, I’ll be faster.

It was probably right. I swallowed, remembered the cult I’d accidentally ended up with. It was definitely right.

I let go of Aragis’s hands. Gesango gasped and took a step to the side to get a better look at Aragis’s horns. Some of the Raikengana around us looked as well, and I saw their eyes go wide, their mouths fall open. One mumbled something far beyond my understanding. I had done something good.

“Oh, fudge brownie chocolate bar, what have you done?” Kinnek had walked up behind me, and his voice was high and excited.

He switched to Lugarra and spoke to Aragis, who was carefully running his hands along his horns, feeling the spots where the holes had been drilled through. The surprise on his face was more emotion than I’d seen there so far.

I shrugged. “Just a little bit of magic. It was all I could do though. The land says it can’t help with anything else.”

“Thank you, sweet pea.” Kinnek stroked Aragis’s back in such an affectionate way that I wanted to look away, but before I could, Aragis looked right at me, and his silver eyes, so much like Vergis’s, were bright now, not overshadowed by whatever horror would not stop haunting him.

“Lesh.” His voice was almost inaudible and crackly, but he had a voice. After everything he’d endured, he still had his voice.

I bowed. “My pleasure. Erm⁠—”

“Engas,” Inkiri whispered to me.

“Engas.” I stepped to stand so close to him that our bodies touched. He put his arm around my shoulders, and I relaxed. Even if the rest of the plan failed, I’d done something right tonight.

“You healed his horns.” Inkiri absentmindedly pushed my scarf aside and licked my skin.

“Magical twink.”

I only jumped a tiny little bit when I heard Vergis’s voice. I hadn’t heard him walk over. He tossed the spray bottle into a black backpack against which he’d leaned his long gun.

Nokim stood right next to him. “It is good we have a magical twink in the sentenmen.”

I looked Nokim over. He’d changed out of his taupe clothes and was wearing mottled black now.

I huffed. I hadn’t meant for this to put me on the spot like this. “Yeah, but can you, like, not die for once, Nokim? Also, did you get a promotion to protector? You’re wearing black too.”

He pulled on his sleeve. “Oh, no. This hides better for the night.”

Vergis sighed. “It hides you better during the night. It’s called camouflage.”

Nokim clicked. “Yes, that. Ca-mou-flage.”

A few steps away, Fellisse turned out of Hove’s embrace and joined our group. “Ideally, no one will die. Maybe some of the humans.” He showed his teeth in a comically wide grin and straightened to look even taller.

I cleared my throat. “We’re all in agreement that the veils are first though, right?”