Spark (Legends of the Shifters) (40 page)

“
Wait.”
I hadn't even realized that it was me who said it until the man
looked at me. “Roland wanted me to ask you something if
anything went wrong.” I paused to clear my throat. “He
was forced into taking up the power of a sorcerer. He heard that your
people can heal him from that.”

The
man nodded as he continued out of the shack.

I
hurried to follow him. “So is it true that you can take away
his power?”

“
I
can't...but I know someone
who
can. However,
your friend has to be awake in order for us to accomplish this.”

I
sent a silent prayer up to God that He would allow Roland to awaken.

The
village was in the middle of a meadow, but its grass was starting to
bend over from the weight of the snow. I shivered and rubbed my arms
with my hands. If I were in second form, it would be a lot easier to
stand this weather, but it was too dangerous, especially here.

The
houses were made mostly out of stone, although there were a few made
out of wood. The villagers, mostly women and children, came out to
watch us pass. Most of the women had cold, unforgiving expressions,
but the children only showed curiosity. I kept my gaze on the ground
until the healer led me up a few stairs and into a warm house.

The
room that he had led me into was lined with cots on either side. At
the back of the room, a fire was lit in the fireplace. It was a
surprisingly nice house, something that I didn't expect from people
rumored to be savages.

The
healer laid Roland down on a cot near the fire, and although it was
tempting for me to go closer so that I could warm up, I stayed with
Roland.

“
I'll
be right back,” the healer said. He disappeared further into
the house and came back with a bowl of cold water, a cloth, and a
vial of some sort of liquid.

“
Keep
the cool cloth pressed against his forehead,” he said.

I
automatically did as he said.

The
healer shook the little vial in his hand and removed the top with a
pair of tweezers.

“
What
is that?” I inquired.

“
It's
a medicine extracted from a plant that we call Last Breath. It is
already almost certain that your friend will die, but with this, he
definitely will.”

He
was about to tip it into Roland's mouth, but I grabbed the healer's
hand, stopping him. “I thought that you wanted to help us,”
I said.

“
I
do,” he answered. “But this is the only way that he will
wake up before he dies. The plant gives off a great amount of energy
at first, but within a few hours, it causes its consumer's body to
shut down.”

I was
torn. “How can you be sure that he won't recover from the
sleeping draft?” I asked.

“
I've
seen this before,” he said. “The herb used in the
sleeping draft is usually harmless, but to those who are allergic to
it, it is a deadly tonic.”

I
looked at Roland. If he truly was about to die, then it would be a
mistake not to give him the vial of Last Breath. But if he would
live, giving it to him would be fatal.

Roland's
breathing stopped for a few seconds. I watched him, worried until he
took in another shallow breath.

That
decided it for me. I let go of the healer's hand, and watched as the
liquid poured into Roland's mouth.

The
healer watched Roland expectantly. Roland's face screwed into a look
of revulsion and he coughed a few times before his eyes opened again.

He
looked at me and his forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Ivy...What's
happened?”

I
shook my head, tears spilling from my eyes, unable to answer. I took
one his hands in both of mine and he grasped my hand just as
strongly. It made me even sadder because I knew that it wouldn't last
that long.

The
healer answered him for me. “We don't have much time, so this
may sound a little harsh. You are dying... Ivy has told me that you
want your sorcery taken away. Is this true?”

Roland
nodded. “Yes...but I feel fine right now. How can I be on the
brink of death?”

The
healer shook his head. “I've given you Last Breath, an elixir
that gives you energy to make your last moments count before you go.”

Roland
looked at me fearfully. I nodded my head gravely.

“
I'm going
to go get the other healer
.
She will be able to fulfill your wish.” He left quickly, and in
his stead came a tall woman, long black hair braided over her
shoulder and freckles dotting her cheeks. White and red paint was
drawn across her forehead and down her nose.

Roland's
squinted his eyes when he saw her, and then widened them as if in
recognition. I looked back and forth from one to the other.

“
Jane?”
Roland said.

She
smiled sadly at him. “Roland. I'm sorry to finally see you
again at a time like this.”

Roland
barely took any notice of what she said. “We thought you were
dead. Don't you know how happy your parents would be if they knew
that you were still living?”

I
finally realized who she was. Jane, Matilda's beloved, lost daughter.

Jane
frowned. “I would love to see them, Roland, I really would. But
there is no way that I can go back to the mainland without being
caught. I've been banished.”

Roland
tilted his head. “Banished?”

She
nodded. “From Ginsey and Pira, at least. If I had the second
form of a hawk, it would be a different story. I would probably be
able to make it to Leviatha without detection...But I've made a good
life for myself here.”

