The Bloodstone Prophecy - Book 2 (complete)

Chapter 6 - Healing Balm

"I don't think that's a good idea," Gedo said.

Kami glanced over at the girl in Haji's arms. Her face was impossibly pale. The swelling and discoloring had spread all the way up her leg, and her shallow, labored breathing didn't sound good.

"You can't be serious!" Kami said. "After the oil healed you, you would let her die?"

"I think he has a point, Kami," Samuel said.

"What?"

"Have you already forgotten the blind man whose eyes were burned out? I don't know how to explain what's happening here, but if this Shadow Queen has magic, and if she is somehow influencing this bloodstone, who knows what might happen? After all, one man was healed, one man harmed," Samuel said.

"But you're talking about the jar!" Kami said. "The scarab is completely different."

"We don't know that for sure," Gedo said. "Until I can get the stone to a lab and get it tested, I don't want you using it anymore."

"But the girl needs our help—" Kami was cut off by Haji's gasp.

"She's stopped breathing. I need that oil," he said as he set the girl in the sand.

"We have to at least try! It saved you Gedo. You can't just let her die!" Kami said.

Gedo looked torn.

"I say we try," Chris said. "We can't hurt her worse than she already is."

Gedo sighed.

"I don't feel comfortable with this, but we should probably make an effort to save the child. Since there is a chance someone may be hurt, I will do it myself," Gedo said. He withdrew the scarab from his pocket. "How do I use this?"

"Squeeze the antennae," Kami said. "Right here." Her heart raced at the still form of the girl. This had to work. She felt deeply relieved that Gedo was at least trying.

"Stay back," he said, then squeezed the antennae.

Nothing happened. He tried again. Then again.

"It's not working," he said.

"Here, let me try," Haji said. Gedo handed him the scarab. Haji tried to squeeze it as well, but no oil came out.

"Maybe you used the oil all up," Samuel said.

"There's only one way to be sure," Kami said, holding her hand out to Haji. He handed her the scarab.

"Kami, I don't think—" Gedo began.

"Gedo, it hasn't hurt me yet. Just let me try. I have to at least try."

He paused, then gave a hard nod.

Kami knelt in the sand. She trained her eyes on the swollen and mottled leg, avoiding the girl's face. She hadn't been around the dead much. The only dead man she'd seen was her father. The man with the charred eye sockets came to mind and she shuddered. The girl's glassy-eyed vacant stare suddenly made her feel uncomfortable.

She gently squeezed the antennae, and to her relief the oil flowed freely. She spread the oil all over the girl's legs, rubbing it into the shadow wounds. When she finished, she wiped her hand off and stood up. She held the scarab out to her Gedo. He tucked it into his pocket.

They all watched the girl closely for any sign of life. Kami clasped her hands together, brought them close against her lips and held her breath. The girl had to live. After everything she'd been through, she had to.

Haji leaned over the girl, holding her hand and murmuring words in Arabic.

"Adhhib al-ba's Rabb an-naas, wa'shfi anta al-Shaafi, laa shifaa'a illa shifaa'uka shifaa'an laa yughaadir saqaman."