“Maybe he healed on the outside.” R?ven’s bottom lip trembled slightly, “Maybe he couldn’t do it in time.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“No.” My voice broke, “No. He is a healer, and that is what he did. Do you know how hard it is to kill a healer? Almost impossible, I heard. Yes, I’ve heard stories. There are only three ways to kill a healer, R?ven Blacklock, and this is not one of them. Healers die of old age, starvation, or severe mutilation. They don’t get sick, they don’t go blind, or break bones. When they get run through with a blade, they take the blade out and fix it right up!” I was yelling at R?ven now, and I didn’t know why. I felt bad that I was taking my sorrow out on her, but I didn’t know what to do. Guilt consumed me.
“Avalon-” R?ven started.
“No.” I did not want to hear whatever it was she had to say. I no longer glared at her, but my face was pleading.
“Just listen.” R?ven began again.
“No.” I felt myself beginning to cry harder, “No.” Utter disbelieve overwhelmed me, and I could not accept it.
“Ava!” She was yelling now, and I felt her voice pierce my heart.
Holding my chest I fumed at her, “This wasn’t how it was meant to be!”
“Always so stubborn.” A throaty yet amused voice sounded behind me.
I spun around, my eyes wide. Jack lay upon the floor in the same position yet his eyes were open and crinkled into an amused grimace of sorts.
Without thinking I threw myself at Jack Greenwood and wrapped my arms around him, sobbing. He held me weakly and rubbed my back gently.
“What did I miss?” He smiled, stroking the hair from my face.
“Oh Jack.” I sobbed and spluttered into his chest, rambling on in a very high pitched voice, making no sense. Jack merely nodded and continued the stroking of my hair.
“-and then there was fire, and the Creeley twins vanished, then the ice chain broke and Hawthorne was all like, and, and, and you weren’t moving and R?ven wasn’t moving, and Frost was screaming, then R?ven sang, then I was choking then it all stopped and she was a puddle, and I was naked, and you were dead. Oh Jack I thought you were dead.” I rambled, stroking his face again and again.
“All I heard was naked-” but Jack’s voice was drowned out by my sobbing.
“It’s all right.” He chuckled, attempting to sit up, “I’m okay.”
“You weren’t breathing! Your heart wasn’t beating!” I accused him.
Jack held my face in his hands and kissed the tip of my nose, “I was mending. It’s all right.”
“Don’t ever scare me like that again!” I said angrily.
“I promise.” And he held me again.
R?ven came into sight now at Jack’s other side.
“You’re both okay then?” He looked between us, and we nodded, “Where is old Frosty then?”
R?ven and I glanced at each other before I spoke, “She’s gone.”
“She left?” Jack said bemused.
“No. She melted.” I chose my words carefully.
“Melted?”
I explained to Jack how I had regained my Power, melted the Ice spear, and then proceeded to melt Elvira Frost. I retold the story, with a little help from R?ven, and Jack merely smiled at me.
“Avalon Redding, the level five Fire Mage.” He mused.
“I don’t think levels exist anymore.” I spoke softly, “Only Mages and emotions.”
“Maybe you’re right. One can do amazing things under great pressure.”
I nodded and remained silent, thinking.
“So, what do we do about Hawthorne?” Jack said, finally attempting to stand up.
Ensuring the cloak around me was quite secure I got to my feet and looked at the enormous, whimpering beast. His red eyes were averted from us, and he licked at his ruined paw.
“Can you heal him, Jack?” I asked.
“I can try. Though I don’t think much fur will grow upon that paw again.”
I nodded and proceeded forwards with Jack.
“Will he hurt me?” He asked.
“No.” I confirmed, “He is too scared, and in much pain.”
Jack healed Hawthorne’s paw on the spot. The fox did not move, yet a low rumbling came from him. He was trying to scare us away but once the paw was healed he seemed to grow braver. His growls grew louder now that he was stronger, and there was no more fire to be seen. He splashed noisily in the water and his eyes glared menacingly.
“I think he is getting angry again.” Jack backed up a few paces, “Back to square one, eh?”
“Not quite.” I muttered.
Jack and R?ven glanced at me uncertainly.
“What are you thinking?” Jack asked.
“I have an idea.” I said slowly looking upwards. The sun shined upon my pale skin from the gaping hole in the ceiling yet the warmth from the rays was nothing compared to the heat of my flesh.
I breathed deeply, “I will ride Hawthorne.”
Jack rolled his eyes, “How do you propose to do that?”
“And why?” R?ven chimed in.
“Maybe he will remember.” I forced a small smile. I hoped he would remember. If the memory of our flight together did not jog his memories then I was out of ideas.