Roland
was quiet.

Jane
looked down at her hands. “Let's go ahead and get this over
with.”

When
she looked back up, she wore a strangely blank expression. I watched
in fascination and fear as her blue eyes began to take on a silvery
glow. “Ask me your questions,” she said. Her eyes weren't
focused on Roland. Rather, they were on some distant thing behind
him.

Roland looked
bewildered and he took a while to answer “
I—uh,
I want to know how to get rid of the dark powers that I was given.”

Jane
smiled, still not really looking at us. “That is simple. What
dispels darkness?”

“
Light,”
he replied.

“
Correct...
darkness is lies and deceit. Light is truth and love. Ask me your
questions.”

Roland
thought for a moment before saying,
“
What
do I do to rid myself of the darkness?”

“
You
must wrap the light around your dark thoughts. You must focus always
on love,” she said.

Then,
her eyes stopped glowing and her shoulders slumped. She looked
exhausted, and she sat on the bed, beside Roland.

Roland
looked at me, confused.

“
Do
what she said,” I pressed, worried that he would run out of
time.

He
looked back at Jane who was watching him tiredly, and then he closed
his eyes. While his eyes were closed, his eyebrows narrowed and he
started to grit his teeth. I studied him, and was scared that he
wouldn't know how to do what Jane had said.

My
fears were put to rest when Roland opened his eyes suddenly. The soft
brown of his irises had turned into a beautiful, golden color, a
purer gold than the color of his scales when he was in second form.

“
He
has done it,” Roland said. “He has gotten rid of my
darkness.”

I
raised my eyebrows. “Who is he?”

He
looked at me, as if surprised that I didn't know. “He is Life.”

I
smiled uncertainly, but when Roland's features began to twist in
pain, it faded. His eyes kept their unearthly glow, but I knew that
the energy of Last Breath had started to fade.

Jane
stood up, although I knew she could have used more rest. “I
must go find the other healer. He will be able to take care of Roland
properly during the last few hours of his life.” With that, she
stumbled out the door.

“
Ivy,”
Roland said. His voice was noticeably weaker. I focused my eyes on
his. The glow was disappearing. “While I was gone, He told me
about something that you must do. He said that you must get to the
plant of eternal life...and you must do it soon.”

Hope
rose in my chest.

Yes.
The plant of eternal life. Its power would heal Roland.

I
stood. “You're right,” I said. “I don't know why I
haven't thought of that already. I'll go find the plant, and I'll
bring it back to you.”

He
nodded and sat back in the bed. I studied him one last time before
hastening out the door.

I
hurried in the direction that Jane went. When I spotted her in the
middle of the clearing, headed away from me, I hurried to her side
and took her arm. “Jane,” I whispered, glancing around to
make sure that we were out of the hearing range of the women and
children who still populated the streets.

She
looked at me in surprise.

“
Where
is the plant of eternal life?” I asked.

She
studied me with narrowed eyes. “Why do you want to know?”

“
Roland
told me that Life told him I was supposed to retrieve it.” I
didn't realize how crazy that sounded until after it was already out
of my mouth.

Her
incredulous look vanished, and she seemed to get a burst of energy as
she dragged me around a building. Her stride was long, but I kept up
with her, knowing that I had to hurry.

“
What
is your second form?” she said suddenly as she turned to face
me.

“
Why
does that--?” I began.

“
Just
tell
me,”
she interrupted, her grip tightening.

“
A
phoenix,” I answered.

Her
eyes flashed, literally flashed, with the same silvery glow. “Then
in that case, I can tell you... The gate to the plant is at the top
of the mountain, guarded by an ancient statue. The statue comes to
life if anyone gets near it, so you will have to act quickly to get
inside.”

“
How do I get in? Is the gate
locked?” I asked.

“
I honestly don't know. The people
that have gotten close enough to figure it out don't return,”
Jane answered.

I swallowed hard. “Not one?”

“
The only one that was able to
make it back died eons ago. He left no record of his experience,
except for a small painting of the plant's appearance.”

I remembered a picture of the plant in
the headmaster's office. Was it the same one that had been painted
all those years ago?

“
Why are you letting me do this if
I'll most likely die?” I questioned skeptically.

“
The only other person to make it
out of the gate alive was a phoenix. If he could do it, there is a
chance that you will be able to as well.”

So the another phoenix had been on this
very island, searching for the same thing. “Is that everything
you know?”

She glanced around once more before
stooping closer. Her voice fell on my hearing like a soft breeze.