The Heir and the Undoing

Chapter 11

Ezra is already being lowered onto a bed as Alessia hauls me to my feet. I don't remember falling, but I gratefully accept her help to get me to a chair beside his bed.

"How much control do you have?" Violet asks.

"Control of what?" I reply in somewhat of a daze.

"Your gift. I know what you are, and I don't know if I can save him from this without help." Violet says it in such a matter-of-fact tone, it doesn't immediately sink in. 

I swallow. "Not great control, but I can help."

She nods and rolls Ezra onto his side. Even though he's unconscious, he lets out a small groan at the pain and I swallow hard. 

"Can you undo the damage here? It is far easier for me to work on a wound with only one entrance." Violet explains.

I don't question her as I reach out a hand and hope I know what I'm doing. I don't, of course, and the Undoing knows this. It surges from my hand in a hot rush that makes my skin feel like it's blistering and peeling back from my bones as every part of my energy pushes towards it.

"Steady." Violet murmurs as she begins to prepare things just out of my view. 

"Are you sure this is safe?" Alessia asks and my eyes flick to her concerned face.

"There's no choice. I can't let him die." I manage to bite out as the pain settles to a more bearable level.

She nods, realising there's no way she will be able to talk me out of this. "I'll keep everyone out." 

"Where are the other champions?" I ask Violet, trying to distract myself from the burning in my hand.

"I sent them up to the recovery wing in the castle. I was just about to follow them up there when I heard you call out." She admits.

"I thought I had lost him." I reply, looking at his stupidly handsome unconscious face.

"You almost did. How long have you-" She trails off.

"How long have I what? Known about the Undoing? Since my brother. I tried to save him that day." I wince as the power pulls a little harder and my arms are beginning to ache with the effort.

"No. How long have you known you were in love with Ezra?"

"I'm not-" Her raised brows cut me off, "I like him well enough, I always have done. It might not be right for the Kingdom though."

"I mean nothing says genuine affection like not letting him die." She smiles and begins setting to work, pressing something into the wound on the other side.

I can see the vessels and muscle knitting back together between my parted fingers. The skin is puckered and pink where it closes over it and I stare in wonder as I realise I did that.

My hand drops and I slump against the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry, I can't do more." I say tiredly.

"You've done more than enough. You've saved him." Violet reassures.

My eyelids are heavy and I rest my head on my arm for a moment to catch my breath. Violet continues her work, rolling him onto his back as though he weighs nothing.

"How did you know what I could do?" I ask after a few moments of watching.

She doesn't reply immediately, fingers smearing pastes and awful smelling concoctions around the edge of the wound. 

"I knew your Mother." She says softly.

"I know. What does that have to do with anything?" 

"No, I knew your Mother. Before she met your Father. When she discovered she had the gift of Undoing and it began to drive her mad." Violet confesses.