Maya stood next to Tristan and stared down at Avery and Marshall's entwined bodies. Tristan glanced at her and she answered the question in his eyes. "Sophia fell asleep in the carriage."
She reached for the sleeping baby in his arms and he handed him to her. She quickly tucked him into the sling.
"How is he doing?" she murmured.
"He's starting to move and crying out a bit," Tristan replied.
She breathed a sigh of relief. "That's a good sign."
"What is she?"
"She is not a witch, m'lord. I swear to you."
"That's not what I asked," he said impatiently.
"She's a healer."
"A healer?" He frowned.
"Aye. She can touch people and heal their sicknesses."
"What do you mean?"
She shrugged. "I mean that if someone is hurt or sick, Avery can touch them, hold them and something inside of her heals them."
He stared at her. "Has she always been this way?"
"No. She did not develop her ability until her monthlies began."
"The gods be damned. I have never heard of such a power."
"My father's grandmother had the same ability."
"How does she do it?"
"We're not quite sure, my lord. My father believed that she absorbs the sickness and the pain
into her own body and then somehow heals herself."
He frowned, remembering the way she had winced when she first touched Marshall. "Does it
hurt her?"
She gave him a cautious glance. "She says it does not, but I do not believe her."
"Who else knows of this?" He glanced around them. The others were crowded in and around
the wagon. Some of the women were sobbing quietly, and Leo and Jeffrey were keeping a grim watch of the skies above them.
"Until now, no one outside of our family. My father kept it well-hidden from others."
"He was wise to do so. This type of power..."
He glanced at her. "I admit I am not sure that I entirely believe it."
She rolled her eyes. "Really, my lord? Marshall was close to death not half an hour ago and
now look at him. His colour has returned, he is moving and making sounds."
"Lycans have their own healing powers," he said.
"You yourself said it was not enough," she said.
When he continued to stare doubtfully at her, she sighed impatiently. "You slept beside her
last night. Tell me, in the morning did you not feel good? Did you not feel happier, stronger, more rested than you should have?"
He stared at her and she smiled wryly at him. "You soaked in her power as you slept next to her. Even those who are perfectly healthy benefit from touching her."
He paused, remembering the strange feeling of power and warmth when he had entered her. He frowned as another thought hit him. "Sophia's finger – Nicholas."
She nodded. "She kissed Sophia's finger at the slave house, and our first morning by the lake she held Nicholas until he was better."
She stared solemnly at him. "Nicholas would not have survived much longer if it hadn't been for Avery. She said it was a miracle that he had survived for as long as he did. He should have died many months ago."
Marshall made a low groaning noise and opened his eyes. He blinked and stirred in Avery's arms, wincing and groaning again.
Avery opened her eyes and smiled at him before placing a soft kiss on his mouth. Marshall stared blankly at her and she kissed him again, urging him to kiss her back. After a moment he returned her kisses. Tristan watched, tension growing in his belly when Marshall leaned over her and deepened the kiss. She didn't resist, opening her mouth and allowing him to slip his tongue between her lips. Tristan was unaware that he was growling until Maya pressed her hand on his arm.
"She's doing this to help him."
"Help him?" he grunted. Jealousy was flooding through him as Marshall continued to kiss Avery. Even as he watched, he could see Marshall's skin starting to glow and Avery's grow paler and paler.
"Aye," Maya said. "The more of Avery they can touch, the more intimate she is with them, the faster they heal. It's why she held Nicholas against her bare skin, why she kissed Sophia's cut directly, and why she allows Marshall to kiss her now."
He glanced at the girl, saw his jealousy mirrored in her eyes, and forced himself to relax. When he thought he had it under control he looked back down at Avery and Marshall. It was the wrong decision. Although they were hidden under the blanket, it was clear that Marshall was cupping her breast as he kissed her and with a low, angry growl he started forward. If he was well enough to do that, he was well enough for his own healing powers to kick in. Before he could rip them apart, Avery shoved at Marshall's shoulders. He released her mouth and fell onto his back, staring up at Tristan.
