Chapter 16

Tom finally opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Queen Iterne, then Frilly, and finally the council. When he tried to sit up, the throbbing in his head and side were too much, and he fell back, a groan escaping his lips. The queen rushed to his side, a look of almost desperation on her face. Tom had to smile, or at least try to smile. The pain was washing over him, and he was still feeling hot. The queen motioned for an older fairy who moved forward and started to heal his semi-healed burns.

Tom wondered who this woman was and tried to ask her, but again his throat and voice didn’t want to work.

Young man, I am Talinda. I am one of the few who can heal magic burns, the older fairy thought to him. Ah! I see you wish to learn. That would be good; there are too few mages that heal most wounds.

Yes, Talinda, I wish to learn. I cannot heal well at all. I have tried before, but what I did wasn’t very effective. I have been told that it has to do with the type of energy, Tom replied to her.

I will make a deal with you. If you can try and teach me that healing of the mind, I will try and teach you the magic healing, Talinda said with a sly smile.

Tom thought about it for a few minutes. OK, I’ll try as hard as I can, but I’ve been told that no one can do it. To me, it is simple, just as to you, healing all types of wounds is simple. Tom smiled at her again when her mouth opened in shock. It is not easy, young man. It took many years for me to learn all these healing methods, looking seriously upset, she suddenly started laughing.

“I’ll have to remember your sense of humor,” Tom croaked out, finally finding his voice, a harsh sounding noise akin to nails on a chalkboard.

Again smiling, Talinda put a finger to his lips and tapped her head, pointing to his throat and shaking her head no.

You need time for me to finish healing you. No more speaking until you are more recovered, young man, Talinda admonished him.

The queen stood nearby the whole time Talinda was healing Tom, a look of relief on her face when Talinda finished and nodded to the queen. Sitting up slowly, Tom tried to stop the queen’s attempts to help him, to no avail.

“Queen Iterne, we need to discuss what you have learned from the traitors. Though most of the information was false, there may be enough truth in them to help out,” Tom said.

“Why do you think it is mostly false?” the queen inquired.

“I don’t think you were the target. I believe I was, but knowing Malamon, if you had been hit or killed, then that would have been a bonus,” Tom replied. “I believe some revision of the plans may be in order.”

An hour later, the three other leaders had arrived. Tom sat them down with Queen Iterne and informed them of the revisions. Though they were all concerned over his safety, Tom brushed that aside. Malamon had stepped up his attacks again after word of the attacks had spread. Soon they were all going. Tom suggested that the other three have everyone close to them mind-scanned for their safety. Tom and Talinda started in on their lessons. Once Tom learned how to change his energy, the rest of the lesson was unnecessary. Looking at Talinda limping, Tom thought for a moment. She had told him that she couldn’t be healed; it was a very old wound. Concentrating only on her leg, Talinda was shocked when not only the pain passed but the leg straightened, and she was able to walk without her cane for the first time in 2000 years.