Everwild (The Healer Series, #1) (31 page)

“I was too afraid to say anything in your
office when Bane brought me. He had threatened to kill Declan right
there if I spoke up. It was my fault this fight even started.”

“No,” Emerson said intently. “No, Willow. You
have shown great strength and valor in the face of danger. You
chose
not
to speak up, sacrifice yourself even, to save
those you love. And that takes an extraordinary person to choose
that path. That choice was not an easy one. No Willow. What you did
tonight only proves your worth of being what you are destined to
be: a great Healer. You are true to your very soul, and I have no
doubt in my mind that this will all turn out for the good.”

A small teardrop fell from Willow’s eyes at
Emerson’s encouragement. Emerson drew her close and hugged her. “If
I were to choose any witch in the entire world for a
daughter-in-law, it would be you,” he said letting her go. His
words caught her off guard. Her? He would want her to marry Declan?
The thought sent butterflies in her stomach. But then she
remembered the vision she had while under the effects of MindStorm.
How Declan was happy with another bride. How she was not destined
to be the wife of a powerful warlock, but to be secluded and heal
creatures day in and day out. Sure, she could see herself marrying
Declan. But it just wasn’t an option for her future, and it broke
her heart.

“Ready to head out, Healer baby?” Chase’s
voice drew her from her thoughts.

“Healer baby?” Willow said lifting an
eyebrow.

“You don’t like?”

“How about you just call me Willow…”

Chase grinned. “You know how I like it when
you give me attitude.”

Emerson chuckled behind her. “Are you sure
you want Chase to go with you? Last chance…”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Willow said. “I can handle
Wolf-Boy.”

“Okay,” Emerson said. “Carmela’s is a fifteen
minute fly, but a forty five minute walk. As the wolves don’t
really know how to maneuver our flying units, do you think you’ll
be okay walking?”

“Yes,” Chase and Willow both said
simultaneously.

“And you know I’m just a thought away. The
wolves will be communicating and keeping me updated at all times.
If anything, and I mean ANYTHING happens, we’ll know immediately
and try to help. Chase, I’m leaving Willow in your care. If any
harm should come to her, it will not be pretty for you or your
pack.”

Some of the wolves growled low, but Chase
only laughed. “What’s there to worry about, Head Warlock? Danger
flees before me!”

“Right…” Emerson said unconvinced. “Just be
careful. I will see you soon.”

And with that, they departed. Everyone who
wasn’t going to the Seeker quickly made their way back to the
mansion or back to their posts to guard the perimeter. Chase looked
at Willow with the steady confidence he always held. “Ready for
another adventure, Healer baby?”

Willow rolled her eyes. She hated when people
gave her nicknames! First, it was Declan. Now Chase? What was with
that? Deciding she should try to get used to it, since Chase would
call her that no matter if she threatened him or not, she shook her
head. “Let’s do this.”

Willow saw the familiar produce shop of
Bunches and Barrels and unexpected anticipation pooled in her
belly. She was in much different company than when she first met
the Seeker, but now she felt at ease knowing who Carmela was. She
was on their side, or at least, Willow thought so. The Seeker could
look into the many futures and act as a guide to steer those in the
proper direction. Of course, it was still the decisions made in the
present that determined the exact future. A part of Willow felt
grateful that Carmela pushed Declan through the portal with her. It
forced her to come to terms with how she truly felt about him, and
it also helped develop her powers as a true Healer.

A pang of guilt coursed through her when she
thought about Declan. She desperately longed for him to be with
her. She wanted to apologize to him for hurting him. She truly
wanted only him and no one else. If she could give up her healing
power to be with Declan Aldridge, she would in a heartbeat. She
would freely give up a part of herself at the chance to live a long
and happy life together with him. But fate, as it were, would not
be so giving. And she had come to love her ability to heal and work
for the good of others.

“Smell that?” Chase said as they stood at the
edge of the forest looking at the shop. “I smell elves.

“Elves?” Willow wondered. What could elves be
doing at Carmela’s? Suddenly, a loud crashing noise reached their
ears and yelling soon followed. Even standing at a good distance
away from the store, their voices could be heard carried through
the opened window.

