The Blessed Curse (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #4)(119)
*
The sound of the door opening brought Zoelyn from her rest. She blinked the sleep from her eyes quickly and struggled up from the blankets to gaze at the doorway, hoping to see Seth. Her eyes found Yasny instead and she forced a smile on her face despite the disappointment. It wasn’t that Yasny’s company was bad. It was the simple fact that she had barely seen Seth in the past few days. If it hadn’t been for the dragon’s visits, she would have gone mad from worry.
“No, it’s just me. Sorry to disappoint you,” Yasny said with a smile as she closed the door behind her and moved closer to the bed.
“I’m never disappointed to see you, Yasny. It’s just I haven’t seen him all day. Is he OK?” Zoelyn replied softly as Yasny settled on the bed beside her. She knew Seth was still facing punishment for saving her in Delvay, though he wouldn’t tell her exactly what his punishment was.
“He is fine, as far as I know,” Yasny assured her. Gently the dragon pulled her bandages back and leaned closer to examine the wound on her head. “I think you will be able to take that bandage off today. You heal fast, girl,” she announced with a smile.
“I’m glad to hear that. It itches horribly,” Zoelyn muttered as she stretched and shifted to a more comfortable position. “I’m sick of being in bed,” she added with a sigh. She wasn’t sure exactly how long she had been confined to the room, but she was more than ready to get up. With luck, she might even be able to find Seth and put her worries about him to rest for a while.
“I don’t know. You still seem pale,” Yasny said doubtfully.
“I haven’t had any magic. Of course I look pale,” Zoelyn laughed and motioned toward the dresser. “Seth usually leaves a bag of stones over there for me, but I haven’t been able to get up to reach them. Would you mind bringing them over?”
Yasny glanced back at the dresser and rose silently. After several long minutes of fumbling on the dresser she glanced back at Zoelyn and shook her head softly. “I don’t see a bag here and I don’t follow what you mean about stones or how that would make you pale,” she said with confusion clear in her voice.
“Mage stones. My hair and eyes take on the color of the magic I absorb. Seth usually gives me mostly Shadow magic. He says the black hair makes it impossible for others to know what power I have at my disposal,” Zoelyn explained with a frown. It wasn’t like Seth to forget something as important as the stones.
“Well that is simple enough. I can craft stones for you if you need the energy. I’m afraid I can’t do shadow magic, but I can fashion others,” Yasny replied with a smile and moved back to the bed once more. “I think it would do you good to get out of bed for a while and if a bit of magic is all it takes I’m happy to help,” she murmured as she began crafting stones and dropping them in front of Zoelyn.
“Thank you, Yasny. I’m lucky to have you to help,” Zoelyn grinned and picked up the first stone eyeing the deep red color. She had never absorbed much in the way of fire magic. Jala generally crafted stones of pure arcane magic, and Seth’s stones were always dark in color.
Yasny gazed up at her hesitation and smiled widely. “I know it isn’t dark like you are used to, but fire is the easiest for me. Besides you will make a stunning redhead and what man doesn’t love a girl with red hair?” Her tone held a note of teasing to it and Zoelyn blushed in response. No matter how hard she had tried to hide her affection for Seth, Yasny had seen through it easily on her first visit.
“He doesn’t see me that way,” Zoelyn muttered as she absorbed the first stone and savored the rush of power through her weakened body.
“Then we need to open his eyes,” Yasny announced with a playful grin. “And I am just the one to help you with that,” she added with a wink and rose from the bed as Zoelyn lifted the next stone. “Let’s see if Seth left you any other clothing in here aside from the leather armor. Something a bit more feminine would work nicely.”
“I don’t know Yasny,” Zoelyn began hesitantly but the dragon waved a hand in dismissal before she could continue.
“Nonsense. Seth should be grateful that someone like you cares what he thinks and he is my friend after all. If he is too blind to realize you care for him, it is my solemn duty to open his eyes to the fact,” Yasny informed her sweetly as she began pulling the dresser drawers open one by one. “Ahh, ha!” she called happily as she pulled a long green dress from the dresser and turned to face Zoelyn with triumph written clearly on her beautiful face. “It’s a bit old fashioned in cut, but beggars can’t be choosers and this color will look wonderful with the red hair.”
Zoelyn stared at the dress for a long moment and then smiled widely at Yasny. “I never even bothered looking inside the dresser. I always just assumed it was empty. I can’t believe Seth left dresses for me.” She rose unsteadily from the bed and took the garment from Yasny. The soft velvet of the dress slid through her fingers as she held it up before her and gazed into the mirror. Yasny was right. The emerald color of the dress did look splendid next to her red hair and she couldn’t help but keep the smile from her face. “It is so beautiful,” she breathed as she ran a hand down the front of the dress, admiring the delicate stitching that lined the bodice and skirts.