Corabelle barely managed to keep her hand in contact with Zaramir’s skin, syphoning away his pain, as he pivoted away hard from her.

  He erupted in a fit of coughs that echoed around the room like the rasps of the undead, dry and painful like the air itself was a creature trying to claw itself free of his lungs.

  The hands of the guards fell on their sheathed weapons as though they were unsure if this was some elaborate attack in the making.

  Corabelle’s hand gripped his ribs tightly, keeping him precariously balanced across her knees, as the fit finally died down as a misting of fresh blood hit the stone.

  Her hand shifted back to his chest he fell onto his back with a final breath so deep you’d think it was his first in centuries.

  A look of confusion crossed his face as the tiniest sliver of green peered up at her with an expression of bewilderment, as though he’d forgotten the very concept of sight.

  Though it was a mere moment before a frown appeared narrowing his eyes further, the beautiful green darkened in the shadow of his lashes.

  “Zaramir?” Corabelle questioned softly.

  He flinched at the sound of her voice as he turned his head away, eyes pressing shut.

  “It’s me...” She murmured.

  She should have known he wouldn’t trust what he saw. Sight was among the least trustworthy of senses in this world.

  “Stop,” His voice was brittle as a dried petal as he spat the single word.

  “We’re safe now,” She continued, hoping her voice might persuade him. “They can’t find us here.”

  He faced her again, blazing scorn in his eyes, “Lies. The sent a Faedemon then,” his voice gained new strength. “You tell them that they already have her name. They don’t get to use her face!”

  She didn’t have time to comprehend the meaning of his words as his arm raised in a fraction of a moment.

  Consumed in white hot flame, she couldn’t react face enough to fully dodge his blazing grasp as it came straight for her head

  The flames burned too hot to hurt for long, nerves fried near instantly as his flames melted through flesh to bone across her cheek and brow. The edge of her ear sizzled away as a clump of hair filled the room with foul smelling smoke.

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  The scream she released drew the guards’ weapons from their holsters.

  “No!” She managed to screech, raising a shaking hand toward them, pain returning as the nerves regrew, the wounds beginning to heal.

  Spindly fungi sprung from the stone forming a flimsy wall between the guards and Zarmair and herself, her blood more than enough to pay for their life. It would do nothing against their blades, but hopefully it’d give them pause.

  Zaramir didn’t get a chance to take another fiery swing.

  His spell died as his body shuttered. His hand fell, body slumped as he slipped back into unconsciousness.

  The guards shouted, slashing through her weak shield.

  “Wait!” She cried.

  The guard she’d spoken to raised his arms, blocking his zealous companions, though his face was just as frightful, “What happened!” He demanded.

  “I don’t know,” She answered in a shaking voice as she felt the cartilage of her ear grow back, the raw skin sealing it over. “But it’s okay. Please… It must have been a mistake.”

  His frown deepened, but his blade lowered, “I’ll get help. You wait here,” He told the other two. “Don't do anything until I get back.”

  The other two remained painfully alert as he left, their weapons drawn, ready to strike if Zaramir so much as twitched.

  Corabelle's movements were very slow and careful as she wiped drops of blood from her eye and away from her mouth.

  The guard returned shortly with Ella.

  She carried a bundle of cloth and a bucket of water that sloshed over the edge as she wanked. Her expression was somber, as she walked past the guards, paying their raised weapons no mind, “I was told that he attacked you.” Her words were simple, not accusatory, but not forgiving either.

  “He was startled,” Corabelle defended.

  Ella nodded, “I’m not suprised,” She set the cloth on the bed and the bucket on the floor as she knelt in front of Corabelle, “I was told he said something to you.”

  She pulled a rag from the top of the stack and dipped it into the water, wringing it out.

  “I don’t think he thought I was real,” Corabelle told her, taking the damp rag that Ella extended. “He said they weren’t allowed to use my face.”

  “That doesn’t really surprise me either,” She replied solemnly.

  Corabelle supposed his response really shouldn’t have surprised her either. The condition he was in, she had to guess he’d been there for a good long while. That would do things to anyone’s mind even without magic.

  “Are you alright?’ Ella asked, as Corabelle used the rag to clean away the blood.

  The question was clearly not about her physical state. There was no trace of the burns, even the missing chunk of hair had nearly grown back.

  “I’ll be fine,” was the only true answer she could give.

  Ella stood up, “We have other rooms we could put him in until he awakens. It may be the safer option.”

  Corabelle shook her head, “No. Please don’t,” She used her free hand to pull her clothing away from her activated Runebind. “If you take him, I can’t keep the pain away.

  Ella nodded understandingly, “Alright, but I'm going to assign mages to each rotation of your guard in case… he wakes up again.”