Gods of Blood and Fire - A. J. Strickler Page 0,51

a better look.

Raygan’s nose grew warm it and felt like it had been stuffed full with mud. There was a brief snapping sound. The Princess’s eyes watered, but there was no pain.

Raygan saw Isabella’s eyes widen. “Bloody fucking sorcery,” the girl mouthed.

Rhys gasped and removed his fingers from her nose.

“Isabella, get a mirror quickly, girl.” Isabella was just staring at Rhys, not moving.

“Bella, did you hear me? Get me the mirror,” Raygan said again. The girl handed the Princess a mirror off the dressing table, her eyes never leaving the healer.

The Princess looked at her refection. Her smashed and crooked nose was straighter and the swelling had gone down a great deal. Some of the bruising was even gone. She was speechless.

Isabella started looking around the room for something to hit the healer with. “He’s a damn foul wizard, my lady. We should call someone to burn him.”

Rhys slowly got to his feet. “I’m not a wizard, Isabella.”

“Yes you are. I just saw you magic the Princess’s nose.”

“It wasn’t magic, it is something else. Something I learned as a boy.”

“Isabella, calm down. I don’t care what it was it worked,” Raygan said as she looked into the mirror.

“I assure you both, it was not magic. May I have a cup of water please, Isabella?”

The girl folded her arms and stared at Rhys. “No.”

“Isabella, don’t be that way, get this wonderful man some water.” The girl reluctantly nodded and fetched a cup of water from the pitcher on the Princess’s dresser.

“How did you do it Rhys? My nose, it’s so much better. It doesn’t even hurt.”

“It’s a long story. I will tell you sometime, but I assure you it’s not magic. It’s more of a healing art, but now you understand why I have to keep this quiet. If the Church found out I was healing people like this, I would be burning at the stake before I ever got the chance to explain it.”

“We will keep your secret won’t we, Bella.”

Isabella pulled her hair behind her ears. “Yes, my lady, as long as it brings no harm to you or anyone else. I will remain silent.”

“I give you my word, Isabella, I would never harm you or the Princess or anyone else for that matter.”

The handmaiden took a deep breath. “You helped milady, for now I will believe you.”

“Well I’m glad you’re satisfied, Bella,” Raygan said tartly. “When can you fix the rest of me, Rhys?”

“I must rest a while, Highness, this kind of healing taxes me a great deal, and I have to be well rested to even attempt to perform the procedure.

If I could practice it more it wouldn’t take some much out of me. In time I hope to learn to use it more effectively.” Rhys looked at her nose, it was by no means fully healed, but he could see he was getting better at what he had been taught. “I will start on your jaw tomorrow and your ribs as well, if I can manage it. Given time I should be able to heal everything and return your looks to their previous state.”

“Splendid, Rhys, just splendid. I will see to it you’re paid handsomely for what you’re doing for me.”

“Thank you, Highness but just having someone who is brave enough to allow me to use my gift is payment enough. What you have done will help many of my patients in the future.”

“That’s not enough, you saved me, Rhys, I couldn’t have went through life looking like that. You are the answer to my prayers.”

Rhys’s face turned red at all the praise. “Thank you, Highness, I have to go get some rest now so I can be ready for tomorrow’s treatment. Take the medicine I brought. It will take some time before you’re fully healed, and the medicine will help a great deal in between the treatments. Until tomorrow then, Your Highness.”

“Until then, Rhys, rest well.” With that the young man walked out the door, leaving Isabella with her reservations and Raygan looking into her mirror.

Rhys was exhausted as he walked down the hall, and the young healer didn’t take much note of the older man he passed in the hall on his way out.

Finn Selmac watched the young man slowly walk down the hall. The royal physician wondered who the man could be and what he was doing in the Princess’s chambers.

Chapter 8

The night was dark, Kian stood with one hundred other men overlooking a village he didn’t even know the name of. Its