It had not occurred to Caleb that he was wandering the streets aimlessly until a few hours had passed. He had left the inn to get away from the flying questions and sympathy remarks. He needed to think and be alone for a while, wallow in his misery as he so intended without an audience. 

At the center of his problems was Nic. The wound that ailed the boy was not serious; it was merely a deep scratch that began at the boy's neck and stopped half way down his back, but the poison had done its work. It had spread throughout Nic's body in a matter of minutes, when Caleb had searched his aura he could still remember the need to recoil. He had been unable to do anything, which frightened him; after so many years some things seemed to constantly avoid his reach. 

The festered wound sent Nic into a poisoned coma for almost a week. During that time, Caleb made himself scarce. News spread about his arrival back in Irim, besides his unwillingness to see anyone. So he hid either in his room or in the forest. But mostly, he remained at Nic's side in case he woke up. 

The coma had broken a few nights back with Jalee's help. It had been pure luck that she had been in Irim when Caleb arrived with unconscious Nic. Of course, she had a few words to say, but then again, she always had something to say. If allowed to administer his own cures, Caleb would have been able to do so in half the time. The properties of plants was something Caleb did not believe in.

It was either cura or time that healed wounds, not fancy herbs and formulae. Jalee insisted there was no need to panic — the worst had passed, but Caleb could not help worry about the youth. Saving him with cura would have put his own body at just as high a risk. No matter how prepared he had been to take the hit, the risk had been too high. Jalee was a force not even pyree could deal with.

If I had only arrived in Irim sooner—

"Caleb?"

Caleb spun around and allowed his lips to curve. "Well may Arem strike me on the very soil I stand. That cannot be Kel now can it?"

"It is," the youth's lips twitched, not a smile. 

"Well then a very good morning Pyra Kelemir. How have you been?" Caleb embraced Kelemir warmly.

"I have been better, old friend, and I think you have too."

"Yes, undoubtedly so. Dark days are ahead of us." Caleb commented dryly.

"If you ask me, dark days are upon us. I heard of the boy you brought in, how is he fairing?" Kelemir's smile faded from his eyes but lingered on his lips a while longer before becoming completely solemn Th man did not often smile, but when he did it was worth waiting for.

"Jalee broke through the poison a few nights back, yet he still struggles to maintain consciousness. The moments he is awake are short and incoherent."

"That is expected — but still you worry?"

"I do, I am the one responsible. If I had only ridden faster or harder I would have halved the time I spent trying to get here."

"Don't be absurd. You spent little more than two days to arrive here from the middle of the Aldo; no one could have done that in lesser time. I am sure you drove Mordo until foam dripped from his mouth. Now, can you think of any other way you could have reached here that would have bested a horse?"

Caleb did not answer the young pyra. Kelemir was years younger than he — even though Caleb showed no signs of being more than twenty-five. Kelemir was in his early twenties, but wiser than most, and stronger. His alert, golden eyes made it difficult to hide anything from the man, yet exposed nothing. 

"You must not blame yourself, Caleb. It will do no good." Kelemir continued, gently patting Caleb on the shoulder. "How many times did worrying about me effect anything?"

"You were merely headstrong. I can teach a man made of stone to bend. It is that which I cannot see I have the most concern for."

"So the boy is like me then?"

Caleb snorted. "Not half, but he is temperamental... and spirited."

Kelemir nodded slowly. "Arem has blessed you with perhaps a second thorn at your side."

"I know," Caleb managed a weak smile. "

"What of Pyra Hari? Did you find him?" Kelemir became solemn again; his whole body seemed to become rigid at the mention of the dead pyra, but it was like Kelemir to tense his whole body when he dealt with things he was not sure of. He still did not know Pyra Hari was dead; few people did since Caleb was still waiting on the council. He had spoken to Cassador only a few days ago, and told him he had important news. The meeting was later today.

"I found his corpse hidden deep in the Aldo. I will say the rest of my report during the council meeting."

For a fleeting moment shock filled Kelemir's face and replaced with a controlled expression. "This is bad news. I will wait for the meeting." Kelemir bowed deeply and stalked away.

Caleb watched him go until he was out of sight and made his way to the sick house for the third time that morning.

Nic was looking at his surroundings when there was a knock at the door. He did not remember how it came to be, but he was now in a warm room lying in a snug bed. He could not remember arriving in any town or climbing into any bed. He was sure he would have remembered the latter, but no memory came to mind. The room he was in was small, yet comfortable. A fireplace was situated opposite the bed with two large armchairs in front of it. Set to the side behind a thin screen was a space for bathing. There was one window looking out over the unfamiliar town. Nic did not recognize the thatched roof, so knew he was not in Tjorin Vale. Again the knock sounded.

"Come in," he croaked. His voice sounded harsh from not being used and his throat stung. He had probably been sleeping for quite some time. The door squeaked open and a woman with red hair stepped through. She carried a steaming bowl in one hand, and in the other a cloth.

"Good morning Nicholaes."

"Good mor -  how do you know my name?"

"Caleb was kind enough to inform me."

Nic frowned.

"How rude of me, my name is Jalee."

Nic pushed himself up carefully; the first time he had moved was hours ago. Still half asleep, the pain had seared across his back. He managed to stifle a scream, but tears appeared in its stead. Nic could not manage to say anything to the mysterious lady, and so just kept his mouth shut and smiled.

"How is your back?" she walked further into the room and with a flick of her hand, the fireplace burst into life.

"Like somebody is ripping it in two," he managed to say, not taking his eyes from the new flame.

"Good, that is expected. At least you are awake and well and in your coma no longer."