“YOU’RE A SEEKER! YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO
THIS!”

“DO NOT QUESTION MY POWERS, BYRON!” Carmela’s
voice shrieked. “I DO NOT HAVE A REMEDY FOR THIS!”

“Byron?” Chase said, a dark look crossing his
face. Then his eyes lit with recognition. “Oh crap.”

“What? What is it?” Willow asked, bracing
herself for an attack. Chase was getting all worked up and she had
no idea what it was about.

Chase’s face went pale as he looked at the
house. “Byron is Elirana’s father…”

Willow searched her mind, beginning to feed
off of Chase’s panic and start panicking herself. “Elirana…who’s
Elirana?”

“You don’t remember? At the Neutral Zone, I
told you I was in deep with the owner Alexalaxzees, well, I call
him Alex. Anyways, he was mad at me for seducing his niece? Ringing
any bells, now?” Willow’s eyes widened. Then, the alarm bells
started going off in her head.

“Well…”

“Oh god, here we go! Maybe it was a bad idea
bringing you. I swear we can’t go anywhere without trouble when
you’re around!” Willow said frustrated. “Should we go knocking on
the door, or wait till they leave?”

“FIX HER NOW!” Byron’s voice screamed.

Before she knew what was happening, she saw
Chase’s backside as he was racing up to the shop. She called to him
and sprinted after him. The three werewolves were right on her
heels. She couldn’t catch Chase if she had to, and she certainly
couldn’t stop him from busting through the front door guns blazing,
screaming, “WHY FIX WHAT ISN’T BROKEN?”

As soon as Willow entered the door, the Elven
magic struck her, just as it did Chase and the wolves behind her.
They were locked in place, frozen in whatever position they entered
the door. Chase’s left hand was raised in accusation and he had a
permanent scowl on his face, while Willow and the wolves were just
in running poses. How could she have been so stupid? If Willow was
thinking clearly, she could’ve used her magic to counter and shield
what the Elf threw at them! Chase tended to do that to her; get her
all worked up and unable to think straight. She attempted to move
her body, but she was completely immobile. The only body part that
seemed to be working was her eyes. She looked around at the scene
before her.

Byron was standing there with his arm
outstretched as his magic flowed from him to the intruders. He had
strikingly long yellow hair and strange pale blue eyes. He was
tall, had long pointed ears and a quiver with feathered arrows
strapped around his chest. Next to him, sitting on one of Carmela’s
couches, was a beautiful Elf maiden. She too, had long flowing
blonde tresses, but her features were much softer and extremely
beautiful. She had big teal colored eyes that reminded Willow of
the Caribbean Sea, a narrow face, and was wearing a cotton maroon
dress that flowed to the hardwood floor. A small gold chain wrapped
around her even smaller waist. She was stunning as she looked at
them with newfound curiosity. Willow could only conclude that this
was the infamous Elirana, Chase’s…well…she didn’t know what.

Carmela grinned and clapped her hands
excitedly. “I wasn’t expecting you for another hour or so! I love
it when that happens. Not much can surprise me these days. They are
no threat to you, Byron. Please release them.”

“I beg to differ,” Byron hissed and pointed
at Chase with a small dagger he had drawn upon seeing the werewolf.
“
He
is the cause of all this.”

Chase tried saying something, but all that
came out was mumbling. A small voice spoke up, then, and all eyes
turned to Elirana. “That one….in the middle…who…who is he?”

Byron turned to his niece and said flatly,
“He’s nobody. Carmela, if you refuse to aide us, just know that you
do not want the Elves against you. We do not forgive so
easily.”

Carmela sighed exasperated. “Seekers do not
lie. We cannot! I’ve told you I can’t help her. There is no remedy
to what you have done to the poor girl, at least, none that I can
seek out. But perhaps if you give the witch Healer a chance, maybe
she will be able to help.” Carmela put a finger on her chin as if
thinking. “But then again, I don’t really think there is a cure for
ignorance,” she said sarcastically. Willow was awed by Carmela’s
boldness. If she could smile at that sarcastic remark, she would
have.

Byron only narrowed his eyes at her and
snorted. “Healer? What Healer?”

