The Story of Midnight

Chapter 20

"And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time."

― Libba Bray, The Sweet Far Thing

*****

I shifted slightly and hissed in pain when I tried to get up.

"She's awake," I heard someone say.

The buzzing of voices pierced my dull senses. I slowly opened my eyes thinking I would see colors but ended up seeing darkness.

"Silver, don't move yet," Lynx said.

I closed my eyes and took in deep breaths.

"What happened?" I asked after a few minutes.

"The Commander managed to injure you. You were bleeding a lot and passed out from blood loss."

I reached over to the lower right side of my torso, where it started to throb, to feel the damage I received. It was covered with a strip of cloth to stop the bleeding; the wound wasn't cleaned, it still had dried blood around it.

"Alright, my first battle wound." I laughed weakly.

"You're unbelievable." I heard Lynx sigh.

"I've gone through worse."

I tried to move, but pain sparked again making me clench my teeth and lay back down again.

"I told you not to move," Lynx said in a warning but teasing tone as he held me in a more comfortable position. I noticed he was sitting on the ground with his legs outstretched. The idiot, I told him I hate being held but given my weak state I couldn't punch him to let me go or let my phobia get the better of me.

"There's nothing that I can do about the wound getting infected." He suddenly whispered making my attention go back to my side. The only thing keeping my wound closed was my own blood.

"I really thought that-"

"I would die from something like this?" I finished for him smiling one of my famous half smiles. "Please, I'm not that weak."

"Shadowmyst, are you alright?" It was Baasim. I'd forgotten about the prisoners.

The room grew quiet.

"I'm fine, but I'm worried about my wound being infected."

"Not much can be done, lass. Unless you have some brandy with you."

"I could use that right now..." I murmured as the pain continued to throb.

"What about Zephyr?" asked Lynx, "Can Zephyr do something about it?"

"Let me see what I can do."

Zephyr, would you care to lend a hand here?

I heard a snicker then, always one for jokes in such a critical situation.

I can't help it.

He laughed lightly again then told me that he was going to take over since I haven't had a healing lesson yet and wouldn't be able to heal the injury by myself.

I closed my eyes as I felt the dragon's mind take its place next to my own then opened them to reveal a slightly lighter world than the dark one I was used to.

Lynx gasped when he saw my eyes turn yellow.

"It's going to take time to get used to that, isn't it?" I said as I carefully untied the piece of cloth around my side, wincing slightly as I did so. My hands started to glow white; healing my wound.