“You’ve got a broken tibia and fibula, three broken ribs with two more fractured, several bruised bones, a large bruise on the left side of your torso, another sizable bruise where your left shoulder hit the ground, and lots of other minor bumps and scrapes.” Diana trotted over to Kylie as she explained the extent of the damage. She held a piece of paper on which she’d listed every injury. 

Kylie had awoken in the bed some time ago. Time moved in strange intervals as she drifted in and out of consciousness. She could have been there for three hours or three days. This current awakening seemed like it would stick for a while. From what she could see of herself, her lower half was covered in a blue sheet while her upper body was nearly fully wrapped in tight, white bandages. She rested in a massive bed that left her feeling miniscule. Doubtlessly, the bed was Diana’s, and thus had proportions befitting a centaur, though Kylie couldn’t begin to guess how she actually lay down in it.

The incredible ache in Kylie’s chest stopped her mind from wandering and returned her thoughts to Diana’s list. “I guess the broken ribs are why it hurts to breathe?”

“You’d be right. Here, I’ve got some tea that should help with the pain.”

Diana reached over to the nightstand and picked up a white teacup. With one hand, she very gently leaned Kylie’s head up, the other bringing the warm cup to the injured girl’s lips. The tea tasted like mint and bitterness and spoonfuls of honey that didn’t quite succeed in masking the other flavors. Kylie drank the entire cup.

With her head lifted up, Kylie could more clearly see Asalya and Naomi. The wolf stood with her front legs on the bed, and her head resting gently on Kylie’s hip. Naomi sat in a tall chair beside her, leaning over Kylie’s injured leg. Her hands were wrapped in a familiar glow. Naomi’s tired eyes didn’t meet Kylie’s glance.

“Of course, those injuries are what we were able to diagnose once we got here. Naomi’s been working hard to heal you, so you should actually be in better shape than that list implies. But you still shouldn’t move around too much.” Diana lowered Kylie’s head back down to the pillow and stepped away, taking the empty cup with her.

Kylie’s eyes met Asalya’s. She reached out with her hand for her friend’s head, but couldn’t quite reach. Asalya stretched her head toward Kylie obligingly. 

“Good girl.” Kylie scratched the top of Asalya’s head. “I’m so glad to see you again. Sorry for worrying you.”

Asalya moved forward and licked Kylie’s stomach. Kylie tried to lean forward to look at the wolf, but the pain in her chest forced her back down. She let out a soft gasp.

Naomi sighed, and the magic vanished from her hands. “Please do not move if you can help it. This leg is being difficult enough as it is.”

Kylie stared back up at the ceiling, now noticing that it was patterned like the rings on the inside of a tree. “How am I doing, doctor?”

“The ribs have healed nicely. Most of the pain you’re experiencing there is from the bruising. The leg isn’t healing as well, though it’s in a far better state now than it was. All in all, it could have been a lot worse.”

“It could have.” Kylie tried to sit up to look at Naomi again, but the pain in her chest made it very clear that wasn’t going to happen. “Naomi, I’m sorry. I-”

“No.” Naomi slid from her chair and approached Kylie. She gently stroked behind Kylie’s ear. “No apologies, okay?”

Naomi’s soft smile revealed the new gap in her teeth. Kylie’s heart sank. But she closed her eyes and said, “Okay.”

Kylie let Naomi stroke behind her ears for a while, while she continued to pet Asalya. The soft scratching helped distract her from the ache that permeated the rest of her body. But more than that, the contact itself was comforting. They were all alive, despite what had happened. They’d made it through another crisis together.

But the image of that cleric hurting Naomi played in Kylie’s mind. Even before that happened, Naomi had been visibly shaken. She’d found something in that sanctuary. Something horrible.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?” 

“I-...” Naomi jerked her hand back. Then, embarrassed by the strength of that reaction, she slowly resumed scratching. “There’s a lot that I’m still processing. But I want you to know I’m so, so sorry.”

