“Much better. Cate gave me a restorative.”
He didn’t say anything more, just stared down at me, his face taut with emotion. His eyes were darker green than I had ever seen before, filled with such a mixture of anger and pain it was difficult not to look away. I swallowed hard and wished not for the first time that I could read his thoughts. Then I would know just how much trouble I was in for healing the boy—if, in fact, I had done so before losing consciousness. For all I knew, he had died at the foot of the steps while I was in here lying so snugly on the sofa.
Cate took the forgotten compress from Henry’s hand. “This should finish the job,” she said, placing it on my forehead. Her sleeve brushed my nose and I sneezed. “First a fainting spell and now a head cold? Whatever am I to do with you?”
“It’s not a cold,” I said, sneezing again. “You’ve something on your sleeve.”
Glancing at her arm, she brushed a hand several times along the material, creating a small cloud of fine white dust. “I shall have to speak with Mrs. Hampton about that new parlor maid of hers. Sweet girl, but the dust grows thicker each time I visit.”
Henry took a handkerchief from his coat pocket and handed it to me.
“Thank you,” I said, giving him a tentative smile.
He remained silent, his own mouth set in a straight line.
Cate looked between us. “Gracious me,” she said, pushing up to her feet. “It’s getting late and I’ve another long day tomorrow. Henry, do you mind seeing yourself out?”
“Not at all.”
“I’ll check on you in the morning, Selah.”
“Thank you for the restorative. My nerves are much improved.” The brandy had obviously worked its magic, so well that I didn’t even have to force a reassuring smile.
She smiled in return and left the room. I sat up the moment the door clicked shut. “How is the boy?” I asked.
Henry gave me a dark look and got to his feet, leaving me in suspense as he went to a side table to pour a glass of wine. Throwing it back, he refilled his cup before returning to the sofa.
“The boy lives,” he said.
I gave him an expectant look. “Is he still sick or was I able to heal him?”
He threw back the second glass of wine. “You healed him, all right. There wasn’t a pox left by the time you were done. He ran off when I carried you into the house.”
This was somewhat surprising. I never imagined I had so much power left, unless...I pulled in a sharp breath, my hand reflexively covering my mouth. There was no other explanation for the pain—as though I were being torn apart.
Henry remained standing, his arms now crossed over his chest. “I’m a little new to this healing business, so if you don’t mind, I would like to know what happened out there tonight.”
We stared at each other, Henry glowering while I struggled to find the right words.”My power is gone,” I started, my voice small and frightened. “I’m not sure for how long now, but at least since I healed your hand.” I wanted to cry. I wanted Henry to take me in his arms and assure me everything would be fine.
“You’ve still plenty of power,” Henry countered, “or you wouldn’t have been able to heal that boy.”
I shook my head and a tear fell down my cheek.
That was enough to break through his anger. He rushed forward, kneeling on the carpet in front of me. Another tear spilled over, and he brushed it away with the pad of his thumb. “Tell me, Selah. I need to know what happened.”
“It’s been too long since I last replenished my power. What I used tonight must have come from my own life.”
Henry gaped at me. “Impossible. You can’t just drain your life for someone else. It defies the laws of nature.”
My very existence defied the laws of nature. “I’m goddess born,” I reminded him. “The same rules do not apply to my kind.”
“In that case, I thank God we found out tonight before it was too late.”
I should have kept my mouth shut, given him a comforting smile and left it at that. “What about next time?” I asked instead.
“There won’t be a next time. I forbid you from healing until we find a passageway into the Otherworld. Do you understand me? Not even a broken fingernail. I won’t take the risk.”
I glanced down at my lap, opting to bite my tongue rather than cause him more distress tonight.
“You’ve no intention to stop, do you?”
I kept my eyes down and shook my head.
“Damn it, Selah! How can you be so heartless?”
My head snapped up and I glared at him. “Do you really think I want to die? That it’s my preference to give up my own life for someone I’ve likely never even met before?”
“Then why won’t you stop? I’m not asking forever, just until you can replenish your power.”