An Affinity For Fire

54. Clover

Leo's back arched as he sucked in air, eyes snapping open. After the first few deep, rapid breaths, the rise and fall of his chest began to steady. Clover laied a hand behind his back to assist him as he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"What happened?" Tarry asked. He and Calio, Clover noticed, had shuffled backwards to give him room. She did the same, but kept her hands out, ready to assist if he collapsed again.

Leo surveyed the three of them, shaking. His eyes were barely open and every movement seemed to exhaust him. "I saw her."

Clover sighed, relieved. At the very least, something had happened. "Well? Can she help us?" she pressed.

When Leo shook his head, Clover felt a sick, twisting feeling in her chest.

"What does that mean? What did she say?"

He took and released a slow breath, massaging both temples with his fingertips. "She said... she said she couldn't get to us. She said she needed help. Also... something about barbarians torturing her? Oh, and even if she was here, she couldn't heal my sister. 'Life can't be made, it mast be given,' or something like that. So, that's-" He paused, rubbing his palms into his brow. "I'm not sure what to do with that revelation."

Tarry shook his head. "I don't understand. Why can't she come? Where is she?"

Leo raised his empty hands in a vague gesture, blue eyes filled with despair. "Your guess is as good as mine."

Clover's stomach was roiling. That can't be it. After we got this far-

"How in all ruddy Hells did Tarragon's shirt make the spell work?" Leo asked. Clover realised he was staring at her, eyes now wider and far more alert.

She swallowed. "That... might have something to do with why Merith can't help Ellery. 'life must be given not made', that's what she said, right?"

He nodded, frowning.

"I think what she meant is that the ability to create life cannot be made. As in, the ability to have children. I was thinking about why Chalcedony could possibly be so drawn to us, and it occurred to me. Maybe Merith didn't heal mine and Tarry's great-great grandmother's fertility. Maybe she-"

"Transferred her own," Leo finished, voice almost a whisper. "Oh, Fates. 'It's not something I can do twice.' That's what Merith said. She sacrificed her ability to have children and gave it to Queen Heather. So, both of Heather's children were actually of Merith's blood."

"Hold on," Calio said, standing and pointing from Clover to Tarry and back again. "That would mean you two-"

"Yeah," Clover said. "And everyone descended from Queen Heather."

"So, pretty much everyone in Ortusian nobility," Tarry added, features screwing up in confusion. "We're all... related to Merith?"

"I guess," Clover said. "That would explain the odd scattering of blonds in the family. And my affinity, since she had affinities for all four core roots of magic."

Tarry nodded. "Right. That... yeah, that is going to take me some time to process."

Calio gasped, wide eyes on the door, and scrambled to scoop up her knife from the floor.

Clover flinched, turning to find a man standing in the open doorway, sword raised, but she relaxed again when she recognised the man's face.

"What happened? Where is the Mage of Light?" Prince Bollorec demanded, lowering his sword at the sight of his son.

Leo pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly. "Yes, about that. I think we might need to talk. But we can do that later. We need to get back to stopping the attack."