“Hey, you said no apologies.”

“I meant from you, you selfless goof.” Naomi’s hand went from petting to deliberately mussing Kylie’s hair. “You don’t get to apologize for getting yourself hurt trying to take care of me, not when I’m the one who’s screwed everything up.”

Kylie gently reached up and grabbed Naomi’s sleeve. “Please don’t talk like that.”

Naomi pulled her hand back. “Fine. But still, saying I’m sorry is the least I could do. This whole trip you’ve taken care of me and I’ve done nothing but cause you pain.”

“That’s not true.” Kylie tugged at the sheet covering her, exposing her injured leg. She now saw it had been placed in a wooden splint and was covered in wrappings. “You’re constantly taking care of me too.”

“But I’ve… really messed up.” Naomi clenched her forearms with her hands and trembled. “I got you hurt.”

“I’m okay.” Kylie said, grabbing Naomi’s hand. “You think this is the first time I’ve broken a bone? I live in a shepherd town in the middle of nowhere. I’ve been climbing up and falling out of trees since I was, like, six.” 

“This is different, though.”

“Yeah, because this time I’m being taken care of by the best magical healer I’ve ever met in my life.” Kylie held Naomi’s hands as close as she could.

The shaking in Naomi’s hands slowly subsided. “I’m pretty sure I’m the only magical healer you’ve ever met. Besides Diana, now, I suppose.”
“True.”

“You’re probably wondering where we are, huh?” Naomi turned to the room around them, seizing the chance to talk about anything but what had happened in Larbroque.

Kylie looked around the room again, seeing it with clear eyes for the first time. “I think I’ve picked up most of it. We’re in Diana-the-centaur-witch’s home inside a big tree?”

“Basically,” Naomi replied. 

Diana had explained a bit more about her study to Naomi as the mages had carried Kylie there. It was built into a tree the size of a Crescentian tower, grown by Diana herself in the middle of the grey wasteland that surrounded Larbroque. She referred to it as a research station, particularly for her reforestation efforts that hoped to repair the ancient damage to the land. Naomi thought it would be fascinating to study, were there not more pressing matters at hand.

The witch had mostly stepped aside and let Naomi take over Kylie’s healing, helping instead with the bandages and crafting Kylie’s leg splint. Diana claimed to have only a basic, school-level understanding of light magic. But she used it with the ease and confidence of an experienced mage. Her study had neat little stacks of books in every corner and on every chair and table. Paper covered much of the wooden surfaces of the walls and decor. While it was cluttered, it felt familiar to Naomi in that there was clearly a system in place that made sense only to Diana. It was a scholarly organized mess.

Diana entered the room again, and something looked different about her, something Kylie couldn’t quite place. Maybe she’d gotten taller, or her ears had become more pointed. Whatever shifted, it was subtle.

“I’ve finished placing a ward around the area,” Diana said, mostly speaking to Naomi. “I’m afraid I don’t know the spell that your order uses to keep the Absentia away from the sanctuaries, but mine will alert us when one comes near.”

“Thank you,” Naomi replied.

“So, how did you find us?” asked Kylie, more successfully attempting to pick her head up again.

“Tracking two kids and a wolf cutting a path in the snow through the dead of winter isn’t really that hard, even if you tried to throw me off.” Diana sat down on a rather large red couch on the other side of the room. “I really didn’t think you kids should be travelling alone.”

“Did Aalrahzorox tell you about us? She let us continue on our journey alone,” Naomi said, her voice accusatory. 

“Yes, well, you appealed to Aalrah’s draconic sense of adventure.” One of Diana’s hooves tapped lightly against the ground. “But I got really anxious worrying that you might get hurt. I’d hoped that if we met up I would be able to travel with you and protect you from the Absentia.”

Kylie and Naomi glanced at each other, a look that carried both the recognition that they needed help but also a mutual pride that wouldn’t let them admit it. After all this time alone, there was a childish resistance to having an adult escort them.

