Beyond the Rabbit Hole

To Reap What We Sow

"Are you able to stand?" Benard knelt and placed his hand on Morgyn's back.

Morgyn's arms trembled as he held himself silently above the motionless corpse.

"What happened?" Barbarossa was the first to reach the scene. "I heard a scream. Is someone injured?"

Benard glanced at the approaching mercenaries as more began to gather in response to the sudden noise. He looked back at Morgyn and placed his arm underneath the reaper's shoulder, pulling him up to his feet. "My Lord is injured and needs bandaging."

Barbarossa examined Morgyn's arm and nodded. "Take him to Miss Valentina." The commander turned to the few mercenaries gathering behind him. "Halic, fetch the gauze from the wagon and bring it to the carriage. Hector, take watch here for the remainder of Benard's shift."

Hector sighed. "Over a single damned shambler, too."

Benard carried Morgyn through the small group of onlookers.

Morgyn's breath slowly began to steady. His eyes shifted from the ground to the looks of indifference and pity dotted through the crowd. He took a deep breath and wiped the traces of vomit from his chin. "It's all right, Benard. I can walk on my own," he said softly.

"Are you sure?" Benard asked.

Morgyn nodded silently.

Benard slowly unwrapped Morgyn's arm from his shoulder and made sure the reaper could stand before letting go.

Serana and Benard guarded the carriage while Morgyn and Valentina sat alone inside it.

"Moons, I beseech thee, hear my prayer and purge his body of filth," Valentina said. She lowered her head and raised her hands together in prayer.

Morgyn held his injured arm in front of the lunasent maiden, but nothing happened. He remained silent.

Valentina took a deep breath and repeated the prayer, "Moons, I beseech thee, hear my prayer and purge his body of filth."

Again, nothing happened.

Valentina grunted in frustration, took another deep breath, and tried again. Still, nothing happened. "I don't know what's wrong," she muttered to herself. Sweat dripped from her brow as her face grew red with embarrassment. "I haven't messed this prayer up in years, so why now?" Her small fists clenched tightly as her body trembled.

"I'm. . . not sure what's supposed to happen, but could it be because of me?" Morgyn asked.

"No, it's- I don't know, I just. . . it should've worked." Valentina sounded defeated. "This is one of the first prayers we learn. I thought I had it mastered, but now. . ."

Morgyn averted his eyes. "As I said, I'm not sure what it is you're trying to do, but if it worked in your training, maybe you should try to think of this as training, too? My life isn't in danger, so you shouldn't feel pressured to save it."

"But that's-" the young priestess was about to object, but then shook her head and took another deep breath. "No. You're right. We have the herbs to treat infections in the wagon, so your life shouldn't be in danger." She took another final deep breath and nodded slightly. "Training. This is just training." She lowered her head and raised her hands in prayer once more. She spoke with a soft but firm voice—more akin to a gentle request than a desperate plea, "Moons, I beseech thee, hear my prayer and purge his body of filth."

As the last words left her lips, a faint glow emanated from her body for less than a second, and Morgyn felt a slight twinge of pain bubble underneath the skin surrounding his wound. Then, a hot, clear liquid emerged from the wound and leaked from the arm, carrying dirt, pus, and dried blood, and when the liquid left his body, the twinge of pain was replaced with a subtle warmth over his arm. Morgyn's mouth hung open as the liquid evaporated before hitting the ground."