Saara was fast asleep when Lynx awoke—a blessing after the difficult night they'd had keeping her pain under control. Without Lynx's full attention the day prior, the malady had restored its severity, agonizing Saara's small form. But by a combination of administering the remaining medications Lynx had concocted, shouldering as much of Saara's pain as she could stand, and imbuing her with every ounce of restorative magic she had left, Lynx had subdued it to manageable levels.

Lynx's body felt heavy with the evening's work, but she felt more determined than ever to create a medication that would soothe Saara for longer periods of time.

"Another long night, my lady?" Isla greeted her in the hallway as she made her way to the church's kitchen.

Lynx started. Usually, she heard the footsteps or felt the shifting in the air made by those around her before they spoke.

"Oh, my, I'm so sorry—"

"No, please, Isla. I'm the one who should be sorry. I have asked so much of you recently, and I am afraid I shall still require your assistance."

"It is an honor to help you, Lynx. Truly." Isla placed a hand on Lynx's arm. "Shall I make us something to eat and a pot of tea?"

Lynx smiled. It was rare that the members of the church called her by her first name. It felt warm and familiar. "You are a blessing."

Isla shook her head. "Think nothing of it."

They shared a light meal with the ingredients left in their stores, Isla remarking that she'd call on one of the acolytes to fetch more later. The jovial conversation and warm tea aided in rejuvenating Lynx's spirits. To Isla's credit, she didn't ask how Lynx suddenly understood their visitor's language or what he was seeking. It was a benefit as Lynx was not sure how much about Ryock's task she was allowed to share with her peers, though she trusted Isla with her life. By the time they were finished, Ryock had returned to the church.

"Did you sleep well?" Lynx asked him brightly.

"Well enough. Let's get started."

At Lynx's request, Isla unrolled a clean piece of leather onto the storeroom floor on top of a long blanket. She then helped Lynx pull the medicinal components that had shown the most promise with Saara from the cabinets and lined them across the middle of the leather—in case any of the ingredients should spill. Guiding Lynx's hand, she tapped the top of each jar and named what was inside to help her with the order they were placed.

"Where are you finding the most trouble?" Ryock asked as they took seats on the floor across from each other.

"How do you mean?"

"You wrote down the reactions of the medications, and some seemed successful. So, what happened?"

"Ah, right." Lynx tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. "They take effect and react as they should, easing Saara's pain for at least a little while—but they all wear off so quickly. I do not wish to give her too much, as it could do more harm to her body than good. Yet nothing I have seems powerful enough."

"Then, what you've tried does work. It's just temporary."

"Correct."

"I have a few things we can possibly add to the mix." Ryock unhooked a pouch from his belt and placed four items in between the pots.

"I'll make us some tea," Isla touched Lynx's shoulder and stood.

"That would be lovely. Thank you, Isla."

Lynx picked up one of the glass vials Ryock had provided and uncorked it. "What are these?"

"Three raw ingredients and one premixed."

Lynx sniffed at the opening. Minute particles tickled her nose—it smelled bitter. "Is this a powder?"

"Mhm. It's a numbing agent."

"Do you mix it into ingested potions or apply it directly on the skin?"

The question seemed to surprise him. "Both, actually. How long have you been practicing medicine?"

"I have studied it since I was a little girl. Magic cannot cure all things—not even the god-touched. Open-mindedness is just as important to a physician as their tools."

He nodded. "I agree."

Lynx poured a little of the powder onto her pinky and licked it off. She frowned. "It is highly acidic—does it tend to lessen the effects of the ingredients you mix it with?"

"Yes. Though... I never really understood why."

"If we use a binding agent, it should counteract that issue." Lynx clicked her tongue, then laughed. "Oh dear, my tongue is numb."

Ryock chuckled. "Careful, you won't be able to taste your tea."

Lynx paused, a sly smile playing at her lips. "Was that a jest?"

Ryock coughed. "So, a binding agent?"

"Mmm," Lynx hummed, and her lips tingled. The powder was highly concentrated if such a small amount had affected her so. "Something for the powder to react with before it can do harm to the other ingredients. I should have something that would work." She counted the jars at her knees until she reached the fourth. "This one."

Ryock checked the notes he'd made the day prior. "Dragon bones? Really?"

"They are not actual dragons. Simply large lizards that will occasionally steal a wandering sheep or two from an errant flock. They're um...quite cute," Lynx shyly admitted.

