nixhydra- oneshots and blurbs

peace ~ julian devorak

set in book viii

"You look so beautiful in the moonlight, Thalia," Julian said, grinning as she tried to catch her breath.

Thalia gave him an incredulous look. Blood was trickling from a cut above her eyebrow, and her clothes were drenched in sweat after narrowly escaping from the Countess's guards.

"I'm truly starting to think you're insane." She had lost count of the amount of times he had put himself in mortal danger to protect her, and looking at him now, with blood seeping from a gash on his thigh, the realization hit Thalia like a cart full of bricks.

"Insane? No, merely adventurous." he stumbled, and Thalia pushed him down onto a rock.

"Julian, you're bleeding."

"It's a scratch," he whined, struggling to get back up. "I've gotten worse from my sister's cat." Thalia straddled his uninjured leg to prevent him from standing. Glaring at her, he said, "Thalia, we really should be on our way."

"We lost the guards four streets ago. Let me help you, for once." She hastily ripped a piece of cloth from her skirt and rummaged in her satchel for healing herbs and spices.

Julian eyed the bag warily. "Forgive me if I'm not quick to trust your magic."

Thalia peeled the blood-soaked fabric from his skin and tore a bigger hole so she could see the wound more clearly. "I'm not Asra, Julian."

"But you're not a physician, either." He bit his lip harshly as she probed the cut.

"After all we've been through, Doctor Devorak, and you still don't trust my healing skills?" Thalia gave him a gentle smile and patted his other leg. "Besides, couldn't you just heal yourself?"

Julian frowned. "You know it doesn't work like that."

Thalia grabbed a pinch of healing herb mixture from a small parchment packet, and spread it around the wound. "Now, this might hurt a tad, but just stay calm."

She closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling that familiar warm, sharp feeling tingle at her fingertips.

Thalia heard Julian's breathing get heavier, and he grabbed her opposite hand. His hand almost swallowed mine, and he clenched my hand so hard that her smallest finger was going numb.

She chanted quietly, watching the wound seam itself together.

As Thalia got to the deepest part of the cut, Julian let out a groan. She paused to glance at his face. His eye was squeezed shut in pain, and tiny droplets of sweat beaded at his brow.

Thalia cursed under her breath. She hadn't thought about the fact that the curse Asra had set upon him might react badly. A pinching feeling radiated from her thigh, but she pushed the dull pain away.

"Just breathe, Ilya."

He pressed their intertwined hands to his lips, pressing a shaky kiss against hers. He kept her hand against his cheek.

Thalia concentrated on finishing the spell as quickly and painlessly as possible. Once the cut had bonded, she laid her hand over it, trying to soothe the burning. "It's over. It's fine," She exhaled, letting out the breath she hadn't even known she was holding.

Thalia could feel him relax under her touch. His shoulders sagged, and his eyes drooped. Over-exertion and healing magic didn't mix well.

Hauling him with her as she stood, Thalia draped his arm over her shoulder. "I can't carry you, Julian," she huffed, trying to drag him along the dark alleyways back to her shop.