I resolved to attain a power befitting a Saintly candidate by any means necessary—even if it meant venturing into the forbidden. No taboo was too formidable...not even the little black pill that had been bequeathed to me by Mills in hushed secrecy prior to his downfall.
The proverbial wheels had fallen off the carriage of my pride, yet I was committed to following this path to its inevitable end—to my very demise.
✦ ✦ ✦
As Lady Monica was led away, I stood on the arena floor, cradling Lina’s unconscious form. Rage, grief, and regret overwhelmed me as I gazed at the angry, red marks that marred the neck of my beloved.
I’m sorry, my dear Lina, that I couldn’t prevent this. The terror, the pain, the suffering you endured could’ve all been avoided if I’d acted sooner.
Protecting her. That had been my one overarching duty, and I had failed it. How utterly worthless had I become? As I berated myself, Teo glided down from the stands under the power of his wind magic and landed next to me. “Let’s take her to the medical office,” he said, gesturing towards the nearest vomitorium. “We’ll treat her there.”
I almost protested—insisting we administer aid to her right there, right then—but I caught myself just in time. Medical treatment might necessitate undressing her, I realized. It was an emergency, but Lina’s dignity still needed to be preserved. With this in mind, I followed Teo, quickening my pace as much as I dared as we hurried down the corridor, moving carefully to accommodate Lina’s condition.
“Where’s the medical office? I don’t see it,” I said, my impatience growing.
“It’s just around the next corner,” Teo assured me. “Hold on a little longer, Your Highness.”
Unlike me, my vice commander remained perfectly composed. “Make way, make way,” he called as we navigated through the milling crowd to a nondescript door. A sign marked “Medical Office” hung above it, and the faint scent of disinfectant seeped into the hall. Teo knocked briefly, and without waiting for a response, he turned the knob and pushed the door open.
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the room was empty—no doctor in sight. Only a medicine cabinet and several beds occupied the space. Teo quickly approached the nearest bed, pulling back the sheets. He then looked over at me, still lingering in the doorway. “What are you waiting for? Bring her here quickly, and I’ll begin my examination.”
Jolted into action, I hurried over to the bed and laid her down as gently as I could. She was deeply asleep. The stress, not just from today’s event but from the ordeal with the archbishop, must’ve taken its toll on her. The realization struck painfully late: I should have been more supportive.
Lost in a spiral of self-criticism, I barely noticed Teo grabbing my arm. “You’re in the way,” he hissed. “If you can’t make yourself useful, then make yourself scarce.” He moved in front of me, leaning over Lina. Gently, he touched her face, tilting her head to assess the extent of her injuries, then checked her pulse. “Her pulse is a little elevated, but she’s otherwise fine. She’ll make a full recovery.”
“Are you sure?” I blurted out before remembering it was folly to question Teo’s medical expertise.
He sighed, recognizing my anxiety but clearly exasperated. “Yes, I’m sure. Now will you please compose yourself?”
His irritation was thinly veiled, but as I breathed a sigh of relief, he adjusted his glasses and returned to examining her neck. It wasn’t immediately apparent what he was doing, but upon seeing the marks on her neck slowly fade, I realized that he was casting a healing spell. When he finished, the bruises were less noticeable—only apparent if you knew to look, but undeniably still present.
“Can’t you do something about that?” I asked, my gaze fixed on her neck. “Won’t the marks disappear completely with another spellcast?”
“The rest will heal on its own,” he replied. “There shouldn’t be any scarring, barring of course any additional significant stress to the affected area.”
“B-But—”
“Your Highness,” he interrupted with another sigh, “I’m quite certain you know as well as I do that it’s best to rely on the body’s natural healing processes whenever possible.”
I understood that; of course I did. Healing magic, though versatile, carried risks. Its control was intricate, requiring precise adaptation to each specific injury, and a misapplication could worsen a patient’s condition. I knew all this, yet the faint red marks on her skin were a vivid reminder of my failure, causing a sharp ache in my chest.
Observing my restlessness, Teo shrugged in exasperation. “If it bothers you that much, I can bandage her neck.”
Despite his tone, I realized he was trying to offer a solution. I nodded. “Please.”
With a quick word of acknowledgment, Teo fetched some gauze from the medicine cabinet. He wrapped it around Carolina’s throat with the greatest care, trimmed the excess, and then glanced at the clock on the wall. “While Her Highness rests, we should move her to the Emerald Palace. Nobel Hall is much too populous for comfort.” His voice tightened slightly—perhaps he was concerned about extremists finding us here. “I can teleport us.”
I nodded in agreement. “Lina’s safety is the priority.”
“Then keep an eye on her for a moment while I work out the calculations,” he said, and with a respectful bow, he retreated to the back of the room. Although he was out of sight, the faint scratching of his quill on paper echoed in the quiet room.
Feeling a sudden pang of loneliness, I moved closer to Carolina’s bed and took her hand—so delicate in mine—as I watched her serene face. “Please, just wake up, Lina. I’ll take any scolding, bear any punishment. I just need to hear your voice again,” I whispered, my voice heavy with longing.
Get better soon, my love, I prayed, my gaze lingering on her, filled with a mix of hope and wistful worry.