“Did Aalrah tell you anything about the Absentia? Like, where it comes from or how to fight it?” Kylie asked. She felt Naomi tense beside her.

“I believe Aalrah knows of the creatures and perhaps of their plane, and she informed me that they would naturally be drawn to the Light of Laryth. Dealing with an Absentia isn’t really a problem, so long as I travel with you to keep them away with a temporary banishment. The Absentia themselves aren’t nearly as much of an issue as where they’re coming from.”

Diana turned to Naomi. Naomi reflexively looked away.

“So you found out, too?” Diana asked.

Kylie looked back and forth between the mages, unsure of what was happening but sensing the gravity in the room.

“Yes.” Naomi’s surprise held back her shaking. “How did you?”

“I’ve always had a passing familiarity with the Order of Rejuvenance. Hard not to, when you have friends who practice and study dark magic. You can imagine I’ve never been fond of them. So, when Aalrah told me the Lightbringer was travelling with Madeline’s apprentice, I decided to do a little investigating around Crescentia.”

“Investigating? How so?” Naomi asked, a tinge of jealousy in her voice. Diana had found out the truth before her. It was infuriating.

“At first, simply asking around. But when I detected the ward around the sanctuary, I decided to get a closer look at the Order’s personal records. And the books in the Grand Cleric’s archives. His door was locked for a while, but, well-”

Diana arched her back. From behind her, something pressed outward against her robes. Four wings, thin and translucent like a dragonfly’s, emerged.

“It’s difficult to hide things from a shapeshifter.” Diana self-consciously stroked one of her wings.

“Hide what?” Kylie grimaced, her ears flicking downwards. “If everyone else knows what we’re talking about, could someone please fill me in?”

Unable to force herself to look Kylie in the eyes, Naomi stared instead at her wrist, searching for the words.

Diana’s wings slowly folded back, and vanished entirely. “Would you rather I explain?”

Naomi closed her eyes and nodded.

Diana turned towards Kylie. “Naomi’s order has done a great injustice to her. They deceived her, sending her on this journey knowing both that she would be pursued by the Absentia and that performing the Ritual of Rejuvenance in Crescentia would summon yet another Absentia to our plane. They’d planned to use a ward to keep her safe from the one she unknowingly brought into this plane, at least while she was still in the city. But I believe you destroyed that ward.”

“I summoned the beast in Crescentia.” Naomi gripped tight to one of her braids, her eyes still clenched shut. “I got you thrown into that frozen lake. I dragged you to Larbroque. I just keep getting you hurt. Kylie, I’m so so so sorry.”

Kylie wasn’t sure she understood the details, but she still growled. The hair on her ears stood on end. She shook with anger, her claws dug into the bedsheets.

“The Order are monsters.” She shot upright, her fangs bared. “When I see them again, I’ll -”

Pain stabbed her in the chest, knocking her back to the mattress - a stern and unwelcome reminder that she was in no condition to do anything right now, and might not be for a long time. 

Diana stepped forward and placed a hand on Kylie’s shoulder. “Please, I know this is upsetting, but try your best not to move. You still need rest.”

Kylie groaned and closed her eyes. She took deep, slow breaths, and tried to stop trembling.

Asalya shoved Diana out of the way as she rushed to lick Kylie’s chin. After a few moments, the pain passed.

When it seemed that Kylie was going to be alright, Diana gently touched Naomi’s shoulder, “Please be kind to yourself. You are not to blame for having your trust betrayed.”

Naomi jerked her shoulder back and stepped away. She wanted to argue, or to yell, but didn’t know how to prove Diana wrong. She crossed her arms and decided to change the subject. “Fine. Did you find out what we can do to stop the Absentia for good?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Ugh.” Naomi stamped her foot. “What do darkness elementals want with the Light anyway?”

“As far as I’m aware, they’re just naturally drawn to it.” Diana carefully stepped back towards her chair. “Though I suppose, now that we know concentrating light brings them into this plane, we can speculate that there’s a deeper connection.”

