Chapter 24

Trying something he’d never done before, he phased his hands and arms through her and near the baby. Going solid inside only his hands, it was turned with as little movement as possible. Then the little girl centaur was born. After she was ready, she was taken away, but Tom knew he wasn’t through. While turning the girl, he had felt the bleeding inside. He had to stop it, or the mother would die. For some reason, Tom thought of Malamon when he again reached in. This wasn’t like something he’d do, but Tom thought for some reason he had a hand in it. Knowing Malamon, Tom thought that the last thing he would heal would be the worst. Under this assumption, Tom started on the smallest cuts and nicks. As he’d thought, they had been magically weakened and would have burst once the bigger ones were healed. Then there would have been no way to save her, as it would have taken too long to heal several half-foot tears.

Finishing up two hours later, Tom had everything stopped and had looked over everything else. Bone tired, Tom checked Ellen again and sat nearby to watch. Nodding several times, Tom forced himself to stay awake, waiting for Ellen to awaken. Though he’d saved Ellen’s life, most of the centaurs that passed by only glared at Tom as they passed. Knowing little of their customs, he glared back and even moved once to stop another who tried to get in to see Ellen.

“Step aside, ya puny little man,” the large male said.

“I am of a mind to hurt someone today. IF you take another step towards Ellen, it will be you, and it will be most unpleasant!” Tom snapped, almost roaring. Snapping his head back, the older centaur was shocked for a moment.

“I see Tonk was right. You are deceptively strong. Aye, that’s good, very good indeed,” he said with a huge smile and moved off.

Several hours later, Ellen awoke. Looking around, she saw Tom. “The babies, are they well?” she asked, as close to pleading as a warrior could get.

“Yes, they are healthy and strong, as are you. Had you not been, I wouldn’t have been able to save you or the babies,” Tom said. Leaning out, he instructed someone to get Tonk.

“Mage Tom? Will I have to be in this bed long? I have archery to practice. You are the only one that I will allow to tell me to stay in bed,” Ellen said almost in a whisper.

Leaning close, Tom whispered, “At least a week, but if you heal as fast as I think you will, maybe 2 days sooner and no less. I am afraid Malamon tried to have you die after the babies were born. He had weakened several veins that carry your blood. Had I fixed the big tears and not the little ones first, they would have burst, almost exploded. Then I wouldn’t have been able to save you.”

Tears fell from her eyes. “I thank you, Mage Tom. You have saved not only me but the future of the centaurs.”

Tom only nodded and stepped back when Tonk came in to see his wife. Glaring a moment at Tom, he held his wife while Tom slipped from the room. Lying down in the bed they had provided, well more like two boards on short sawhorse-like apparatuses, Tom set as strong shields as he could and a spell to wake him up if anyone came near. An hour later, he jerked awake and aimed at a young male centaur who was approaching him. Defiant, he kept coming.