The Journey Forward | ONC 2023 Version

10. A New Journey

Warm restraints around my waist constricted my chest as I floated toward consciousness. The inability to breathe deeply set my heart pounding against my chest in a frenzy, and I shifted restlessly to escape, but, like a Chinese finger trap, the restraints only seemed to tighten further.

"Love, it is me," Bao's soothing voice flooded me with calm. The arms that had caused me so much fear became a loving embrace as he sat up with me, and I could fill my lungs. Enjoying the warmth and comfort, I kept my eyes closed as I slogged through my last memories and wondered what part of them had been a dream. "Bai, are you awake?"

My eyes fluttered open, and when dull brown ones met mine, I knew Bao had given me much of his cultivation while I slept. Shame threatened to close my eyes again, but movement on a nearby cushion pulled my gaze in time to watch Jing rise and rush to my side.

"Bai, we were so worried." Jing pressed her hands against my cheeks and then kissed my forehead lightly. "Your fever is gone now. Do you need anything?"

"Water," I croaked. The dryness of my mouth distracted me from the affection I felt toward my concerned friend. Jing nodded and disappeared before I could say anything further. The room shrank after she left, and I felt the weight of Bao's attention pressing me back into the bed. What happened? Why wasn't I on my way to the sanctuary?

"Bai?" Bao interrupted my frenzied thoughts. "How do you feel now?" Bao moved his hand to my forehead as Jing returned to my sight holding a water bowl.

"Sore," I answered as I rubbed my stiff neck and pressed my shoulder blades together to try and release the tension in my upper back. "How long have I been in bed?"

"Three days. Your fever broke last night, but you didn't wake up," Jing explained as she forced the bowl into my hands and lifted them to my mouth. I sipped the water gently and processed what she said.

"Three days?" I closed my eyes and explored my body. Had Angel talked to me when I lay unconscious? I remembered something about cultivation fever and tried to remember what my master had said about this rare phenomenon. It only occurred in healers and mainly in females. It could happen for several reasons, but we had been careful to avoid them. My heart stopped as I remembered the rest of the lesson, and I searched my body for the answer I feared most.

"Oh," I exclaimed aloud as the truth smacked me.

"OH?" Jing grabbed my hand. "What does 'oh' mean? Is it serious?"

"Your brother Huizhong should be back any time now. He just went to meet Tengfei. Will you be safe until he returns? I can send someone after him." Bao pulled me closer to him as if willing to be okay. A flush of hot energy pushed through me, filling any empty crevice in my heart stone.

"Huizhong is here?" I clarified once I could swim through the glorious feeling.

"He arrived the first night. He has amazing lightness skills for a healer, but he had to be somewhere within a few days' ride of here to have made it here so quickly. Healer Gui sent him an urgent message after you collapsed, and he arrived within hours of the pigeon's departure. He is the reason you are awake now. I thought I was going to lose you." Bao's voice sounded all wrong, and I put my hand on his chest to soothe him. He had been so worried, but if Huizhong had come, he would know why I had become so ill.

"Are you going to tell them, or do you want me to?" A familiar voice rang through the tent. And I followed it to the entrance, where Huizhong stood next to an excited-looking Tengfei wearing a lopsided smirk.

"Tell us what?" Bao relaxed his hold on me.

"She is not infected," Huizhong announced, not waiting for my response.