“Is there a way we could find out why they’re drawn to it? Maybe we could use that information to our advantage.”

“I don’t have a ton of information about them at my disposal, but I’m sure that’s possible. But it may take some time and lots of research.”  Diana began to reach for a book on her shelf.

“It wants to go home,” Kylie spoke up.

Naomi turned to her in surprise. “Pardon?”

Kylie closed her eyes. “The Light stole it from its home. It wants to find it and destroy it or return it or something. Then it can finally go back.”

Naomi leaned over Kylie’s head, gently nudging Asalya aside so she could get closer. “How do you know that?”

“I don’t know. I just do.” And that was true. Kylie had no idea how she’d gotten this information, but she was certain of it. She could feel it in her ribs.

Naomi looked down at Kylie. She couldn’t find any evidence that Kylie’s words were speculation or lies, but didn’t know how to handle that. She slid down until she was sitting on the floor, her back against Kylie’s bed. “What about you, Kylie? Do you want to go home?” 

It surprised Kylie how quickly she thought of course. But then, of course of course. She was hurt. And even if she wasn’t, where else was there to go? Would continuing to Laryth have a point? There almost certainly wasn’t a home waiting there for Naomi anymore.

“Once I’m healed up, I’m ready to head back to Nighthills.”

“What about to Rodehills?” Naomi asked.
Kylie sighed. “I’m a lot less ready for that, but I can try to be by the time I get there.”

Naomi buried her face in her knees.

“You can come back with me, you know?” Kylie reached out her hand for Naomi, but was too far away to reach.

Naomi’s muffled voice replied, “I know.”

Then she suddenly stood up and clapped her hands together, instantly wrapping them in yellow light. “But, that’s all in the future. Those are plans we don’t need to be making yet. The only plan right now is getting you well enough to travel.”

Naomi forced a smile, which didn’t register to Kylie as necessarily a bad thing. Maybe acting like she was feeling better would help her feel better for real.

Her hands hovered slightly above Kylie’s sternum. “Now if I could only do something about this damn bruise and all these little cuts and scrapes.”

Kylie closed her eyes, hoping to maybe drift back to sleep - a hope that was dashed by the light beaming through her eyelids. “Do you know why they’re being so difficult?”

“It’s a matter of size and specific kind of injury. Healing magic is really only effective when highly concentrated and focused. For complete recovery I’ll essentially have to go over every square centimeter of the wounded area individually.”

“Pardon?” Diana piped up. “I don’t mean to question your expertise, but can’t you use the diffusion method?”   

“The what?” Naomi’s mild irritation at the possibility that this witch knew more about healing than her didn’t overwhelm her curiosity. She sat up to listen and learn.

“The Order of Rejuvenance never taught about diffusion? I’m surprised. It’s a technique that dates back at least a century.”

“That would make it far newer than most of my textbooks.”

“I see,” Diana said, trotting to the far end of the room. “It’s no wonder your Order finds it necessary to concentrate light, they must be burning through so much of it trying to focus on every little problem. Their technique is horribly inefficient. I’d have shown you diffusion earlier if I’d known that you weren’t familiar.”

“That’s alright, could you please give a demonstration?” 

Diana obliged, turning towards Kylie and stretching out her right hand. She began casting her spell and the hand became wrapped in the familiar yellow wisps of light. Then she covered her palm with her seemingly magic-less left hand. In a moment, a wide but faint beam of light emanated from Diana’s hands over to Kylie’s chest.

Kylie wasn’t sure if she felt anything. Whatever this spell was, it was subtle.

Naomi stared at a purple and yellow area just above Kylie’s stomach that the bandages failed to cover. She examined it for any signs of change, but didn’t see any. After several minutes, she looked to Diana and back, checking to make sure Diana’s beam actually covered that part of Kylie. It did. “Diana?”

“Patience,” Diana said.

