Allies and Enemies

Chapter Thirty-One: Please Work

I landed in the portal room, crying out in pain when I landed on my injured ankle. I breathed a sigh. Thank Athena. Then I looked over at Legolas, and the color instantly drained out of my face. That sniper shot had hit him dead in the chest.

"ROWAN!" I screamed. "ROWAN!" Footsteps neared, and Rowan sprinted into the Portal Room, smothering me in a tight hug.

"OH MY GODS KIANNA DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I'VE BEEN? THE THINGS WE THOUGHT... WE THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!" Rowan yelled into my ear. I winced.

"Can't... breathe," I wheezed. She released me and looked me up and down.

"Look at you!" Rowan exclaimed. She saw Legolas beside me, and she whitened.

"How long?" she asked.

"As we were teleporting," I replied, understanding her meaning.

"Kianna, we should get you to —" Rowan started.

"Him first," I said. "I'm not dying. He is. I'll explain everything... just... Legolas first." She nodded, questions still written all over her face. Quickly, Rowan lifted Legolas up using the Force and floated him hurriedly down the hallways. I stood up carefully, favoring my ankle, and limped down the hallway to join Rowan. On the way to the hospital wing, I told her everything that happened, from the loss of powers to our escape. She stared in shock at my brown hair and dark brown eyes.

"Well, no matter what, I am tending to those injuries," Rowan said sternly. "You've got to be healed by the time we fight. We're nearly ready." I nodded vigorously. I couldn't miss out on the fight that I'd been preparing for months. Rowan set Legolas down on one of the numerous beds and got to work. As I waited, I watched Rowan. She was truly a great friend, someone I could rely on. Someone who wouldn't let me down. Which reminded me:

"Rowan, my powers —" I started to say.

"I know," Rowan replied. "I'm not entirely sure how to do it, but I'll tell you when I have it." I nodded, leaning gently against a wall. Soon, Rowan came over and started tending to my wounds.

"Will he survive?" I asked, letting a bit of my worry leak into my voice.

"I don't know," Rowan replied gently. "The next hours will show more." See, Kianna? I thought, mentally kicking myself. This is what happens when you tell someone to meet them on the other side. There was a beat of silence.

"You care for him," she said after a while.

"We're friends," I replied calmly. That much was true. Even though we had only kindled our friendship halfway through the war, we were still close, if that night in the clearing was any indication.

After Rowan had finished bandaging every cut and cleaning every wound, I pulled up a chair at Legolas's side. Rowan shook her head.

"Go," she said. "Your friends have been worried sick." I hesitated, and Rowan smiled encouragingly.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you when he's awake," she said. I walked to the doorway and turned back one last time before heading to the mess hall. It was about lunchtime after all. As I walked in through the mess hall, the entire room quieted. I nodded at them to carry on with whatever they were doing, and the room broke out in chatter. I spent the next few hours catching up with my friends and updating them on what happened. Finally, as I was getting tired of talking for so long, two comms came that I had been awaiting. He's awake. And I've figured out how.

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I ran down to the hospital wing and skidded to a halt, nearly running into Rowan.

"When do you want me to —" Rowan started.

"As soon as possible," I said.

"Give me a second to prep, then meet me in my quarters," she said. "I'd prefer a private space." I nodded then walked into the hospital wing and sat down at Legolas's side.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"For the moment," he replied. "Your friend works miracles."

"She is a miracle herself," I smiled.

"Will you be okay?" Legolas asked. I nodded.

"Rowan's figured out how to place my powers back in me," I said. "I'll be fine." There was a pause.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm sorry that I didn't ask you about how you were doing. I wasn't the only one being tortured."

"You had it worse than me," Legolas replied. "It is okay." I shook my head.

"I was there," I said. "You were hurt badly." It was true. Even though they had doubled the lightning and fire and pain for me, Legolas had still endured pain and agony under the Elves of the Lost Cities, the Jedi, the wizards, and even the Ardan Elves. I suppose what hurt more than the pain was the betrayal from our kin.

"Did you recognize anyone you knew?" I asked quietly. He nodded silently. I knew he wouldn't say who.

"Kianna," a voice said. I turned around, and Rowan was poking her head through the door. "It's time."

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I followed Rowan to her quarters. She led me into a spacious area, with bookshelves lining the walls, a datapad lying on a nightstand, and a bed tucked into the corner.

"I'll have to knock you out," Rowan said apologetically. "Is that okay?"

"Totally," I replied. "Whatever it takes." Rowan gestured down at a mat and I laid down.

"I'll see you on the other side," Rowan said, and stuck me with a sedative. As sleep overtook me, I prayed to the gods. Oh please let this work. Please let this work. Please let this work...

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I blinked slowly in the bright light, and could instantly tell something was different. I felt whole again. I checked myself in a mirror, my eye color, my hair. It was all purple again, that amazing deep purple I loved. I felt like me. And I knew then, that I would be ready for the fight that was coming.