Chapter 19

The night was suffocating with worry, shadows flickering against the walls of the dimly lit chamber. Rhaine lay motionless on the bed, her breathing shallow and strained. Her dark skin, once radiant, had grown pale with suffering, marred by traces of dried blood at the corner of her lips. 

Selara knelt beside her, her heart pounding with desperation as she gently shook Rhaine's shoulder. 

"Rha... Rhaine," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I got it. The water. What do I do now?" 

Rhaine's eyelids fluttered weakly. Each breath was a struggle, her words faint and fragmented. "Mix... a small amount... with the dried florsa leaves... in the satchel..." 

Selara's hands trembled as she searched the satchel, fingers brushing against the brittle leaves. "Got it. What else?" 

"Lunarest... essence... just a little..." 

Selara froze. "Lunarest? But we should wait until your symptoms pass before using that. It's a poison in your state." 

A faint smile tugged at Rhaine's lips, even through the pain. "Don't... worry... it will ease the symptoms. No one... in the castle... must know." Her breath hitched painfully. "We can't... alert an enemy." 

Selara swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing herself to focus. Rhaine's resolve was ironclad, even now. With shaking hands, she mixed the concoction, the bitter scent of lunarest essence filling the room. Her eyes darted back to Rhaine's frail form, fear clawing at her heart. 

"Here," she said softly, lifting Rhaine's head. "Drink this." 

Rhaine struggled to sip the potion, but after a few agonizing moments, she stilled. Her breathing steadied, the violent coughs subsiding. Selara held her close until, finally, Rhaine drifted into a peaceful sleep. 

Selara's chest heaved with relief, but tears stung her eyes. How long could Rhaine endure this? 

The next morning, Selara woke before dawn. Rhaine was still asleep, her expression tranquil but fragile. Determined to help her recover, Selara slipped out of the room, seeking water to help Rhaine soak and ease her body's strain. 

The castle was eerily quiet, servants just beginning their morning routines. As Selara walked briskly, she noticed whispers trailing her path. Eyes lingered on her, curious and wary. 

Finally, she confronted a maid who had been nervously whispering to another. "Is something wrong?" she asked, keeping her voice steady. 

The maid bowed awkwardly. "Healer Selara... it's just..." Her gaze shifted downward. "Your clothes..." 

Selara frowned, glancing down—and her heart sank. A dark, dried stain of blood marred her dress near the waistline. 

Without a word, Selara turned sharply, quickening her pace toward the water storage. She filled the bucket with hot water, her mind racing. 

On my way back, I have to avoid the main corridors.

But fate was cruel. To avoid the bustling servants, she had to cross the palace grounds. Her steps faltered when she saw him—Kaelion. 

The general's gaze locked onto her instantly, sharp and assessing. His strides were calm yet purposeful as he approached. 

Selara's nerves frayed. Her grip on the bucket tightened, but her trembling fingers failed her. The bucket slipped from her grasp, water splashing onto the ground—and revealing a faint smear of blood. 

Selara quickly adjusted her dress, trying to cover the stain, but Kaelion's eyes had already caught it. 

"Is something wrong, Healer Selara?" His voice was smooth but edged with steel. 

"No," she said, forcing composure. "Nothing is wrong. I just needed some water." 

"Really?" His eyes narrowed. "Why would you wake up this early to fetch water yourself? The servants could have done it for you." 

"I... I wanted to bathe now," she lied, keeping her voice even. 

"I see." He seemed to accept her answer—or so she thought. 

Selara bent to retrieve the bucket, thinking the worst was over. But his next question made her blood run cold. 

"How is the Saintess?" 

Her heart skipped a beat. "She's fine," she managed to say. 

"Fine?" His brow arched skeptically. "She was coughing blood yesterday. That can't possibly be the blood on your dress, can it?" 

Selara hesitated—too long. 

Kaelion's expression darkened like a storm brewing on the horizon. "What's going on?" His voice was low, edged with menace. "Your arrival in this kingdom wasn't just for healing, was it? Both of you are up to something."

Selara's throat went dry under his relentless gaze, as sharp and cold as winter steel. The weight of his suspicion was suffocating.

"Speak, Healer Selara," he commanded, his tone cutting through the air like a blade. "What are you hiding?"

Summoning every ounce of courage, she steadied her trembling voice. "I appreciate the kindness, General, but everything is fine. I must leave now."

She turned swiftly, hoping to escape his scrutiny, but his voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Kelos." His tone was curt. "Carry the bucket for Healer Selara."

A shadow moved from behind the columns, one of his guards stepping forward. Kaelion lingered for a beat, his thoughts visibly churning before striding away, leaving a bewildered Selara behind.

The guard silently followed her back to Rhaine's chambers. Upon reaching the door, Selara offered a polite nod. "Thank you."

The guard bowed briefly before departing. Selara entered to find Rhaine awake, though still pale, her breathing steadier but faint.

"How do you feel?" Selara asked softly, walking toward her.

"Just good enough," Rhaine managed, her gaze falling on the bucket. "Is that for me?"

Selara hesitated. "Uh... yeah. I thought you might need to soak a bit to dispel the fever."

Rhaine's eyes softened with gratitude. She reached out, resting a hand on Selara's shoulder. "Thank you, Sela. I don't know what I would do without you sometimes. But you don't need to trouble yourself like this."

"I must. It's my duty."

Rhaine shook her head gently. "No. You are free now. Don't burden yourself for me."

Selara's chest tightened at those words, memories flickering behind her eyes like shadows from a painful past.

Before Selara had become a healer, she had been a slave in the kingdom of Zephyros. One fateful day, Rhaine, carrying out her saintess duties, had witnessed the king beating Selara mercilessly. Compassion flared in Rhaine's heart as she pleaded for Selara's release.

But the king's twisted pride prevailed. "It's slaves like these that I like," he sneered. "Obedient and willing to serve."

Rhaine had fought back subtly, offering priceless herbs to win Selara's freedom. Still, the king's greed turned carnal, his desires becoming reckless despite warnings that forcing himself on Rhaine would bring death. The lunarest essence within Rhaine made her body a deadly poison when touched against her will.

When the king fell gravely ill, the queen, desperate to save her husband, offered Selara to Rhaine in exchange for a cure. From that moment, Selara had vowed unwavering loyalty, learning the healing arts to serve and follow Rhaine.

Rhaine's voice brought Selara back from the bitter echoes of the past.

"I need to find out more about the ruins near the cave," she said urgently. "Time is running out, and we must prepare."

Selara's brow furrowed in thought. "I might have a way."