Chapter 16: Fire

 "Good God," Aleric was in so much pain that he could hardly breathe. And yet, he knew that this was necessary. This was the power of a nymph's mana, the power of a nymph's blood.

He knew that if he didn't survive this, then, well, he was going to die anyway, for he had been infected by a plague or barrier.

And that was not something that he could have ignored or simply made good with chicken soup. 

"Is the nymph ok," and yet, despite all that, Aleric still found it in himself to ask about Pan. 

"He'll be fine," Brandon said, as he reapplied another cold compress on Pan's forehead. 

"He is a soldier, our Pan," Aleric said, chuckling. He took a hold of Pan's hand and gently rubbed his thumb over the soft skin. 

"It was a brave thing of you to do, Pan," Brandon said.

 Pan couldn't breathe. He could hardly see. He felt so as if he were dying. He knew that the dragon saliva had this working on him.