Lena, gasping from the hit, inhaled a lungful of the sparkling dust.
A fit of violent, wracking coughs seized her as soon as she did that. She pushed herself off the boulder, stumbling away from the front line, but not without problems doing so, and with her usual grace gone.
She retreated toward Reidar's position, clutching her throat and fighting to get even a little bit of air.
She collapsed on one knee beside him, and then the coughing turned into shallow breaths.
"Lena, are you ok?"
But she was unable to talk.
Reidar focused his attention fully on her. He checked the area where she was, but the pollen had already been scattered by the wind. The flower was gone, crushed into the stone or burned by some skill.
"Lena?!"
She didn't reply; her coughing fits got worse.
"Shit!"
Reidar kept a wary eye on the battle. The raid was holding, but Lena's sudden incapacitation created a gap in their offensive pressure.
"Stay here. Catch your breath. Don't push it."
