Fire

Poison Sorcery

Cordy was on the ground, her face parchment white. Her entire body was vibrating, arms and legs thrashing, whacking painfully against the legs of the nearest chairs. I was hovering over her, panic stabbing at my chest. Behind me there was the scrape and clatter of chairs being knocked over as Asher and Lettisha scrambled to their feet, and Asher’s voice rang out through the hall, “Poison! She’s been poisoned!”

The effects of this announcement sent ripples of panic through the dining hall. More scraping and scuffling as people shot to their feet, straining over their tables to try to see what was going on. The elite guard pushed people to the side as they rushed to Asher, and then the crowd parted as Megan swept forward. The queen crouched down beside Cordy, and Megan’s dress pooled around her, the glistening white fabric collecting dirt as she did so. She caught Cordy’s shoulders, pulling the thrashing girl’s torso onto her lap. “Charlotte!”

Loki appeared at her side, dark brows creased with worry. “Charlotte is gone.”

Another ripple through the hall, this one of panic and dismay. It was obvious that this had been timed perfectly. Charlotte was gone. There was no one with enough magic to heal her.

She was the only one…wasn’t she?

I turned to Lettisha, who looked warped and blurry through the tears that were forming in my eyes. “Can you help her?”

Lettisha looked completely panicked at the thought, wide eyes flicking from Cordy to the Queen and back to me. “I…Charlotte only taught me a little…I might mess it up.”

Cordy’s lashes flickered, and you could see a thin strip of white beneath them. There was foam on one corner of her mouth, or spit, I wasn’t sure. My eyes were locked to her face, transfixed by the horror. Part of me wanted to look away, but somehow that would seem like a betrayal. My friend needed me. I had to do something.

Cordy had stopped thrashing, but her arms and legs were still twitching and jumping. Was that a good sign? Or did that mean she was closer to death?

I was biting my lip so hard I started to taste copper and salt. “Lettisha, please. You have to try.”

“Do it.” Megan’s voice was firm. “If anything goes wrong you won’t be held responsible. Try something. Anything.”

Lettisha dropped to her knees beside Cordy, reaching out one shaking hand she placed it on Cordy’s throat. At first nothing happened, and I fidgeted from foot to foot. Did you see anything happen with healing magic or did this mean it wasn’t working?

Lettisha’s eyes were shut tight, and she was breathing deeply. I could see her eyes flickering underneath her eyelids. The silence in the dining hall was complete, loaded with tension.

Lettisha’s hands were shaking violently now, and I was startled to see a fine lace network of frost appear on Cordy’s throat. After what seemed like hours, Cordy jerked, gasping for breath. Her eyes snapped open.

Lettisha sighed and slumped backwards, nearly striking the floor, and I darted forward and grabbed her shoulders, holding her up.

Cordy blinked at us, confused. Her voice was croaky. “I feel like crap. What just happened?”

“You’re okay,” Megan’s voice was warm and reassuring, she was still cradling Cordy, holding her up off the stone floor. “You’re okay. Someone tried to poison you…Lettisha healed you.”

Lettisha shifted in my arms, her voice was exhausted. “Sort of. I contained the poison in her system. It’s still there. I don’t know how to take it out. But it should be okay until Charlotte gets back.”