Riwenne and her friends escaped from the destruction of Riqar, but she’s been hurt. Find out what happens after their hasty retreat.

Back in Lyndamon City

I barely managed to keep from crushing Uqra as I collapsed onto the cobblestones. My friends tripped over me as they stumbled out of the doorway, just behind me. I heard another round of gunfire echoing on the far side before the door slammed shut.

Eberet cut off the prayers and hurried over, kneeling in front of me. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” I insisted, starting to rise, but a twinge in my left leg sent me back down to the ground.

Kyra put her hand on my shoulder. “Hold on, let me take a look.”

Amena reached out and took the bird from my hands. “I’ve got Uqra. What’s wrong?”

“There’s blood—were you shot?” Kyra gasped.

With my hands free, I leaned back and gently twisted my legs around to the front so I could see them. There was a tear in my stockings and a scrape on the shin underneath, but no bullet wound.

“It’s just a scratch,” I said, shaking my head. “It stings a little, nothing more.”

Janera fumbled open a pouch on her belt. “Here, I’ve got some ointment for that.” She pulled out a jar and offered it to me.

I started to say that I could use my own magic to heal the injury, but Kyra gave me a warning look and gestured for Janera to help.

“You’ve already used a lot of energy,” Kyra said in a low tone. “Let us do more for you.”

I nodded and waited patiently for Janera to apply her herbal ointment. It had a pungent odor like rotten vegetables, but it soothed the sting from the scrape.

When she was done, I looked up and realized there was still a large crowd in the square from the ceremony. What were they all waiting around here for?

I accepted Janera’s hand to pull myself back to standing and nodded at the audience. “Thank you for your help,” I called. “Without you all, we might not have made it back safely. But I think we’d better go see the Council of Elders and tell them what we’ve learned…” I glanced at Eberet. “If they’re still meeting?”

He nodded. “We’ll be a little late, but I’m sure they’ll want to hear your report.”

Most people began to leave for their work, but Illari hovered nearby. “May I come along, too?” she asked.

I exchanged another look with Eberet, who gave me a slight shake of his head. The scientist had won our trust, but that didn’t mean the Council would let her into a strategy meeting where she could learn all of our nation’s secrets.

“Maybe it’s better if you wait for us back at the house,” I said with an apologetic smile. “We’ll tell you about it later.”

Illari looked disappointed, but she agreed to meet with us after.

Thanks to the healing properties of Janera’s ointment, I was able to walk without any pain to the meeting hall, although Kyra clung to my left arm like she was ready to support my weight if I had the slightest stagger.