“The young witch before you,” Carmela pointed
smugly. Byron turned to stare at Willow. He stared, and stared, and
stared for what seemed like forever.

“So the rumors are true, then? A Healer has
finally been born? To the witch race nonetheless,” he added
condescendingly.

This time, Carmela snorted. “Rumors are just
hearsay. The Healers exists, and you, my untimely friend, have just
run into some luck. Perhaps if you release her, she may be kind
enough to examine your precious daughter that you damaged.”

The hold on Willow instantly released and
Willow tapped into her magic quickly. Already, this uncouth Elf
before her rubbed her the wrong way, and apparently Carmela felt
the same way. If he asked her to examine his niece, would she? She
certainly wasn’t in the mood to heal today, as there were more
pressing matters to attend to.

“Healer,” Byron addressed her, drilling his
blue eyes into her. “My daughter has an infection of the mind. Our
Elven Elders attempted to remove certain memories of a certain
werewolf,” he quickly glanced at Chase, “as they both broke the
rules of our race. He has caused her much pain, but we have
overlooked her impudence and have tried to justify the situation by
taking the memories away as if it never happened. But now, her mind
seems to fade. She forgets more than just what we took from her.
She no longer recognizes many of our kind. We feel as if
she
is fading from us. Will you do the Elves a kindness and try to heal
her?”

Willow thought for a moment. Byron’s
explanation gave her a lot of information that Elves normally
wouldn’t divulge to just anybody. Even talking about the Elders was
a risk to the Elves. They were so secretive as it were and little
knowledge is known of their realm and what goes on there. She had
only learned in her training some of the simpler defensive spells
against some of the Elves’ favorite offensive techniques. Messing
with the mind was one they favored. “Well...I’ve never healed an
emotional or mental condition before. My powers only seem to work
with the physical. At least, I haven’t tried anything to this
degree before.”

Byron turned to Carmela and hissed, “What
good is she to the magical races if she can’t do more than physical
healing?”

Carmela raised an eyebrow, but Willow spoke
up before Carmela could, “I will take a look, but know that if you
insult me again, I will not be so quick to help.” She was not in
the mood to be moping about how others think so little of her.
Carmela looked at her with approval as she approached Elirana. When
she looked into Elirana’s clear teal colored eyes, she felt bad for
her. It wasn’t her fault that her mind was fading away. Elirana’s
eyes were perfectly almond shaped, slightly larger than any human’s
eyes, and held an endless depth to them. Willow figured Elirana
held years of wisdom, as expected, since the lifespan of Elves
lasted for several centuries. Yet past the beauty of Elirana’s
eyes, Willow could see haziness and confusion in them. It was
strange, how Elirana seemed not to look at her, but
through
her, as if she was fantasizing about a lover or a faraway land.

“Elirana,” she addressed the maiden quietly.
“May I take a look into your mind?”

Elirana nodded slowly as Willow placed her
hands on the temples of her head. Willow closed her eyes, not sure
whether this was even possible or not. When she could heal wounds,
she could actually see the tendons, bones, and muscles and
encourage them to mend faster and correctly. This type of magic was
even trickier, perhaps even more dangerous as a she could really
hurt the function and inner workings of the brain.

Just as Willow tapped into Elirana’s mind,
she felt herself being pulled into Elirana’s inner being, searching
for the cause of her memory loss. It was like she was flying over a
rushing river, her stomach actually squeezing with the feel of
motion. Memories and emotions swirled around her as if they were
her own. She saw Elirana’s childhood, feel her hurt and pain at her
own kind, see her riding her favorite horse through the valleys,
the only feeling she had at being free. It was getting to be too
much. She was starting to feel queasy and lightheaded. This wasn’t
working! Her mind couldn’t handle looking into another’s! Pull out!
Willow could hear herself screaming. Make it stop! But it wouldn’t
relent, she was too deep and going further and further into
Elirana’s memories and flashbacks of desires, worries, and fears
until BAM! The motion finally stopped and Willow hovered over a
spot. It was black and growing bigger and bigger in her mind, like
an incessant tumor, gaining strength and eating away at her mind.
She found the illness!