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“Always a pleasure to see you, Corin,” Killian said warmly. His golden eyes twinkled as he gave Corin a sincere smile.
“What are you doing here?” Elyse asked, still a bit rattled. “I thought you were off looking for more springs?”
Just before Elyse had been forced to flee, Corin left on an expedition. She was supposed to be searching for more healing springs, like the one tucked in the cave behind Privya’s clinic. The hope was to find more so that they could offer healing services to people all across the kingdom.
“We found one!” Corin declared. “We just got back a few days ago.”
“We?” Elyse wondered aloud. She thought Corin had been traveling alone.
Corin flashed a grin over her shoulder, and Elyse followed her gaze. Standing before the large wooden building was a thin brunette woman. She smiled at them with a wide grin, showing off nearly every tooth Elyse had regrown—every tooth she lost during her wretched servitude as a courtesan.
“Nina,” Elyse breathed. Nina was no longer the timid and fragile girl she’d been when she first came to Privya’s. No, she was a healthy, beautiful young lady, and it left Elyse speechless.
“Hi, Elyse,” Nina said sweetly. Then, to Elyse’s surprise, she stepped forward and wrapped one arm around Corin’s waist. Corin leaned into Nina’s touch, resting her head on Nina’s shoulder.
Well, that was unexpected. Unexpected—but delightful. Elyse’s heart sang as she took in the way the two seemed so comfortable together, so at peace. It was a small comfort to know that even if she and Killian hadn’t worked out, at least they had inspired love in someone else.
“Everyone, this is Corin and Nina. They help Privya at the clinic,” she said to the group. Then she pointed one at a time down the line. “This is Sera, Manny, and Jaime.”
Sera curtsied and Jaime waved, but Manny barely managed a nod. His face had a green hue to it, and he was holding on to Sera to steady himself. Apparently traveling by potion didn’t agree with him.
Corin invited them inside the clinic, and one by one they proceeded into the large front room that served as a dining and sitting area. The cozy armchairs and cheery walls instilled a sense of comfort in Elyse, quelling some of the homesickness she’d felt these past few months.
“Go ahead into the kitchen and help yourself to tea and leftovers,” Corin offered, gesturing to a door on the back wall.
The others made their way over, following Corin’s instructions, but as Elyse stepped toward the back of the room, Corin gently grabbed her wrist.
“Privya wants to speak with you.” She nodded her head toward the small room that served as Privya’s examination room.
Elyse thanked Corin and crossed the main room, wondering what Privya would want to discuss. Warily, she opened the door to find Privya sitting at her desk, reviewing some notes.
“Come in,” the healer called without looking up.
Elyse stepped inside and shut the door behind her, looking around the room as she waited for Privya to finish up. It was just as she remembered, endless books and vials lining the shelves along the walls, and a table in the center of the room for conducting examinations. There were no trinkets, no paintings, only items that served to conduct healing. To some, it might have seemed cold, but Elyse knew it was a reflection of Privya’s passion for medicine, and that gave the room its own unique pleasance.
“Have a seat,” Privya ordered in that steady voice of hers. She spun around on her stool to face Elyse, her expression unreadable. Her face was remarkably tan now that summer was fully upon them, and her black hair had more gray and white strands than it had only a few months ago.
Privya was one of the few people in the world that Elyse would never question. She sat on the edge of the table without a word, waiting for the healer’s lead.
“How are you?” Privya asked. She gave Elyse a penetrating gaze, the sort of dignified look that only she could pull off.
“I’m good,” Elyse said with a shrug. Instinctively, she touched her hand to her arm where the rash of widow’s decay used to be. “The disease hasn’t returned,” she said.
Privya shook her head. “That’s not what I mean.”
Elyse lifted her chin, refusing to let her guilty conscience weigh it down. Privya knew she was an enemy of the kingdom. She knew she had been hiding for months. It must’ve taken its toll on Elyse’s health. Of course the healer wouldn’t turn a blind eye.
“Your aura is…” She gestured vaguely at Elyse’s body. “...unwell. You are not taking care of yourself.”
Elyse could feel her cheeks heating. She despised talking about herself—especially her problems. And as much as she cherished Privya, she still disliked the subtle condescension. “If you already knew I wasn’t well, then why did you ask?” she deflected.
A ghost of a smile graced Privya’s lips. “Because it is easier to ask ‘How are you?’ than to tell you flat out that you’re depressed and on a path of self-destruction.”
Elyse shifted on the table, unsure how to respond. Privya sighed and touched her fingers to the bridge of her nose. She wasn’t wrong. To say Elyse was depressed was putting it mildly. And a path of self-destruction? She was already there, knocking on self-destruction’s door.
When Privya looked up, there was a clarity in her eyes that pulled at Elyse.
“My father was a healer,” she began. “He taught me how to read and care for others—not just their bodies, but their souls as well. There was one lesson that he made clear to me at a very young age.” Privya raised her brows slightly, emphasizing her next words. “You cannot win every battle, but that does not mean you should ever give up on yourself.”
