Guinevere's Grail | ✓ [BOOK 2]

~ 30 ~

THE GENTLE WAVES OF the sea rocked the boat from side to side, lulling Chalice into a deep calm as they closed their eyes. Sera was beside them, guiding them through the magic. She told them things they felt they should've known, like a reminder of something they knew long ago but couldn't quite reach on their own again.

It was no simple spell. Without any memory of training, all Chalice was left with was the things their body memorized, and everything that came naturally to a druid. They knew they'd been powerful before, Eurion would never let them forget that, but it was hard to believe such a thing when they just felt so useless.

"You can do it," the thief encouraged, holding her hands out to them. She'd knicked the base of her palm enough to sting to help the druid figure it out, and she would be the one to let them know when it was working. So far, it wasn't.

Sera pressed her fingers to their temples. "Focus, Chalice," she said. "Stop thinking about how little you know and start thinking about taking Eurion's pain away. Now."

It was hard to focus when the woman was this pushy. Chalice wasn't used to someone this harsh and impatient, but they supposed it was how she had to be when all she had was herself to keep her and her son alive for so long.

"I'm sorry," the druid murmured. "I'm doing my best but it's not there."

Sera huffed, slumping back in her seat. "What isn't there? How do I help you?"

"I just--I can't focus. I need a minute."

"Well, we don't have a minute," she snapped.

Eurion put a hand on her arm. "Sera," she said. "You're stressing them out. Let me try."

It was almost instantaneous, the calm that flooded their body when Eurion touched their face. Her hands were large and rough, but her touch was the most gentle thing they'd ever felt. They focused on her fingertips, brushing along their hairline, on the gentle pulse beneath her skin and the precise stillness only someone as slick and skilled as her could possess.

And suddenly, there it was. The demand in their head, the single word running back and forth, became the only thought on their mind.

Numb. Numb. Numb.

Eurion laughed victoriously. "Chalice, you're doing it," she said. "I can't feel my hand. Now try the rest of me."

The druid opened their eyes and thought only of Eurion's body, of the pain she must've felt, and thought of turning that pain into emptiness, into a dull nothing.

"I can still feel a little, but it's mostly gone," she said. "I think you did it. Can you do a few more of us?"

They reached out, thought of Selene. What they did for Eurion, they tried to do for her at the same time. And then Morgana, waiting for their reactions.

"Is it working?" they asked. Whatever they were capable of before was returning to them. Maybe they could remember everything else soon, maybe Ursula really helped.

Morgana's voice was flat, too flat, it sounded angrier than it had been earlier despite the sheer absence of emotion. "I think so. It'll work."

Sera took Lionel and Kit as well as Chalice, who was just as worn out as their companions. The strongest ones would take turns holding Giselle, who was in no position to walk. Together, the druids would attempt to dull their pain and exhaustion until they arrived. It would keep them moving, but the moment the magic was lifted, they'd be in agony.

Chalice was not looking forward to that.

The boat pulled to a stop after a little over an hour, and Chalice covered their targets once again, hiding away their pain. Their body felt relieved--if only a bit weak--when Sera did the same for them, and their long journey began.