Traitor to the Crown

Chapter 15

Manx clutched Lyrica's head in her arms, tears streaming down her face. She had been sitting there for almost half an hour now, the stony rubble surrounding them making the perfect shelter for the night. Lyrica had shown no progress of getting better, but still nothing had made it worse and it was as if lyrica was dancing upon the fine thread that separated life and death.

"I never meant for this to happen." Manx sobbed.

Lyrica, weak from her injury and unmoving, sighed and said, "You've said that at least twenty times now, and it's getting a bit old. Why can't this be gotten over with already? It's been awhile now, and nothing has happened. If I'm going to die it isn't going to be tonight."

"This is all my fault, and..." Manx started.

"Oh please do shut up with all the sappy sweetness. It's making me sick. Like I said, I don't think I'm going anywhere anytime soon, in fact I'm feeling like getting up and having a snack." Lyrica cut in, stretching her forelegs and beginning to pull herself up.

"I don't think it's a good idea in the state you're in to..." Manx said, as Lyrica pulled her head away and rolled over onto her stomach.

"You're not a doctor, so how would you know. And besides, I can take care of myself just fine, Max." Lyrica retorted.

"It's Manx!" Manx shot back, indignantly crossing her arms.

"Whatever." Lyrica said.

"You certainly are friendly today." Manx sarcastically groaned.

At that, Lyrica chuckled and said, "Well, I've almost been brought back to life and killed at the same time so you can say that I'm just tired and cranky.  No wait, I can be this way just for the sake of being difficult, can't I, with no explanation required."

Manx sighed and replied with, "Is that really what happened? I mean...do you think there's a chance you'll live?"

"Apart from being undead, I feel just fine. Maybe a little tingly around the site of the wound, and I do believe I'm tasting rotten cabbages, but it's an improvement if anything. I haven't felt this alive since well, since when I was alive." Lyrica said.

Manx raised an eyebrow and said, "You should take it easy in case anything worse happens."

"What could possibly go wrong?" Lyrica smugly commented as she pulled herself up onto all four legs, before her front feet twitched and her back feet went limp under her weight.

Manx opened her mouth to speak but Lyrica held up a claw and said, "Not a word!"

Manx covered her mouth, stifling a giggle, as Lyrica tried to stand once more but her limbs refused to respond properly.

"Maybe you should rest awhile longer." Manx suggested. Lyrica snorted disdainfully and said, "Pssht. Yeah right."

"I've been injured before with magic of an opposite element, and over exerting yourself is just going to make it worse." Manx said, shaking her head.

"And when was that?" Lyrica sarcastically shot back, frustrated with her malfunctioning legs.

"Just a few months ago when I was on my last quest." Manx replied.

Lyrica huffed and said, "Alright, if you think you're so smart of this opposite element stuff, then tell me how you fixed it."

"Actually, I have no idea why it went away on its own. I still have a scar, though." Manx said, pointing to her right arm.

Lyrica growled in exasperation before she finally gave up on trying to stand. She plunked herself down on the old marble flooring and laid her head on her claws. Manx sighed and sat down next to her, reclining over Lyrica's neck and placing her hands behind her head. Manx gazed up at the stars beginning to peek out of the night sky and thought about the day's events.