So Naomi brushed her hair back, sat down, and waited. Still, nothing seemed to happen. Her mind soon drifted elsewhere, to thoughts of whatever might come after this.

Several more minutes passed before she thought to check again. This time, she noticed the discoloration had faded. This was a slow healing, so slow it was hardly noticeable. But it worked. She sprang out of her seat to check another exposed spot on Kylie’s upper arm. The bruise had faded there as well.

Diana’s magic fell away as she let out a long sigh. “That might be all I have in me right now. I hope that was enough for you to understand the principle of it.”

“I think so.” Naomi now checked on a rather nasty cut on Kylie’s forearm.

Kylie winced as she touched it.

“Sorry,” Naomi said before turning to Diana. “The sheer length of time for this technique makes it extremely inefficient for major wounds.”

“Yes, but that’s not its purpose. This is a different tool, to be used in different situations, but one that saves vast amounts of light overall. Healing clear, obvious issues can require focus and concentration, like you’ve been doing. But broad injuries, or an uncountable number of small wounds, require time and distance to be healed.”

“I see,” Naomi said, walking over towards Diana, but keeping her concentration on Kylie. She raised her arm to Kylie, imitating Diana’s motion earlier, but soon let it fall. Her eyes dropped to the floor with it. “I don’t suppose you have any magical techniques for getting my missing tooth back, do you?”

“I’m afraid not.” Diana said gently. “There’s things that can be done to fix that gap, both magical and not. But there are things that are beyond magical healing. We can’t get you back the same tooth. But when you want to, we might be able to help you find a replacement.”

Naomi licked the back of her teeth. It still felt so strange. 

“It’s alright,” she said, her hand lighting with healing magic. “I’ll live.”

The young healer began casting her own version of the spell. Kylie watched as Naomi began chanting. She saw the light fail to reach her initially, then cover her entirely before finally settling in the same position as Diana’s version. She wanted to say something, to check up on her friend. To help her feel better too. But she couldn’t bring herself to interrupt Naomi. For the first time since they’d arrived here, Naomi wasn’t shaking or stammering. She was calm. Her casting seemed meditative. Whatever she now thought of the people who taught her, at least she hadn’t lost the peace she felt in performing her craft.

The healing continued for hours. Kylie thought of asking for something to read, but soon let herself drift back to sleep. When she awoke, night had fallen and the lanterns in the main room had been put out, but Naomi and Diana were still awake. Kylie could see Diana through the entrance to a neighboring room. Diana had lit an oil lamp on a desk and had curled up on a nearby couch with a book. Asalya had apparently finally felt comfortable stepping away from the bedside, and now rested against the wall with her head in her paws.

From over by the door, Naomi lowered her arm, and the motion caught Kylie’s attention. At some point while she was asleep, Diana must have brought Naomi a stool. Naomi sat with her legs crossed and massaged the muscles in her upper arm. When she noticed Kylie looking at her she said, “Oh, you’re awake. I just finished up for the night.”

“Any progress?” Kylie asked, though she could still feel the ache in her chest.

“It’s been slow, but significant.” Naomi said, standing from the stool and walking towards Kylie. “It’ll have to do for now. I’m exhausted.”

The healer placed a hand on Kylie’s head and gently scratched her ears. “Is there anything else you need from me?”

Kylie rubbed her half-asleep eyes. “Not that I can think of. If I don’t fall back asleep soon I might ask Diana for some water or something. But you should go get some rest.”

“Yeah.”

Kylie leaned into the scratches. “And, hey, I know things are bad right now, for both of us. We don’t have to talk about it now, but I just want you to know that I want to keep being here to help.”

“I know,” Naomi said, barely suppressing a yawn. Her eyes looked sunken and tired. “Thank you. And I’m sorry.” 

“No apologies.”

“Okay.”

 Kylie snuggled her head into her pillow. This felt just as relaxing as before. Naomi whispered something she couldn’t make out. She was certain she would be back asleep in a moment or two.

Then a light shone in front of her eyes.

