Touch of Flame

Araminta had just been looking for Ravina when she suddenly saw her son fall off the horse outside his home. She dropped the basket of fruits in her hand and rushed across the grass field while Ravina hurried around the horse to come and see him.

“Malachi!” She went to her knees beside him while Ravina crouched next to his body. Araminta shook his and gently slapped his cheek. “Malachi!”

She looked around panicked. “Saul! Kenan!” She yelled before looking back at Ravina. “What happened?”

The woman looked at her unfazed. “I believe it is his infected wound.”

The place where this woman shot him. Anger raced through her and suddenly she wished to push her away. Saul, Kenan, and Joel were quick to come to her aid. Aaron came shortly after.

“What happened?”

“Help me take him inside.” She said. “Kenan, bring the physician.”

Kenan left while Aaron and Joel helped each other carry Malachi inside. Saul turned his attention to Ravina. “What did you do to him?”

“He was sick, Saul,” Araminta said.

“Because she did something to him!” He said angrily. “He never gets sick.”

Araminta could really not deal with his temperament now so she was glad when the physician arrived with Kenan, landing and shapeshifting. Saul turned his attention to him and led him inside.

“Come,” Araminta told Ravina who stood stiffly there.

Ravina followed her into Malachi’s room where the physician was examining him in his bed. His brothers stood on each side of the bed, waiting anxiously.

Araminta was anxious as well. His complexion didn’t look good and she knew infections were serious even if they didn’t kill dragons, she knew they killed many humans.

Their physicians rarely treated those things as well since their bodies often recovered from it. What was happening now then?

“He isn’t healing and I am not sure why? I can’t find a reason.” The physician said.

Saul turned to Ravina. “What did you do to him?” He asked accusingly.

“There could be particles of obsidian left in his body that are preventing him from healing.” She explained calmly.

Araminta felt a pain in her chest. She knew he was tortured but to hear he was shot with obsidian pained her.

“I can help him,” she said when the physician seemed confused about what to do with the new knowledge of obsidian.

“You will not touch him,” Saul warned.

“He will most likely die then.” She said. Araminta was unsettled by how calm the woman remained. She must be aware that if Malachi died, her life would be in danger yet she showed no signs of panic or concern.

“I am sure he would prefer to die than you helping him.”

“You are going to let your brother die because of your pride?” She asked.

Araminta couldn’t help but be intrigued by this interaction. Saul frowned, his eyes burning with hostility. Ravina remained calm as she gazed back at him and when he said nothing she took charge.

“Infections spread quickly. To help his healing, I need to dissolve the obsidian in his body and help him restore his healing abilities. I need water, salt, black seeds, fish scales, ginger, coriander, and mountain honey.”

Her sons looked at each other.

“Don’t you have it?” She asked.

Saul looked like he wanted to kill her.

“We have them. Let’s bring it.” Aaron said pushing Joel to follow him.

Araminta gave Saul a signal to listen and he followed his brothers, unwillingly.

“My Lady?”

Araminta turned to Ravina.

“I need certain tools to make the remedy.”

“Of course. Shall we go to the kitchen?”

She nodded.

Leaving Malachi with Kenan she took Ravina to the kitchen and provided her with the needed tools. She became disturbed by her scarred hands as she washed the blood off. Her wounds were still fresh.

“What happened to your hands?” She asked.

“Ah…” She looked at them as if completely unaware despite the fact that it looked very painful. “I have a strange compulsion.”

A strange compulsion? Indeed.

Her sons came back with all the things requested and Ravina began to make the remedy. Araminta watched Ravina mix the different ingredients and making pastes and liquid formulas. The only thing she didn’t use was the fish scales.

“What will you do with the scales?” Araminta asked curiously.

“The obsidian particles cling to the scales and that way I can extract them.” She explained.

“Where did you learn all of this?” She looked so young and she was surely very young.

“I like to read,” she said as she kept working.

Araminta studied her curiously. She remembered the days when she was young. She was alive and full of light, naive and insecure, unlike this woman.

“I am done.” She said.

Araminta stood up and they went back to Malachi. His brothers were gathered around him, and Saul watched Ravina carefully as she went to sit on the bed beside his brother and do her work.

Araminta wasn’t worried that the woman would harm her son. She needed him at the moment, but she grimaced when Ravina put the scales inside the wound pushing it all the way in. She didn’t even flinch or grimace as she did so and then she left it there for a while before extracting it. Then she poured what Araminta thought to be the water with salt into the wound, also leaving it there for a while.

All of them watched her perform all the steps in silence, getting caught up in her work and she seemed confident in what she was doing. When she was done she bandaged his wound.

“It is done now.” She said.

“He is not awake,” Saul said.

“It will take time.”

“If he doesn’t wake up, consider yourself dead.” He threatened.

As if she didn’t hear him, she went on to touch Malachi’s forehead with the back of her hand, then she touched his wrist before turning to Saul. “I need cold water and a cloth.”

He looked at her appalled and annoyed. “Are you ordering me?”

“I am simply stating what I need to help your brother.”

Araminta found herself intrigued again.

“Aaron! Bring cold water and a cloth.” Saul said without tearing his gaze from her.

Aaron left to do what he was told.

“Some fresh air would be good.” She said.

“Kenan, open the window,” Saul said still holding her gaze. “Anything else?”

“It is good for now.” She replied with the same tone.

Aaron came back with a bowl of water and a cloth. He handed it to Ravina and sat beside Malachi, to cool his forehead with the wet cloth.

“You can all go. I can stay here.” Araminta said.

“I am not leaving,” Saul told her.

“You have to while your brother is ill. Now go.” She told them.

Saul turned to Aaron. “You stay here.” He told him and took Joel and Kenan as he left.

Araminta looked at her youngest son who didn’t like the treatment he got from his brother. Saul was only getting worse but this woman seemed to know how to deal with him.

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