Forged in Stone - Alyssa Rose Ivy Page 0,61
foot, but in return my arm was sore. I wasn’t one to complain, so I took the grin and bear it approach.
Samantha looked over a few times and smiled. I got the sense that she knew what I was doing. For my part I focused on the scenery. We walked through the city gate into a young forest. The trees were all recently planted, and they were nowhere near as tall as the ones I’d seen earlier in my trip. Still, I eyed the roots warily.
Samantha noticed my apprehension. “I heard about what happened. Not all trees here do that. It was controlled by someone.”
“I assumed.” I had, but any information would be welcome. Although maybe more information would freak me out more.
“Something is off. I felt it days ago when we first returned from our trip abroad, but Kevin told me I was wrong. I knew I was right.”
“What do you mean things felt off?”
“Just a sensation. You know? Do you get those?”
“Sometimes.” I usually ignored them though.
“There is no reason to worry over it now. When everyone returns we can plan.”
“I need to go home eventually.”
“The key word is eventually and only when your safety can be assured.” She smiled. “And we’re here.”
“This is the springs?” I gazed at what appeared to be a pond surrounded by thick trees with a quiet stream flowing it.
“It is the healing springs.”
“The healing springs? Like people used to swim in it to help recover from illness?” I remembered learning about them in history class.
“There is nothing used to it about this. Charlotte created this one a few years back. She was trying to find ways to use her healing abilities in a broader sense. It takes a lot of energy from her to heal someone individually. Which is why she did not fix your ankle initially. If Liam was away she probably would have, but he makes sure she is careful not to use too much of her energy. She would help everyone with every injury if she could.”
“Wait, she can heal people? Is that why the pain in my ankle disappeared after she touched it? I still can’t put much weight on it, and it hurts when I do, but it doesn’t bother me when I stay off it now.”
Samantha smiled. “Tricky girl. Yes. She probably only used a small amount of energy to do that. To fully heal it would have taken a lot more.”
“But this spring? It really helps?”
“It does. There are limits, but I bet a few minutes of soaking your foot is all it will take to heal your ankle.”
“Sounds great.” I carefully took off my shoes, rolled up the cuffs of my pants, and walked in.
“I will join you. I do not need the healing, but the water will feel nice anyway.” She moved into the water next to me. “How do you like Energo so far?”
“It has been interesting.” I thought back to the previous night in the forest. Had it really only been the night before? Time seemed endless in Energo. I wondered if that was real.
“I know you went through a terrifying experience. If James had not killed those men, I would have.”
I hadn’t been expecting that from her. “Oh…”
“I do not put up with men like them. Women are not playthings, but some men will never understand it.”
“I still can’t believe he killed them.”
“They were monsters. If he left them alive, they would have hurt you or someone else.”
“But murder?”
“Do not try to apply ethics to evil. It does not work.” She looked off into the distance.
“I’m generally a pacifist. I don’t like violence.” At least I tried to be one.
“I do not like it either, but sometimes it becomes necessary. Tell me, are you truly that adverse to violence?”
“I’ve had the urge to punch someone once. Well, to punch two.” Despite how good the springs felt on my ankle, I felt the anger rise in me.
“Does this have to do with that break up you mentioned?”
“Yes.” I moved my ankle around in the shallow water. It already felt much better. Luckily my injury was to my ankle so I didn’t need to swim out to the deeper water. I loved to swim, but not in my clothes.
“What happened?”
“You really want to know?”
“Why not? I am curious what made a pacifist contemplate violence.” She laughed.
“My boyfriend—the one I was going to move in with and thought I’d marry— dumped me because he was in love with my step-sister.”
“That would hurt.”
“It did.