I could do nothing more than stare at Ern’s remains and the parts of her around my person, and all the blood sprayed across the room.
Finding the energy to stand on my own power proved...difficult.
I had no desire to do anything whatsoever. I abhorred even the simple act of thinking.
“Can you stand?”
The words came from Geoff, who had been missing until now. “You’re safe,” I wanted to say, but I could not muster the energy. I did not answer him at all. Even the simple act of turning in his direction was exhausting. But Geoff showed no anger. Instead, he placed a reassuring hand upon my own.
“I did not make it in time,” he said, the regret clear in his voice, “and I will accept any punishment you deem fair and just. But for now, you must prioritize your own well-being. I know you are tired, and I want nothing more than to carry you, but you’ve wounds along your back. Can you stand, my lady?”
It was only when I was made aware of my injuries that they began to throb with pain. Human senses are a fickle thing.
“It will do you no good to stay here,” Geoff continued. “You must stand, I beg of you.”
He pulled gently at my arm, and oddly enough, my body responded to his request. I had assumed that the shock of it all had left any action beyond me, but such was not the case. Even then, I could not tear my gaze away from all of Ern’s things, scattered across the room.
“Allow me to see to the girl’s wounds.”
The dignified, elegant words belonged to an older woman whose voice I did not recognize. Geoff, too, responded with hesitance.
“Why are you helping us?” he asked.
“It is as I have already said. I did not lend them a hand due to any enmity toward Quach, and that is exactly why I protected you. Many of the other elders are the same—not all of us wanted death to be the answer. I am only too cognizant of just how horrible an experience this would have been for the young lady.”
The woman walked closer to us as she spoke and took my wrist softly in hand.
“Come with me,” she said. “Quach is no longer here, and she will not return, no matter how long you wait.”
There was bread scattered across the floor. It was in no state to be eaten anymore, and in any case, the person who had once wanted to share it with me was...gone.
I was taken to a small room which smelled of herbs. The woman unbuttoned my blouse with the help of another, younger woman.
“I’ve no tricks up my sleeve,” announced the older woman to Geoff, “but feel free to remain here should your suspicions remain. You can see things for yourself as soon as we’re done.”
“I’ll do just that,” replied Geoff.
“I assume you can hear me too,” said the older woman, addressing me. “We’ll be removing fragments from your back, and it’s going to hurt. Stay strong. Ah, Quach saw that you were shielded—there was a protective spell at play.”
I felt a dull shock through my back, around my shoulder, but made no sound. I was sick of everything, all of it, to the extent that even I myself couldn’t quite believe it.
“Back, arms, and fingers,” muttered the woman. “But your ears seem no worse for wear. During early tests, the sound was enough to deafen some, but it looks like that issue has been solved. What about the recoil?”
“She appears to be favoring one arm over the other,” replied her companion. “Shall I take a look?”
“Yes, please. It would seem the recoil problem was never entirely solved, then.”
“Shall I heal as you work, instructor?”
“Do what you can. It’ll leave her exhausted, but at present being put to sleep is likely just what she needs.”
I hadn’t felt a thing when I’d released my finger from the trigger of Ern’s gun, but as time passed, the pain began to seep in. The older woman then began talking to Geoff.
“Make sure she rests when you return home. The healing will have drained her of strength, but the gun, too, requires a person’s magic to function. Mages like us can control the power, but ordinary citizens like this young lady here have only enough magic to live. In essence, the weapon took her very life force. Given that the gun she fired was made by Quach herself, we have to assume she’s going to be very tired.”
“This...gun, as you call it—it takes a toll on its user?” asked Geoff.
“It runs on a chemical of Quach’s invention, and that chemical needs magic to work.”
The woman explained that magic was the means by which bullets were fired from guns. Mages could make skillful use of such weapons because they had magic reserves beyond ordinary citizens and could control how much of it they used. And while it was still possible for ordinary people to fire guns, it was potentially life-threatening.
“Nobody else ever reached the same level of accuracy as Quach,” said the woman, “but it’s said that the most skilled users can even control the direction of their shots.”
She said that Ern could fire her gun at the sky and still hit a person standing straight in front of her. For an ordinary citizen, however, just pulling the trigger was in itself a mammoth effort. For most mages, taking careful aim was the only way to ensure a hit.
“A weapon of such magnitude is undoubtedly highly confidential. Even I can tell that much. Are you sharing this information with me out of guilt?” asked Geoff.
“I wonder...” muttered the woman. “I suppose I just don’t want you to misunderstand. While I think it truly regretful that Quach met the fate she did, I do not regret the decision I made.”
When the healing was done, I was clothed and given a thick coat.
“I did not have much opportunity to speak with her,” continued the woman, “but I can’t help wondering what might have become of Quach were she a little more cooperative. We were very much a dying breed—mages, that is—but thanks to her efforts, people are once again taking notice of us. I was grateful, but at the same time, the balance of power crumbled to pieces. That, and if His Majesty’s fears are indeed true, then releasing...it would only mean for the empire’s...”
The woman’s last words were uttered as if only for herself, but she did not get to finish her thought.
“Done,” said the younger woman, letting out a long sigh.
“I would tell you to rest and relax, but you won’t find any solace here,” said the older woman, turning to address Geoff. “A carriage is waiting for you. Take her home at once.”
The dried blood on my hands was summarily scrubbed clean. The pain I felt across my back was gone, and I left the House of Magic cradled in Geoff’s arms. I told him it wasn’t necessary, but he refused to listen. My body was completely, utterly wracked with exhaustion—a contrast to the perplexing clarity of mind I felt. At the entrance was Reinald, waiting to take us home.
“I understand the circumstances, though not the greater details,” he said. “Let us leave at once.”
Geoff filled Reinald in as the carriage trundled along the road. He explained that just as we were about to reach Ern’s lab, he walked into a wall and I vanished completely from sight. When he turned back, he found himself surrounded, but he was aided by the woman who saw my injuries mended. Reinald asked for a description of her and concluded that she was a House Elder.
“If the centrist elders were a part of it, then I have to assume that the decision was the consensus of the entire House,” mused Reinald. “But why did the spell only work on you? Surely the elder who saved you wanted to avoid casualties, and she must have at least tried to stop Karen.”
“I got the sense from talking to her that she did,” replied Geoff. “However, her attempts failed because Karen was already under the protection of another spell.”
“Quach’s own attempts to aid her friend backfired, then...”
I heard everything the two men said, but I didn’t have the energy or the will to take part in the conversation. They spoke of other matters as well, but it flowed into one ear and straight out the other.
“She’ll fare far better with her own people taking care of her than coming under my protection,” said Reinald. “I’ve placed people in the area, and you need only ask your neighbors should you find yourselves in need.”
“Understood. We’re grateful for you taking such swift action.”
“There’s much I would like to ask Karen about, too, but it can wait for another time.”
Reinald’s voice said he was done, but Geoff was not about to let him off so easily.
“But there are matters I would like to ask you about, Your Highness,” he said. “The House Elders made it sound as though Ern was connected to anti-imperial rebels...or someone much more powerful. I am not claiming that you betrayed her, Your Highness, but did you not in some way see this coming?”
“I am no prophet,” replied Reinald. “Had I known, I would not have sent the two of you straight into the jaws of danger.”
“Then what of your connection to Lady Ern? Are you telling me you haven’t erased any and all evidence of that? At present, nobody would be in more danger for suspicion of connection to Lady Ern than you.”
There was a simmering anger at the edges of Geoff’s voice. The air felt ready to snap in an instant, but the single clearing of a throat cut in before things could get any worse.