Nic remembered the eternal blackness and the pain that came with it, but still the cause of his discomfort evaded him. 

He eyed Jalee as she took a seat on the bed. She soaked the cloth in the steaming bowl and then wrung it out again. Thin ready hands reached for the bandage that was wrapped around Nic's upper torso, but Nic recoiled and then clenched his teeth in pain.

"Serves you right for being an idiot," she snapped. "You recoil now? After I have seen all above and below? Truly, young man, you need not be ashamed."

"It is not that," Nic defended.

"Well, then you have no cause to be afraid of me. I am a healer and am here to help."

"But the fire..." Nic pointed to the flames licking at the bricked mantle.

"What of it?" Jalee raised her brows and pursed her lips.

Nic withdrew into the cushions and shook his head. He allowed her to remove the bandage that covered nearly his whole upper body and wash his wound with the hot, scented water. He flinched as she neared the wound. When she was done, she gently replaced the bandage with skillful hands and threw the water out. She then took out a few jars from her skirt belt and smeared its contents onto his temples, rubbing it in gently.

"This cream should ease the pain."

Nic could smell the strong aroma of the the balm now, it was pleasant, yet strong, "I know this might sound a bit odd but... but I was wondering - "

Jalee finished with the cream and began wiping her fingers on the piece of cloth, "Stop avoiding the point, boy. What is it?"

"Sorry... where am I?"

"You are in the forest town of Irim."

"Where?"

"Irim." She repeated patiently.

"I have never heard of that." Nor could he recall ever seeing it on any map, "Where exactly is it?"

"You have never heard of it because it is only known to the pyree, and you have never seen it because it is not known to anyone else but them, and a few special individuals like myself."

"You are not a pyra?"

"Most certainly not."

"Then how do you use the Will? You can't be a guardian." Nic glanced at the burning fire again.

"Not another one. I tell you, you children are becoming too inquisitive, it was just the other day that a young lady was asking me the same questions. But I must say, it is better to have inquisitive boys and girls than plain stupid ones, so I will try giving you the same answer I gave her. Not everyone who has the ability to touch the Will is a pyra or guardian. Sometimes they choose to remain who they are and hide their ability to most of the world."

"But you are on the pyree's side, right?"

"I am on nobody's side, young man; I am friends with both guardians and pyree."

"But you live here?"

"No I am just passing through. I live in a town to the north called Rhine."

"I have heard of it, it is close to Tjorin."

"That it is."

A knock at the door interrupted the conversation, and without consent, the door swung open and Caleb stepped inside. When he saw that Nic was awake his worried frown smoothed into a ready smile.

"Good to see you are conscious." Caleb's gaze fell on Jalee. Nic realized she was still sitting very close to him. "Am I disturbing anything?"

"Don't be absurd, Pyra Calabrean de Caw, I was just doing my job." Jalee retorted.

"Would that job be as a woman or as a healer?"

Jalee shot Caleb an angry glance. "Your jokes may be amusing to some, but not to me. I tired of them long ago."

"As long as you were not taking advantage of your patient, I will say naught to anyone else."

Another angry stare and the healer packed her things and stormed out, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Touchy isn't she?" Caleb said staring after the door.

"You embarrassed her."

"I would do no such thing."

Nic smiled at his friend's teasing humour. "You saved my life by getting me here, didn't you?" Nic said after a stretch of silence.

"Who told you that?"

"Well, I doubt Jalee stumbled across us in the woods."

Caleb sat next to the bed, all humour erased from his face.

"Thank you."

"How can you thank me when I was the one who put you in danger?"

"My hands were not bound when I chose to come with you on this trip, so the fault is as much mine as it is yours." Nic surprised himself by saying. He remembered now, how he came to be injured in a strange bed. He had not realized it, but his memory had finally crept back unnoticed.

"Those are wise words coming from your mouth." The skin by Caleb's eyes creased, but the smile did not touch his lips. He was leaning forward in his seat with his elbows on his knees. Nic could tell that Caleb had been worrying for the past few days; frown marks marred the usually smooth crown and dark bags hung underneath the grey eyes.

"I am a wise man, what can I say?"

Caleb laughed deeply, "I am glad you came and gladder still for your recovery, although, you might be left with a scar."

"Is it that bad?"

"The poison has made it worse than it really is. It is a shallow cut, but it is inflamed from infection. On top of that you have Jalee healing you and not I." He winked and a smile reappeared.

"It hurts like a fish wife's voice on the ears."

"It will for some time yet."

"Who made you the expert?"

"Don't you know? Pyree are first rate healers. Better than any other in the whole of Hanarah. People used to travel kingdoms just to seek one of us out and ask for our services."

"Really?" Nic asked sarcastically, "What a talented group of people you pyree are."

"Injured or not I will smack that smirk off your face. Now I must leave, I am to attend a meeting with the pyree council."

"To discuss Pyra Hari?"

"Yes, and many other things, including you."

"Me? What about me?"

"Your training and future as one of my brothers."

Nic felt his heart jolt at the sentence. He was to become a pyra. He did not know whether to be excited about his decision or frightened. He was in a foreign town that no one knew about. He was in some room he had never seen before with a wound that hurt him more than his mother's disappointment speeches.

"You better not keep them waiting on my behalf." He forced himself to smile. "I would not want to start off badly. Will Cassador be there?"

"Aye," Caleb said rising to his feet. "And the rest of the council."

"Are you a part of the council?"

Caleb laughed. "Now that is complicated to explain. Maybe another time."

Nic watched the big man exit the room and then clenched his teeth as he made himself comfortable.