Nyxara
That was weird. Aspen released my face slowly. While the emotions I saw previously are no longer displayed on his face, there are hints of guilt and grief in his eyes. What did that scan show him? Did he get the same out-of-body impressions I did? I hope he doesn't want to talk about them. I'm not ready to poke that wound again so soon.
Aspen drew me out of my musings again. He gently helped me unclench my hands from my arms. I didn't know I was even doing that. There are now deep nail imprints marking my skin, but it was the chipped, neon pink, bedazzled nails that held my attention until Aspen tapped me on the knee, bringing my focus to his garnet eyes. My goodness, I can't seem to stay focused at all right now. My mental state must be worse than I suspected.
"Try to focus, moonbeam. I know it is hard and you have been through a lot, so I will keep this brief as possible. My psychic scan in conjunction with my essence readers indicates that your soul has changed significantly." Oh my, that sounds like they might suspect I'm not the Nyxara they knew. Do they do exorcisms here? Can I be exorcised? While my thoughts were once again wandering, Aspen continued speaking.
"Your soul has the feel of one that has been through the cycle of rebirth; it is so pure and new. Yet your soul isn't that of a newborn. There is no history imprinted on your soul or essence before you woke up in the woods two days ago. If you were a mythical phoenix shifter, there would be a basis for this phenomenon, but even they have imprints after rebirth."
Aspen's gaze was concerned and curious, but I did not see any indication that he suspected I was not the Nyxara of this world, so I let myself relax a bit as he concluded his analysis. "Based on my scans, the state of your soul is my theorized origin of your amnesia. I would further hypothesize that your death experience has caused your body to be out of sync with your soul. This will need to be observed, and I will have to research methods of treatment with my colleagues."
The tablet in Aspen's hand glowed, then words appeared on the screen. He didn't even look down as he typed on the screen, making some corrections to what was written there. I give him an impressed look, then hide my face in Papa's shoulder to suppress a grin.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see his confused smile at my actions. "Don't worry, little moonbeam. You're doing well overall. With a few weeks of rest and in-hospital therapy, you should be able to go home for the second and third phases of your recovery. I'll be keeping a personal watch over you, little moonbeam." He leans in and kisses the back of my head, making me feel warm and bubbly inside. "Now, I'll allow our brothers to examine you for themselves. They've been patiently waiting."
He taps something on his tablet, and the cords connecting me to the monitoring machines disappear. I wonder if that was magic or advanced science? I move my head and arms to see the cords really do appear to be gone but the sensors remain on my body. I guess once science reaches a certain level, it is unrecognizable from magic anyway. I have so many questions—and no idea where to even start.
Before I can think more about the topic, I'm pulled out of my Papa's embrace and into an equally warm and strong one. The distinct and grounding scent of charcoal and patchouli envelops me, and I can't help but hang on to the embrace of someone I somehow know is Keir. He holds me in silence, then gently sets me down and kneels, staying eye level with me. He bears a striking resemblance to a younger version of Papa. While his hair is short and spiky on top, his eyes are garnet-like, just like Mama's. Everything else about him is a younger, smaller version of Papa. He has an earring in one ear and a myriad of tattoos covering his neck and arms.
"Hey dragonfly, I'm Keir, your youngest elder brother. I don't know what you remember and what you don't remember. What I want you to know is I will always have your back. You are not alone, so don't ever think you have to face the world alone. Going forward, my contribution will be getting you physically well again." He has a no-nonsense look on his face that is very reminiscent of Papa's. His voice was soft but commanding, holding my full attention. "Now wait a minute, Keir. You are a drill sergeant when it comes to training. We don't know if she can …"
Keir continues talking over Mama's complaint. "You've lost too much weight. You stopped your physical training three years ago, and now you're at the bottom of your class in fitness and combat. That is unacceptable as a member of the Ajei enclave who are known for our battle prowess and physical fitness." Keir does not break eye contact with me as he conveys his desire to help me in the only way he knows how. Beneath his tough front, I can feel his unconditional love for me.
"So once we get the green light, I will help you get your body in shape. You may not be blood-forged, but you do have that bloodline in you. We will purify your body through blood, sweat, and tears— this I promise you. You've got real potential as a martial artist, even as a beta—just like Aspen." He glanced at brother Aspen nearby, then leaned forward to playfully whisper, "Brother Aspen is so good that even with me being an alpha and a blood-forged, he still gives me a good fight during the times he comes to spar during weekly training."
His antics while glancing with playful fear at Aspen make me giggle. I'm trying hard to pretend the pain in my throat that giggle caused wasn't affecting me, but apparently Aspen was all knowing. Soon I could feel something being administered through the sensors, and all my pain slowly began to lessen immediately. Looking over my shoulder, I give him a smile, which he returns with a wink. "Healing nanotech. They will keep the pain within an acceptable range for the next 6 hours." There is nanotechnology here? Wow, this world is truly turning out to be a geek lover's paradise! I gingerly moved my body back until I could relax into my pillow mound now that my pain was a quarter of what it was, I found myself suddenly holding a warm mug in my hands. Turning my head, I see Papa looking at me with a comforting gaze.
