Vuroth's Tear: Even the Gods Cry

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"How does your leg feel?" Asked Jazel as she unwrapped the bandage. She pushed gently on the wound and saw Analda cringe in pain.

"It still hurts but nothing I can't handle," She responded through gritted teeth, "how long until I can walk again?"

"It will be a little while. The cuts are deep," Jazel grabbed a bowl of a pale green paste, "This will sting for a moment, but soon it will make your leg numb. Donovan made this for you to help keep it clean and help you with the pain. Obviously, Lycans don't have much need for medicine."

Jazel dug her fingers in and scooped some onto her fingertips. She looked at Analda and then smeared it down the leg, covering the cuts. Analda sucked in a breath, it felt like her leg was on fire. She forced herself to take slow, steady breaths while Jazel continued rubbing it into the wounds.

As she was told, Analda began to feel a tingle in the cuts. It started like a deep itch beneath the skin, one that no amount of scratching would ever touch. The feeling got more intense, like pins and needles that spread over her whole leg, reaching from her thigh all the way to her toes and then the feeling began to fade until she felt nothing at all.

"That feels so strange!" She chuckled and tried to wiggle her toes, "I can't move my foot!" She said in a moment of panic.

"It's okay, that's what is supposed to happen," Jazel stood with the bowl of medicine in her hand, "don't touch the leg. When it dries, I'll come back to clean it and wrap your leg again."

"Jazel," She looked up at the young woman with golden skin and eyes to match, her hair was black, in a single braid hanging down her shoulder and covering half of her chest. It never occurred to Analda before but it was then that she realized that Jazel looked nothing like her sister, Velana, "How did you find me yesterday?" Sanub said nobody could find us."

Jazel smiled and knelt in front of her, "The Burning Bloom that Stein, my father, gave you. Its scent clings to the skin and clothing. As you know, the smell of that flower is very unique and potent. They only grow in his shack around here so once I separated the scent from his hut and yours, it was easy."

Analda looked at the beautiful flower that sat in the small clay bowl next to the bed, "You found me because of a flower?"

Jazel nodded as she stood, "Get your rest, Analda and I will be back later." She walked outside, leaving Analda alone to rest.

Aven and Donovan sat against a tree on the outskirts of the village. Aven watched Jazel leave the hut and walk out of their view.

"How is she?" Asked Donovan.

Aven nodded, "She's alright, a little shaken by everything though. I figured I would give her a little time to rest."

"I'm sure she would rather be with you than be in there all alone, Aven," Donovan responded.

Aven sighed, "I dunno what's wrong with me, Don. I can't help but feel like everything that has happened to her is my fault."

Donovan's eyebrows lifted, "How is it your fault?"

Aven stared down at the ground, "If we didn't go back to Ravdian, those brothers wouldn't have gone there. If she didn't come with us, she wouldn't be here and Sanub wouldn't have almost killed her."

"Aven, with everything going on in Drakorna right now? She wouldn't be as safe as she is now," Donovan ran a hand through his hair, "I think she is exactly where she needs to be, but you aren't. You should be in there with her."