Diffraction

Chapter Twenty-One: A Place of Healing

"The statements from the inn's guests were far less complimentary."

Lyllithe woke to the soft hum of chanting in a quiet room ablaze with candles. Her foggy vision made blurs and splotches out of the surroundings while her eyes resisted the command to open. Golden highlights on the walls and doorframe twinkled, reflecting the dancing flames on nightstands at either side of the bed. A candelabra holding six thick white shafts of beeswax stood at the foot of the bed, its fires small but unmoving, like guards on watch. Lyllithe recognized it as an article used in healing rituals.

The Abbey. Why am I here?

Memories flashed through her mind—the vyrmeth sphere in her room at the Refuge, taking hold of the Void, the sudden explosion. Jo's voice... I think I heard Jo's voice afterward.

She sat upright and ached inside at the motion.

A young girl shrieked and darted out of the room before Lyllithe could overcome the groggy feeling and blurred sight of slow awakening. She tried to speak, stretching forth a hand far too late—

The white sleeves and gold trim of the robe jarred her. A Devoted's robe. Why am I wearing this? Are they accepting me back? Why would they? Elder Taenal knows who I am.

The explosion came to mind. Or are they holding me because of what I've done?

Another Devoted rushed into the room. "Miss," she said, placing her hand on Lyllithe's shoulder and gently pushing back, "you should be lying down. You were grievously injured."

The girl burst in next, her bright smile beaming. Lyllithe smiled when she recognized the young orphan's face. Tandy.

Tandelwyna yelled into the hallway, "She's awake, she's okay, just like I told you she'd be, Lady Josephine."

Josephine arrived with Elder Taenal leaning on her arm for support. The aged man seemed frail, like crinkled paper stretched over brittle twigs. But he smiled at Lyllithe, and his eyes lit up with decades of wisdom.

"Elder," Lyllithe asked, "are you well?" She sat up once more. "And Lady Josephine," she said with a smile.

A smile flashed across Josephine's face, but quickly faded into concern.

The Devoted attendant clicked her tongue and pushed Lyllithe back to the pillows.

Taenal laughed. "I should be asking you the same. I am as well as I can be, after expending so much effort to keep you alive. I will rest and regain my strength, if the Light keeps shining on us. And so will you."

"Kelissa," he said to the Devoted, "please, leave her be. She is fine. She'll need some light fare to restore her strength. Then could you please send word that she is awake to her friends at the Refuge?"

The Devoted nodded and hurried off.

"The Refuge," Lyllithe said. "Is everyone all right?"

"Half the second story is in ruins," Josephine said. "But no one was terribly injured, save you." Josephine managed a stern look, but Lyllithe could see relief on her face. "Merror nearly turned us out on the street in our bloodied bedclothes, but one of your Arcanist friends showed up to calm him down with quite a bit of coin."

"You have a powerful 'friend' if that's the case," Elder Taenal said. "Grand Instructor Coreleth, no less than the senior Arcanist in Aulivar—perhaps across the entire Bordermarches. She talked Tenegar's man, the Bloodhound, down from throwing you in irons while we were fighting to merely keep you alive. Then she came here to collect the remnants of the warpsilver once we removed it all from your body. I'm told she took what scraps could be recovered from the Refuge as well."