Khloe
We arrived home later that night. I had the team take Dorian up to his room and place him in his bed. Once there, I treated all his wounds, and Talia called the pack doctor over to check him out. I didn’t think the doc would be able to do anything but I wasn’t in any mood to argue with Talia about it. Talia left Dorian with the doctor and me so she could go and clean up.
After taking some blood samples to see if there was an infection because Dorian had begun sweating profusely, Doc Abraham stitched and bandaged all his wounds. Looking somber and pained he turned to me, “I’ve done all that I can at this point. You guys did a good job of cleaning his wounds. I’m not sure why he isn’t healing. Maybe his blood will show me something.” Letting out a long heavy sigh he continued, “You have knowledge of the weapons that were wielded against him?”
Nodding, “Yes, his weapons are like the Kukri blades that the Gurkha’s use but these are over a thousand years old and made from obsidian and marked with mystical runes that are activated when blood touches them. That is what I know from my people’s history of Kirin and his priests when they ruled much of Central and South America until around the 15th Century when with the help of the Spanish Conquistador’s they could overthrow him. Until a couple of days ago we thought Kirin was killed.”
He looked thoughtful for few minutes and when Talia came back, now showered and dressed in yoga pants and a sports bra, he turned to her, “I’ve done all I can for the moment. I think you should consider alternative methods to heal him. Magic alternatives.” He looked at me at that last comment. We both nodded and thanked him as he left.
Talia then started to break down and I pulled her into a hug, “I can’t lose him, Khloe. He’s always been there, even when he was in the Marines and deployed, I never really worried about him not coming home. Then, when he decided to get out and come home I was so happy that we’d be together again, like when we were kids.”
“We’re not going to lose him T. Do you think I’m just going to do nothing after I have just begun to fall in love with him? Not. Going. To. Happen. Sister.” I hugged her tighter and let her get it all out. “I need to call my dad. He was always good at healing magic. He’ll know what I need to do. Stay here with Dorian while I go and shower and contact my dad. Then I’ll be back and we will get started on healing him.”
Once back in my room I texted my dad and filled him in on the priest and the cursed blades. I explained to him the events that took place tonight and what happened to Dorian. I asked Dad for healing herbs and spells that I could perform to help speed up the healing. I tossed my phone on the bed and headed toward the bathroom.
I came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my body. Setting at the dressing table I carefully braided my hair. When finished I dropped the towel and walked to the closet. I pulled out the priestess uniform that mother had made for me when I turned eighteen. I fingered the embroidered runes before carefully dressing. Next, I gently slipped on the bone and feather bracelets, anklets. Lastly, I pulled out a circlet of gold, with an emerald the size of a baby’s fist, and placed it on my head. Once finished, I checked my phone to see if dad had replied.
I went over everything that dad had said as I set about gathering the herbs, incense, and candles he suggested, and then pulled out my grimoire, ritual knife, and bowl, and headed back to Dorian’s room.
As I returned to Dorian’s room I found Talia, with puffy red eyes, sitting on the bed next to him as she held his hand. She looked up as I approached, her eyes opening in shock as she took in how I was dressed. She knew I was a priestess of a sort, but she had never seen me in this. “You look like one of those priestess’ from that movie Apocolypto. You know, that end of the world Aztec film from the 2000’s.”
“Yes, I think I remember seeing it. I wanted to see how off the mark they were about my people and culture.” I said putting down my supplies I smiled at her. “My dad came through and believes that I should be able to heal Dorian.”
Looking relieved she said, “I hope so. If you need some privacy I’ll leave you with him. I need to call our parents and fill our mom in on what is going on. I’m also expecting some info on who lived in that building. I’m not buying that they were just regular members of the coven.” Hearing the steel return to her voice made me relax, as Talia has always been the strongest woman I know.
“It would probably be for the best if you weren’t here.”
She got up off the bed, walked over to me, and gave me a brief hug. “Do what you can for him.” She whispered. Then she walked out of his bedroom and left me to my task.
I opened my messenger bag and pulled out four incense burners. I placed them around Dorian at the four cardinal points and I lit them with a thought. I pulled out the herbs my mortar and pestle then began grinding them up. After mixing the herbs, I cut off his bandages so I could apply the poultice to his wounds.
I then unrolled a piece of animal hide, about twice the size of a yoga mat. Carefully marked on one side was a circle of power with commonly used runes. I knelt inside the circle with my grimoire, ritual knife, bowl, and some more herbs that I had yet to use. I activated the circle with a thought and placed my finger down on it. I put the remaining herbs in the bowl as I glanced at my open grimoire to double check my steps. Using my knife, I cut my palm over the bowl allowing my blood to cover the herbs.
I started to chant in the language of my people, the Inca. As I chanted and recited the spell, the incense flared, at the same time the herb mix in the ritual bowl caught fire. When the fire died down I stopped chanting. I broke the circle, I picked up the bowl, then moved over to Dorian. I dipped my finger into the bowl as I began marking out runes of healing on his forehead and above each of his wounds. Once finished, I offered a small prayer to the goddess while I replaced the incense and waited.