Healers' Call

Fight for Freedom

The only light in the room came from one lone chandelier hanging from the cone shaped ceiling. Valda and Dusk came to a screeching halt at the sight in front of them.

Queen Orlaigh was laid out on a settee, her breathing laboured and her cheeks sunken. She made no movement at the sound of their arrival, not a flutter of an eyelash nor a twitch of a finger.

Valda had imagined many things when she thought about meeting her Mom but it paled to what she was having to face now. If it wasn't for the rise and fall of her chest, Valda would have thought her dead.

"Mom?" The words were a strangled cry as she staggered forward, only to feel a wall of energy blast her off her feet without warning.

She crashed into the shelves on the opposite wall, objects raining down on top of her before she could catch her breath. A second crash sounded beside her as Dusk landed in a crumble, her eyes rattling around in her head at the blow.

"So this is my sister's lowborn daughter?" Lorcan sneered.

Though he carried no weapon, just the mere sight of the man struck fear into Valda's heart. She had expected him to look evil, maybe a crooked nose or lifeless eyes. But what she saw was worse.

He looked like her, with the same dark curly hair and cleft chin. If it hadn't been for the cold sneer twisting his face, he would have been handsome like Artair. His dark eyes were mesmerising and intensely focused on her, filled with a light that seemed to burn deep inside him.

"I expected something more." The sneer slipped from his face as he looked between her and Dusk.

Without warning, his hands shot out and Valda felt something constrict around her throat. Invisible hands lifted her into the air, whilst Dusk struggled beside her. She choked as she tried to get air into her lungs.

"So disappointing." Lorcan shook his head in mock disapproval.

Dusk's painful gurgle next to her pushed Valda over the edge. Closing her eyes, she pushed passed her discomfort and concentrated on the air in front of her. She pushed her arms away from her, forcing the air to move like a whip across the room, knocking Lorcan back.

Immediately the invisible bonds around her and Dusk disappeared, and they collapsed to their knees. Valda caught sight of Dusk's bloodshot eyes, and they shared a terrified moment.

Lorcan clapped. "Now, that was something. Perhaps you have more magic in you than I thought."

Forcing themselves to their feet, Dusk lent heavily on Valda, her wing dented and hanging awkwardly behind her. Valda barely had time to shield them both before Lorcan's magic surrounded them. It bit at their face and ripped at their already damaged maid's uniforms. But at least Valda's spell had stopped most of the damage.

As Lorcan's spell weakened, Dusk charged forwarded, electricity running between her fingers.

Lightning shot out from her fingers, aimed directly at Lorcan, but he effortlessly deflected it with a flick of his wrist. The lightning exploded, forcing Dusk back and blinding Valda.

Blinking her eyes, she tried to make sense of the shapes moving in front of her. Dusk was attacking again and again, but Lorcan barely moved to counter her.

She saw his hands move and knew what was coming. "Dusk look out-"

But it was too late. Black vines of smoke grabbed hold of Dusk, causing her to scream out in agony. With a small twitch of his finger, Lorcan launched her across the room.

Valda summoned her magic to help soften Dusk's fall, but she still landed too heavily on her already damaged wing. Smoke curled from the wounds that had burnt straight through her armour.