All of those echoes and more melded together, forming the last conscious thought to pass through my mind, changing my life forever:
It was me.
16
The first thing I was aware of was the comforting smell of herbs: anise, chamomile, and coriander, along with several others I didn’t recognize. I wasn’t sure where I was, but I could tell I was lying down and no longer on the floor. The lack of echo meant I was in a much smaller room than the one I could last remember being in, and the shuffling of feet told me there was at least one other person there. A pot was boiling somewhere behind me, and every few minutes I felt the pressure of cool hands checking the temperature of my forehead and cheeks. I lifted my hundred-pound eyelids to find Chloe sitting next to me, anxiously fussing with the edge of the blanket that was pulled up under my chin.
“Oh!” she jumped when she noticed I was looking at her. “Oh, Min! Min, she’s awake!”
“Yes, yes, I see,” Min said, coming into view, shooing Chloe out of the chair so she could sit. “Well now,” she smiled down at me. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m not sure,” I croaked over a dry throat. “OK, I guess.”
“Here,” Min said, holding something brown to my lips. “Eat this.”
“What is it?” I asked, eyeing it.
“It will help.”
That wasn’t exactly an answer, but I let her put the small disk into my mouth anyway, figuring she was only asking to be polite and that I probably didn’t have a choice in the matter. Thankfully, it was good, though a bit strange; like caramel, only crumblier.
As I chewed I glanced around trying to get my bearings, realizing that I had been moved to what looked like an office. There were shelves on several walls, some covered with books, while others held hundreds of glass jars and bottles. There was a small fire going in the fireplace immediately opposite the door, with several bunches of different branches and flowers hanging upside-down from the mantle, drying. The remaining walls were hung with scarves that looked as though at one time they had been vibrant and colorful but had since faded with age. Even the couch I was lying on had originally been green with little embroidered flowers, but the fabric was so worn in some places that it had turned a dingy beige and you could almost see through it to the stuffing underneath.
As I looked at the threadbare upholstery cloth it occurred to me how well I was actually able to see it; each thread and weave pattern was crisp and clear. Then I realized that all my senses were turned up a notch. Not only could I hear the pot boiling on the stove, but also the faint tapping of the seeds or berries that were being boiled as they bounced along the bottom. I could smell the potpourri of all the spices and herbs on the shelves, but could also pick each out individually, noting their small distinctions even if I didn’t know what they were called. The whole world was brighter and more focused. Not to an alarming degree, but certainly enough for me to take notice. Like cleaning a window you didn’t realize was dirty, and being amazed by the difference.
“Your saol is looking much better,” Min told me, calling me out of my internal marveling. “Your strength should be back in full by tomorrow.”
“What happened to me?”
“You activated the Iris!” Chloe said with something between excitement and concern. “But it drained your life energy.”
“But…” I closed my eyes for a second, trying to force my sluggish brain to work. “Why would it do that?”
“It appears to be your vulnerability,” Min said. “Do you know what that means?”
“Um… I guess. Alex mentioned something about weaknesses, and how every Holder has one, and that your Sciath protects you.”
“Exactly. Though luckily it seems that your weakness is tied specifically to the Iris.”
“Wait, what? I don’t understand.”
“A Holder’s vulnerability is usually revealed the moment they remove their Sciath. For instance, if I do not have mine on, I lose the ability to cast charms. Were Jocelyn to remove his, he would immediately lose control over his mind-reading and be forced to hear the thoughts of everyone nearby. But you need to be in possession of the Iris for your weakness to affect you. It’s very