The Gates of Night_ The Dreaming Dark - Keith Baker [39]
Lei opened her eyes. Her nerves were sore; using magic was always a trial, and she’d stretched herself near to her limits. But there was no other choice. Daine could take days to heal on his own, assuming that natural healing was even possible in this place where the moon stood still. Taking a deep breath, Lei drew the wadded cloak away from Daine’s back.
She winced at the sight, holding back bile. Though Lei had seen terrible things over the last four years, she’d never gotten used to the stench of blood or the sight of wet bone. She was trained to repair warforged, to work with stone and wood, not unlike snapping the pieces of a puzzle into the proper shape. The body of a warforged made sense to her. Humans were blood and meat bound within thin skin. She hated the idea that her friends—that Daine—could be so fragile.
It’s a weakness of the medium. Who had told her that? She shook away the thought; this was no time for reminiscing. The gouges across Daine’s back were deep. Links of torn chainmail were crusted in dried blood. Lei picked up the rod and passed it over the wounds, slowly releasing the power held within. Muscle and flesh flowed before her eyes, knitting together. New skin formed over the injury, without even leaving a scab.
But something was wrong.
Daine began coughing as he returned to his senses. True to form, his first action was to reach out and grasp the hilt of his sword. “Where … Lei?”
He tried rise up, to turn and face her, but she pressed him back down against the ground. “Shh,” she said. “I’m here. Pierce is watching over us. Just lie still. I’m working.”
“I feel fine.” He started to stand, and again she pushed him down. Despite his words, he was far from his full strength.
“Please,” Lei said. “Be still. Just a moment more.”
“Will you at least tell me what’s going on?”
“Quiet. I need to concentrate.” Working as swiftly as she could, she wove two new enchantments. She studied Daine closely as she unleashed the first spell, a second charge of healing. She could feel the strength flowing into his limbs … but what she saw on his back didn’t change.
Clotted blood covered Daine’s torso. Two lines arched across his back, where Lei had healed the deep wounds. The skin should have been clean and unblemished. It wasn’t. There were mottled patterns of red and black, bright blemishes or bruises. Holding her breath, Lei activated the other charm she’d just woven … a simple domestic spell, used for cleaning houses and clothes. Daine’s chainmail was polished to a mirror sheen. Blood and dirt were forced from his clothes. And the dried blood around his wound vanished.
Lei staggered backward, stumbling away from Daine. Her foot caught on a root and she thought she was falling, but Pierce was there at her side, to catch her and hold her steady.
“What is it?” Daine said. He rose to his feet, and Lei could see the fear in his eyes—concern for her, she realized. But she couldn’t keep from flinching as Daine reached out for her, and she pressed back against Pierce’s reassuring bulk.
“Take off your shirt,” she whispered.
Daine took a step back, his brow furrowed. “This is a dream, isn’t it?” He glanced around. “Jode?”
“Your back,” Lei said. “I need to see it. Now.”
Daine nodded and began removing his armor. “Sure. I’ve actually been meaning to ask you about that.”
“You knew?”
“Knew what? I think I’ve got a rash of some kind. It itches like the Flame.” He pulled off his shirt and turned around. “How bad is