Ryock studied her and shook his head. "How do you prepare these?"

"We boil them in water and acid until they make a paste. They are safe to eat," she added. "I have used them as binders in the past." She recorked the glass vial and set it to her right. "This ingredient is a possibility. Let us move on."

Isla returned with the tea and excused herself with a polite bow—the church's foyer had opened to patrons for the morning. More healers would assist her soon, but Isla was the only person available with Lynx occupied.

"We'll need to be cautious of pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions," Ryock said.

Lynx poked her tongue into her cheek. She'd kept up with their conversation so far, but those words were new to her. "At the risk of sounding foolish, I am unfamiliar with those terms."

"Oh, right. Sorry. If the ingredients interact in a way that leads to greater overall effect or potentially negates out the other."

"Ah. Like your numbing agent." She nodded. "That makes sense. Many of the options in our stores should not be mixed with one another. The five I've chosen here have been used in multiple concoctions together without incident. But we will be wary of these new additions."

"Alright. That sounds reasonable."

Lynx lifted a container that was much larger than the glass vials, crafted of metal, and shaped like a flask. "What is the premixed potion you carry?"

"It's for one of my traveling companions. How do I explain it...?"

"As best as you can," Lynx encouraged.

He nodded and continued, his words slow and thoughtful. "Well, she can hear the thoughts of others. With that, it helps her to block them out."

"Goodness. That must be difficult to manage all by herself." Lynx shook her head. "I often feel trapped in my own thoughts. To carry the dozens of musings from others on top of that? She must be a very strong person."

"Yeah. She is."

"Ah! S-sorry. I diverged from our task. This is an extraordinary concoction, but I do not think it will help Saara." She carefully handed the flask back to Ryock. "Would you like some tea?" She felt around for the tea set until her hands alighted on the pot.

"Here, let me." Ryock's warm hands cupped hers.

Heat jolted through Lynx's wrists and into her cheeks. She was certain he'd hear her heart pounding against her chest. Heaven's above, hadn't she outgrown these feelings? "O-oh. Thank you!" she squeaked. Despite her desire for the contrary, she slipped her hands away from his.

"The vial by the jar of Dragon Bones is a strong sedative. I don't suggest tasting it unless you plan on taking a nap right here," Ryock cautioned.

Another joke? Lynx smiled and counted the jars back to the Dragon Bones, then lifted the vile. This one was heavy. Balancing it between her forefinger and thumb, she let it tip from one side to the next. "A liquid." It shifted slowly from top to bottom, like honey. "A thick liquid."

"It doesn't take much. It may help Saara sleep at night."

"If we have enough, we could create a medication for the daytime as well as the evenings." Lynx traced the flask with her fingertip, voice lowering. "Perhaps it is selfish, but I would very much like to sleep in my own bed for a few nights."

Ryock pulled Lynx's hand free of the vial and replaced it with a saucer holding a teacup. "You're not very good at being selfish, are you?"

Lynx blushed. "I suppose not." She placed the vial beside the numbing powder and sipped her tea. Feeling had returned to her tongue, and—to her surprise—the taste was perfect. "You knew what to put in my tea?"

"I... watched Isla yesterday when she made it." Ryock scratched the back of his neck. "I mean, it's not very hard, so."

"It is still very kind of you. Thank you." She took another drink. "What is your final ingredient?"

"Right, well," he lifted the last vial and studied its contents, "it's a few sprigs of a rare tree from another world. According to the people there, it has powerful healing properties. But I haven't done anything with it yet."

"That sounds mysterious. Does it have a name?"

"They called it a Genezen Tree. Apparently, just a few leaves can aid almost any injury. Should we try it?"

Lynx was taken aback. "I could not let you use something so precious. That is asking too much."

"The sooner we can find Drive, the better. We made a deal, and if this works, then great." Ryock leaned forward and placed the vial beside the other two. He smelled of sweet spices and the air after it rained.

Lynx buried her face in her tea. "I-if you insist."

"I'm sure. Now, where can I get some water boiling?"

They carried the ingredients to the kitchen, Lynx walking slowly behind Ryock as not to collide with any passersby. He helped her set the spread along the table nearest the cooking fire and flattened the parchment next to it. She took a seat at the table and awaited his instruction.

"Let's start by melting some bones then, hmm?" he suggested.

"There's a well in the gardens with spring water. Shall I call Isla to fetch us a filled pail?"

"No, I can get it."