Something was wrong. She tried to open her eyes to see but couldn’t. Her head felt unbearably heavy. She stopped drifting towards sleep and started being pulled into it. In just a few moments, she was unconscious.

Naomi pulled back her hand. Her eyes darted to the next room. Diana’s back was turned to them. She hadn’t moved or seemed to notice anything. Good.

Kylie looked to be sleeping peacefully. Doing what she needed to be doing. Resting and recovering. Not taking care of anyone. Especially not the friend who couldn’t stop hurting her.

Naomi clenched her fists as she turned to the door, but, no, that wouldn’t work. Diana would catch up to her easily. Her hand came alight. She walked the few steps into the next room over, taking each step with care, trying not to make a sound, until she stood next to where the centaur’s horse-back lay on the couch.

Her hand trembled. She couldn’t do it. Not without saying goodbye. “Diana, in the short while I’ve known you, you’ve taught me more about healing than I learned in these months of terror, exhaustion, and fear. Thank you for that kindness. I’m sorry I can’t repay it.”

Just as Diana turned to look at her, Naomi placed her hand on her back. The centaur’s human half fell gently against the back of the couch. Naomi ran to her front. She was breathing properly, and the centaur form had held solid. She would be fine. She would be okay to leave. 

Naomi hurried back to the main room. She’d noticed a book by the bookcase, one crucial to this plan. An atlas. She pulled it from the middle of the stack and turned to the door, then jumped back in surprise.

Asalya sat in front of the door, her head raised high. Her blue eyes shone bright in the dark. They followed Naomi as she stepped quietly back toward the center of the room. For the first time in a long time, Naomi was all too aware that her companion had teeth.

“Hey, girl.” Naomi whispered. Her hand came alight with magic as she took a step forward.

Asalya lunged her head forward and growled. 

Naomi stopped casting the spell immediately. Asalya stopped growling. Her head pulled back. She resumed her waiting, watching, and guarding the door.

Naomi trembled. “I’m sorry, girl. Kylie’s okay. I just needed her to go to sleep. She needs to stay here. To let Diana take care of her for a bit. Maybe Madeline will even come. You both want to see Madeline soon, right?”

Asalya didn’t move.

“And, and I need to go to Laryth. It’s been fun traveling with you. And thank you for all the times you’ve saved me. But I really need to go home now.” 

The wolf still didn’t move. Why was she making this so hard?

Tears started pouring down Naomi’s face. She couldn’t stop them. “Please, Asalya. I have to see if I still have a home. I know... I know Kylie said I was part of the pack and that you two would help me. But I have to go back, I have to know. Please, please, please let me go.” 

Gently, Asalya rose to all fours, and stepped aside.

“Thank you.” Naomi wiped the tears from her face and started toward the door.

But Asalya wasn’t done. She grabbed the pack of Kylie’s travel supplies and carried it to Naomi, dropping it at her feet.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t take that. Those are Kylie’s things. It has Kylie’s birthday present in it.” 

Asalya sniffed around the bag, then shoved it on top of Naomi’s feet with her snout. Naomi got the message. She picked it up, and put it over her shoulder. 

“Thank you,” she said.

She grabbed her coat off the rack next to the front door. Asalya followed her so close that she could feel the wolf’s breath on her ankles.

When she opened the door, she was met with a rush of the all-too familiar cold air. She would wait a while before digging the dragonfire stone out of the pack. The cold had been her companion on this journey since long before the wolves arrived. It only made sense to return to it.

Asalya didn’t follow her beyond the door. She resumed sitting with her head high, watching the Lightbringer.

Naomi took a few steps out into the night, where the stars and moon hung above the grey wasteland. She opened the atlas. They were not far from Larbroque still, so she knew to head to the southwest. It didn’t take long to orient herself and plan out a route. 

She looked back to the massive tree behind her. And at the glowing eyes of her friend sitting in the doorway, waiting, and watching her go.

Then she turned and ran.