Grey III - Revelations

Chapter 22 - I See Everything (TW)

We drove until we found a two-track that led into the naked late-winter woods, not wanting to be so conspicuous as to lay our unconscious guest on the highway's shoulder, even if it wasn't a busy one.

Ailech placed both hands over Malachi's closed eyes, his head turned like he was listening for something, his own eyes closed as well. And then he stayed like that, 'searching' him. So, we waited. And watched. And listened to the forest.

It was strange watching another healer work, not being the only one in the Clan anymore, or the best one in the Clan. Though I wasn't sure if Ailech was really 'in' our Clan. I had always thought of healing as my role. Nevaeh was the stealth and mind weaving, also kind of the bitch of the group, and the money. James was the leader, the natural, the source of our power. I was the healer and physical strength, comedic relief when needed. And Jordan...she was something else, our humanity without being weak like so many thought humanity brought, while still being fierce. Fiercely loyal. Fiercely good. She kept us connected to the world and kept James connected to something in it, to the idea of not leaving it. She had connected him to being a person, not just a leader, something more than a Half. Maybe that's what she was, our heart, our drive for more, for better.

But now having Ailech here, a mage that made me look like a street magician - it was strange. I almost felt misplaced, like some of my responsibility had been stripped away. Actually, seeing him do what he was born to do, what he could naturally do so much better than me, was pretty cool to watch, strange but cool. I could probably learn so much from him. And I would finally learn from mages like our kind was meant to. It made me crack a smile, made me excited to get to the Vault, a feeling I hadn't felt in a long, long time.

My anxiety had been melting away over the last days, more every hour as it sunk in that I wasn't the leader anymore, that I didn't have my sister's life depending on me, every decision on my shoulders. My very bones trusted James, regardless of his blood, and the fact that I was back with him, with someone who was born to lead, to protect his Clan, and somehow always managed to make the right decision to do that - I was happy, truly happy.

Plus, if Ailech really could find a trace of the Collector in Malachi, or rather, if he could find the right trace, I would be hugely impressed. Even when I had warded him at the beginning of our trip, it has been close to impossible to see what shadows were from a connected presence and what darkness was just from his life, his history, or his own bloodline, his own mind. Separating which connections to the Collector were sinister but natural, from which were sinister and embedded was like trying to detangle yarn that couldn't keep its shape.

Basically, healing Malachi was like trying to put back together a smashed vase. Where did you even start? The man was a fucking dumpster fire, and that was coming from me, someone who had just kissed and stabbed his dead-but-alive-again evil ex. I just hoped James knew what he was doing bringing him with us.

I was already impressed by Ailech's heals, on himself and us, but if he could truly 'search' through a Halfling and find one specific damaged line leaving him, then he should have his own damn class at the Vault. He probably could have made my wards look like child's play if that had been his specialty.

My wandering mind was brought back to reality as Ailech hissed in through his teeth like he was in pain. His eyes squeezed shut as he continued to suck breath in and push it out through gritted teeth, his whole body was tensed like he was in a seizure. Then, with a final groan, he sat back on his heels, shaking his hands out in front of him like they were hot.

"Well, that burned like the clap on the sun, but I think I got it all, severed whatever kind of sick connection that was. But damn, I seriously hope that isn't what he's been feeling this whole time. It was like his eyes were on fire. No wonder he's been pissy. I only pulled it into my hands for a moment, but if that's what the cost was for the link, then he could make you and James both look like children in Cordelia's training."