The Iron Butterfly (Iron Butterfly #1)(30)

“Please, let go!” I pleaded. Wearily I turned my head toward the student and opened my eyes and met the determined gaze of Joss.

“Hey, little fish,” he said. “You may not want me to take the pain away and I’m not sure why, but I can guess.” He leaned forward and whispered, “But there’s no way in Heaven I’m letting go of you. So don’t even ask.” He brought up his other hand and enclosed my cold shaking hand between his large warm ones. How did I miss his handsome face from among the students? I must be in more pain than I originally thought. Of course, Joss didn’t really need these classes, I was first hand testament to how strong of a healer he already was, but rules were rules.

“We’re ready, Healer Prentiss,” he nodded to Prentiss, who aligned herself by my leg. I stared up at the now familiar ceiling and almost fainted from the first initial pain of the bone being set.

Crying out in fright, I immediately went into shock which sent my mind right back into the memories of the torture chamber. I began to relive all of it while I was wide awake and the pain wouldn’t stop. All of the students gathered around me, their healing robes blurring to take on the form of the Septori.

A second adjustment on my leg, and the headache that had been plaguing me for weeks pounded unmercifully against my skull. Agony ripped through my head and body and the precarious dam that I had built in my mind to hold back the floodgate of memories and pain … broke.

I started screaming. I grasped Joss’ hand hard as I tried to escape the terror and agony. I heard Joss call my name, but my world was consumed by pain as memory after vivid memory assaulted me. I tried to reach for Joss to help me, but I couldn’t feel his hand in mine anymore. I searched and pulled until I connected with him again. But it wouldn’t stop the memories of prison, the beatings, Raven, the cold hard table, the machine that was always thirsty for my blood, all of them.

I felt again the agony as the machine came to life with the energy passing into it and my body spontaneously started to convulse on the healer’s table as if I was still in the machine.

For a split second, I saw Joss white-faced and in shock in the torture room with me, and then it was gone. I was falling into a black abyss of nothingness, and I wanted to let it consume me. To close my eyes forever and let the darkness take me because only then would the pain end.

Slowly my body quit falling. Warmth engulfed me, and the pain ebbed away. I felt myself floating in a warm pool of colorful energy surrounded by the purest light.

The images of the torture and pain faded away and then disappeared altogether. I saw colors floating above me and around me and then pass through me. My body started to feel numb and tingly all over as if I was just waking up from a deep sleep.“Thalia!” I heard Joss calling my name but I felt so comfortable in the pool of light, I didn’t want to wake up.

“Little Fish!” he called again.

That’s it. Now I was irritated. I was going to wake up and give him a piece of my mind, for giving me that ridicules nickname. I urged my body to follow the flow of lights out of the pool. Feeling somewhat lost I walked along a rainbow of energy until I felt my body finally begin to respond.

Opening my eyes I saw that Joss was still holding my hand. He brushed my hair away from my forehead.

“I hate that,” I mumbled.

“Hate what?” Joss questioned.

“Little fish!” I could barely keep my eyes open. It was like I wasn’t fully awake, just barely treading on consciousness. “It’s stupid and childish, just thought you should know.” After I felt I made my point, I let my body and mind go into a deep, dark sleep. Well, until a few minutes ago when I heard the whispered argument and it woke me up.

Healer Prentiss was holding back a furious Joss, who was trying to press through her hands and get around her to get to me.

“Joss, you know that we shouldn’t talk to her until the Adepts do,” she implored. “We are not even really sure what happened?”

“But don’t you think someone should explain to her what happened, so she doesn’t have to face the Adepts unprepared?” There was hidden anger underneath his voice and something else. Fear.

My ears perked up and I snapped to full awareness. I was prepared to report to the Adepts about the dog attack, but I had a feeling that wasn’t what he was referring to.

“The point is she lied!” Prentiss sounded miffed.

“I don’t think so. Don’t forget that Darren and I found her.” He gave a pointed look at Prentiss. “I know the condition that she was found in, I was the one that had to heal her wounds while she was unconscious. She had internal bleeding for goodness sake, and after last night I have firsthand knowledge of what she went through. I know she didn’t lie. And I’m prepared to prove it.” He pushed Prentiss to the side and walked to the side of my bed, stopping short when he realized I was awake and had heard everything.

“Hi,” I said meekly, unsure of what I was about to hear.

“Hey, little fish,” he retorted with a sad grin as he pulled a chair over to my bed and straddled it, leaning his bulky frame upon it.

“I TOLD YOU…!” I started defensively.“Yeah, I know. No more stupid nicknames. I just wanted to be sure that you remembered saying that last night.” He paused. “Actually, I wanted to know how much of last night you remember?”