The Seelie Curse

Chapter 40

Astrila shakes Ro again. The girl's face is contorted in pain, sweat beading on her brow. Her skin is burning like fire is beneath her skin. Fear and worry begin to fill Astrila's mind but she shakes them away, focusing on the problem at hand. She summons a wind to swirl around Ro, pushing her red hair back and forth.

The dust that remains of the Seelie Lord slips into the breeze and Astrila swiftly casts it away. She doesn't want those vile remnants of the girl's tormentor anywhere near her. The wind doesn't seem to be doing much to cool Ro down, but it's the best Astrila can do in these circumstances. Water might help, she doesn't know. She twists, looking at Kyma with wide eyes.

"I need you to get me water, as quickly as possible." Kyma hesitates, and Astrila can't help but snap at her. "Go!"

Kyma steps back, startled, then turns. She runs for the river at a full sprint. Rowan looks back down at Ro, murmuring.

"You'll be okay. I'll fix this, I promise. Just stay with me, Ro."

Astrila scans Ro's body again, searching for injuries. Ro's hand is clenched, presumably with the Ludeag's heart inside it. But then Astrila's eyes snag on something glowing a bright cherry-red, tinged with purple. It's lying beside her leg, as if it had slid off of her. It's the size of the Ludeag's heart and Astrila's eyes widen. It can't be. She gulps and reaches out to touch it. She pulls her hand back at once, hissing. It burns her flesh, darkening the skin of her palm.

She only touched it for a moment and it did this, could it have been worse for Ro? She must have made contact with it, perhaps it burned through the cloth? Leaves rustle and crunch on the edge of the clearing, it must be Kyma on her way back. Astrila exhales in relief when her cousin crouches beside her, holding up a large ball of water. With a quick manipulation of the air, Astrila curls a tendril of wind beneath the Ludeag's heart and raises it into the air.

"I need a bit of water around this, but don't touch it."

Kyma's quick to do as Astrila asks, waiting until she's encased the Ludeag's heart in water before she speaks. "What happened to her?"

Astrila grimaces. "I'm not entirely sure. I think something must have happened to the Ludeag's heart, perhaps fire. I'm guessing that based on the heat from the heart, but I don't know. Ro's the only one who has the answer, but she can't tell us. Whatever happened to it must have combined with the heart's natural ability and made it worse for her. I'm trying to help, but I don't know what to do. I survived when I touched it and she's still alive for now, but that could just be because I'm helping her, maybe because I'm touching her and the heart can't hurt me." Astrila shakes her head. "I'm not sure what to do beyond keeping her cool."

Kyma stretches her hand out to touch Ro's skin and winces. "She must be at least forty-three degrees. This is really bad."

Astrila nods, her expression dark. "Indeed. Can you cover her skin with water? Make sure to leave her airways exposed."

Kyma nods. "I think I can do that."

The water slips down to touch Ro's skin, sliding over her to create a thin layer against her skin. Astrila reaches through the water, feeling Ro's skin. She's getting a bit cooler, but the water is heating up too. Astrila glances over at Kyma.

"Can you keep the water circling? Otherwise she'll boil, what with how quickly this water is warming up."

Kyma nods. "Yes, I can do that. What are you going to do?"

Astrila flicks her fingers, sending a breeze to stir around the ball of water. "All I can do is cool the water down, I have no experience with this kind of healing. I use the world around me, but I think this needs magic. Magic that I don't have."

There's a faint sound of rustling leaves above Astrila and her mouth twitches. Kyma frowns at her, eyes drawing together. "What is it?"

"I may not have the magic to help her, but I think he might."

"Who?"

Astrila points up, where she knows the Forest King is hiding. Kyma looks up, her eyes widening when she finally sees the antlered Aos Sí man perched in one of the tree's branches. There is a faint sound as he drops to the ground, landing lightly on his feet. He scowls at Astrila.

"You shouldn't have pointed me out."

Astrila glares at him. "Can you help her?"

The Forest King looks down at Ro and crouches. "I believe so, yes. Do you have any of her runestones?"

Astrila points to where the Seelie Lord had fallen. All that remains is the strange shifting stone Ro had used to freeze him in place.

"Is that what you need?"

The Forest King nods sharply. "Yes. That is exactly what I need."

He reaches for the stone and wraps his long fingers around it. A symbol rises to the surface and he lowers it towards Ro's skin. Just before he makes contact with the layer of water, he glances over at Kyma.

"I need you to move the water so that the stone can touch her."

Kyma nods and the water shifts aside, leaving a channel large enough for him to press the runestone to Ro's skin.
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Why is the Forest King helping? Will Rowan be okay? What going to happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.