The Search for the Eoz Potion

34. Healing

There was no time to talk about what happened as they all quickly got on board the carriages. Without any explanation of how his health had been restored, Josef resumed his role as a leader and began ushering people onto the carriages and griffins as fast as possible. He didn't know the specifics of what had gone on in the castle, but he assumed the HRA was not far behind his friends. Claire and Hailey were eager to get in the air and back to safety as well. They were surprised by Josef's turn, but they attributed it mostly to him fighting through the pain. They didn't think much else about it as they quickly helped him get the rest of the SG onto a carriage.

As they were directing people, Hailey and Claire came across Evan. For a brief second the speed and the chaos of the moment seemed to ease. Evan looked at the girls with shame in his eyes. He thought about how angry and arrogant he had sounded back in the forest, and he regretted leaving Hailey and Tellis alone in the cottage. He hung his head and looked like he was about to cry. Hailey clasped the side of his arm, a little too tight to be friendly and too soft to be angry, just enough pressure to get his attention. While he was still looking at the ground, she started laughing. Confused, Evan looked up and saw that Claire was smiling at him too. Hailey gave him a warm hug and then directed him onto one of the carriages. After he was on, Aileen followed next and told the girls that she was going to fly that carriage back to the Welcoming Forest.

"Why are we going back to the forest?" Claire asked.

"If we hurry, we can get you all back in time to go through the portal.

It hadn't occurred to the girls, but even though they had broken the potion, they did find it, and now it was time to go home. Claire hung her head in embarrassment. She blamed herself for dropping the potion, blamed herself for not being able to bring it back to Faith, blamed herself for their failure. Hailey patted her on the shoulder and led her back toward Tellis and Josef. All the griffins were in the air and flying across the river, and there was one carriage left. Once they were on board, the griffins began running and quickly took off into the evening sky. In the back of the carriage, Claire, Hailey, and Zack sat together and pulled the safety harness down over themselves. Tellis sat across from them toward the front of the carriage a few seats away from Clio. Claire and Hailey both looked depressed as they sat silently. They were all tired and no one said much as they tried to recover from all that had gone on.

"I'm so sorry," Claire said looking over to Hailey. "What are we going to do now?"

"It's fine," Hailey said, peacefully accepting the fact that they would be going home without the Eoz Potion.

"What are you two talking about?" Zack asked, picking up a little of their discussion.

Hailey ignored him and continued talking to Claire.

"We'll figure something out. Maybe one of the other doctors can do something for her."

Across the carriage, Tellis sat silently listening to them. She knew what they were talking about. She knew what they thought had happened down in the castle. And she knew they were wrong. While she hoped that the truth would come upon them on its own, she couldn't help but feel a little saddened by the fact that after all they had been through, they still didn't understand. What does it take, she wondered to herself, to open their eyes? While she was thinking about this, Josef walked out from the front compartment of the carriage and informed them that they were on course to be back to the Welcoming Forest before the portal opened.

"Claire," Zack said in astonishment, ignoring Josef who stood at the front listening to everyone. "Don't you two realize what you did?"

"I said I was sorry," Claire protested.