She moved to stand. "Oh! Are you sure? I could go—"

"Lynx, please. I can carry a bucket," Ryock interrupted.

His voice sounded on edge, and she worried that she'd angered him. "O-of course. I meant no offense."

He placed a hand on her head, and she sank back down into her chair. "You don't have to do everything yourself, you know."

"I..." Lynx fiddled her thumbs around the backs of her hands, acutely aware of the weight of his palm on her hair. "Alright. I'll wait here."

Ryock nodded and made his way to the gardens of the church before returning in short order. "Here we are."

The sound of water flowing into the cooking pot followed soon afterward.

"Do you need matches? Or flint? I can—" Lynx began.

A fire crackled to life before she could finish her sentence. She paused.

"Fire is a bit of a specialty," Ryock stated.

"That's true. You did not tell me what kind of magic you can call!" Lynx exclaimed. "Do you know other powers as well?"

"Yes. Electricity and ice."

Lynx sounded the unfamiliar word out on her tongue. "E-lec-tri-city?"

"Oh. I suppose 'lightning' would be the closest explanation."

Lynx's eyes widened. "Here, the power of storms is harnessed by a god. Are you god-touched as well?"

"No." He took the pot of Dragon Bones and uncapped it, picking out the largest pieces.

"Where did your powers come from?"

"I was born with them." He stirred the water.

"Were your parents able to utilize the arcane?"

"...No."

There was something dark in his tone that warned her away from the subject. She gently shifted the focus away from him. "You know, I have never met another mortal with the ability to use magic. I have met gods, and the man who led me to them serves as a mentor for any born with the gift. But you are the first person I have encountered that's... like me."

The water began to froth and boil. Ryock tossed the bones in and stirred them around the bottom of the pot. "Does your mentor not know magic?"

Lynx shook her head. "No. Each generation, one person is trained in the event that a spellcaster is born. Someone that understands the ways of magical arts—the knowledge is passed down from the last person gifted with the arcane." And he did not wish to teach me, Lynx thought to herself but did not want to burden Ryock any further.

"Do they call all magic users like us god-touched in Analyn?"

"No." Lynx moved her hands to her lap. They were treading on fragile territory. "As Orlando briefly mentioned, I petitioned for the gods to assist me."

"Why? What happened?"

Over the years, the memories had dulled from impossible to recall to painful. But explaining the nuances and occurrences of the event to one not of her world would be... difficult. More than difficult. "I... it is..." Her hands shook. Heavens above, after a decade, it should not have been so hard.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It's okay."

Lynx took a deep breath. "Ten years ago, a disease like no one had ever seen descended upon Analyn. I spent my every waking breath crafting potions and tinctures and using every drop of magic I had. It wasn't enough. Hundreds died." She steadied her hands as best she could. "Perhaps that is a small number of casualties in comparison to a massive city like La Rue, but—"

"There aren't a lot of people here. That's quite a chunk. Continue."

"...That's correct. After weeks of no recourse, my younger sister and my betrothed fell ill." Lynx's voice shrank, and her posture slumped. Ten years of guilt still wracked her petite form. "My powers were not enough. So, with my mentor's help, I petitioned the gods."

"And they answered and amplified your powers?"

"Yes. To them, my hesitancy to do so until selfish necessity required recompense. So many people of Analyn had already perished to the disease, and I did not call on them until it was those I loved at risk. For that, they would only deny the god of death one life that day."

Ryock paused as the meaning of her words took hold. "Your sister or your betrothed."

She nodded. "In addition, according to The Twins—the gods of restoration in this world—it is unheard of for a mere human to have a god's level of restorative magic. I would need to forfeit a vital part of myself should I wish to harness their knowledge. My sight."

"Shit," Ryock breathed.

A sad smile played at Lynx's mouth, but her hands continued to tremble. "I was able to save Analyn and my little sister. So many were lost, and I... I often pray that I made the right choice."

Ryock knelt beside her and cupped her hands in his. Lynx drew an unsteady breath and fought against the doubt that hung so heavy on her shoulders.

"Sometimes, people like us have to make choices that no one else in existence can understand," Ryock said. "You've done more for the people around you in two days than I have seen in years. Don't doubt yourself."

Lynx nodded and laughed beneath her breath. "It seems I have made things quite dreary. My apologies, that was not my intent."

Ryock shook his head and returned to the pot. "No, you haven't." He tossed in a measure of the acidic material Lynx had given him to break down the bones. "Not in the slightest."

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