He nods towards the mug in my grasp. "It's safe." He murmurs. "It will help what that level of nanotech can't. Drink, emberling."
The warmth of the mug seems to seep into my body as I bring it to my lips to sip. The scent before the liquid touches my tongue permeates my senses. Spice and earth and something sweet-smoke and sharp sap—crushed herbs over hot iron. I pause, feeling a connection thrum in my heart in recognition. This was made for me.
As the liquid hits my tongue, the taste comes in waves. Metallic, yes, but not unpleasant—more like copper filtered through honeyed bark. Mossroot grounds it, heavy and comforting, while some flicker of something, too unknown to name, dances at the edges.
Then it hits my stomach.
The effect is instant.
Heat blooms low and steady, curling through the hollow places with a deliberate sort of weight. I can feel the drink binding to me. It's not rewriting me; it's grounding me. I press a hand to my chest, startled by the sudden stillness behind my ribs. Like something there has stopped shaking for the first time since waking up.
My head clears—not all at once, but enough that I can breathe without counting. I meet Papa's eyes.
He doesn't say a word.
He doesn't have to.
I take another sip, and this time, the warmth in my stomach hums in rhythm with his presence beside me.
I close my eyes.
And for just a moment, my mind is quiet.
I will have to ask them to keep this drink coming. I've always enjoyed herbal remedies over pure drug remedies when possible. My enjoyment seems to please Papa—enough to make me wonder if he made it. Since he never took his eyes off me, he notices my stare and he apparently can read minds just like Aspen since he winks at me with his own small smile.
So that is where Aspen got his small smile and winking from. My brothers definitely got a good mix of genes from our parents. This reminds me, I still don't know if I look the same here. I'll have to check that out later. I finish off my drink, only for Papa to exchange my cup for another one of the same drink.
After gesturing for him to lean closer and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, which to my surprise made my giant of a Papa blush. I turned my attention back to my still kneeling brother, who was being berated and poked in the back of the head by Mama until Papa pulled Mama to sit on his lap, thus breaking Mama's tirade. Now it was Mama's turn to blush as Papa cuddled her into his arms.
"I'm inclined to agree with Keir's proposal once she is better and at home. Let us table it for now, and we will see what Nyx's recovery will look like later. Agreed?" Papa softly speaks, but it somehow still rumbles through the room. We all nod our heads in agreement. Since I was looking at Papa while he spoke, I didn't know my last brother had moved to sit next to me until he gripped my hand.
Turning slowly to face him, I look up into a face that looks very much like Aspen's, but there are obvious differences. His hair is similar to Aspen's, with the sides shaved, but it is shorter than Aspen's but still long enough to cover part of his face on top. His face has sharper angles to it, and his heterochromia eyes of garnet and gold watch me like I am prey. There is an intensity in his eyes that I saw in Papa's and Keir's that I didn't see in Mama's or Aspen. He too has tattoos on his neck and arms. The entire left side of his face has a tribal tattoo that depicted a wolf. His golden eyes make it look like the wolf is looking at you through him.
While I took him in, he patiently let me look my fill. When he spoke, his crooning voice could convince even the most resistant person to give him whatever he asked for.
"You know who I am. Say my name, little wolf."
"Lux. My eldest brother. You are Lux."
"Good, little wolf. You remember us. That means more than you know. There's much to relearn, but we'll be with you every step of the way until you're strong enough to thrive again. There's still a faint echo of death clinging to you. That might never fade even as your soul finds its way home. If it doesn't fade I will teach you how to use it. There is power in death that with training you could potentially harness." He speaks calmly, and he is smiling, but it's his hand that tells me that he isn't as unaffected as he seems.
His trembling hand rubs my back as the other holds my hand in my lap. "When it comes to your recovery, I'll help you remember what you have forgotten. Maybe I can also instill in you that you are a descendant of powerful bloodlines and that even as a beta witch, you have a destiny that even death couldn't stand in the way of." He leans over to kiss my forehead as if blessing and welcoming me in one move. Oh, how I have missed you, Lux. My brother who just got me. I hope you will naturally get me here too.
The scent of ancient forests and cold smoke invaded my nose at his closeness. It made me feel covered in a protective, comfortable blanket. I leaned in, wanting to smell more of his cologne. Maybe that's why it took me a few extra seconds to register what he just called me.
His words echo in my mind. Beta witch? I blink, leaning back just enough to meet his gaze. "I'm a beta witch? What does that mean?" I pull back to ask. I glance around—everyone is watching me thoughtfully. "You remembered us, so we hoped your memory loss was mild. But now I suspect we will definitely need to test you sooner rather than later on how much you don't remember." Aspen gives me a comforting smile, which seems to trigger everyone else to give their versions of comforting smiles or expressions. What they didn't hide was the return of deep concern and worry in their eyes that had been fading while my brothers were introducing themselves.
I opened my mouth to speak when a knock came at the door then it slid open. "Knock knock, we came to see how you were doing, bestie. It's been days since we last saw you."