"Tristan? What happened?" He looked in confusion at the pale and panting Avery. "Faeries," Tristan grunted.
He helped Marshall to his feet and Maya handed him his pants. Marshall put them on,
buttoning them up quickly as Tristan stared at his torso. Earlier there were at least a dozen stab wounds, oozing blood and foul poison, and now his torso was perfectly smooth. There were no open wounds and no scars.
"Maya? What happened?" Marshall stared at her arm. The wound had clotted but there was a large chunk of flesh missing from the top of her arm.
She shook her head. "I'll explain later."
Tristan squeezed his bare shoulder. "How do you feel?"
Marshall stared at him. "I feel...good. I mean, really good. Like I could run for miles, you
know? I'm hungry."
Behind him, Tristan could hear Avery stirring and Maya ducked around him to help her. "Go
to the wagon, brother, and help Leo and Jeffrey watch for more faeries. We'll be leaving shortly."
"Aye." Rubbing his head, a confused look on his face, Marshall left them. Tristan turned to see Avery rising to her feet. She had slipped into his shirt and she weaved unsteadily.
"Avery? Do you need to sit down?" Maya asked, a worried look crossing her face.
Avery's face was completely void of colour and there were deep, dark circles under her eyes, but she said, "I'm fine. I need to rest though."
She suddenly coughed harshly, holding her side and wincing. "I just need sleep." She staggered forward and collapsed.
"Avery!" Maya crouched down next to her and hesitated, looking at her arm as Tristan knelt beside her.
"I cannot touch her," Maya said. "If I do, her body will try to heal my arm. She's too weak. I've never seen her like this before."
Tristan reached for Avery, and Maya grabbed his arm. "Were you hurt in the attack? Is there any part of you that needs healing?"
He shook his head. "No, I'm fine." He picked up Avery and carried her to the carriage. "We need to get her to my home. There will be a soft bed and food waiting for her there."
"We should hurry," Maya said as she followed him to the carriage. "I know," he replied grimly.
"Why does she not wake?" Tristan stared at the still-unconscious Avery. They had travelled the rest of the journey to his home without incident and he had immediately carried Avery to his room, Maya following at his heels. He had tucked her into his bed and Maya had sat beside her. She was careful not to touch Avery, and they had been waiting for close to an hour for her to wake up.
"I do not know, m'lord," Maya said. "Usually she only needs to rest for a bit and then she is fine. But I have never seen her try to heal someone hurt so deeply. Perhaps she just needs more time to heal her own body?"
"There must be something we can do." Tristan paced the large room, staring out the window at the growing darkness.
Maya hesitated. "There may be something we can try."
"What?"
"Avery does not just absorb people's sicknesses. She can also absorb their health. She uses it
to help herself heal faster. If you're sure you are not hurt in any way, it may help if you lie with her."
"Why did you not say something sooner?" he said angrily. He pulled his shirt over his head and started to unbutton his pants. "Naked helps, right?"
"Aye."
He stripped and climbed into the bed beside Avery. He pulled off her shirt and gathered her naked body into his arms. He lay on his side, pulling her flush against him. He stared up at Maya as Avery's head clunked down onto his chest. He could feel her soft breath stirring the hairs on his chest and it comforted him.
"Will I feel anything? How will I know it's working?"
She shook her head. "No. If you do feel something, warmth or tingling, it means she's trying to heal you. Let go of her immediately."
"I will."
Maya hesitated and then glanced at the door of the bedroom. "I should be with Sophia and Nicholas. Will you stay with her for the night?"
"Yes. She'll be fine by morning." He wasn't sure if he was trying to convince himself or Maya. "Go and get some rest. I will send for you if anything happens."
"Thank you, m'lord." She kissed Avery's cheek and then slipped out of his bedroom.
Tristan stared up at the ceiling. He was tense, waiting anxiously for any sign that Avery was trying to heal him, but when nothing happened, he let himself relax. He closed his eyes, listening to Avery's soft and steady breathing, and drifted into sleep.