Daughter of the Sun by Effie Calvin

Author:Effie Calvin [Calvin, Effie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781949909296
Publisher: NineStar Press, LLC
Published: 2018-12-14T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

AELIA

They arrived in the small village of Sacisa at midday and, for once, nobody stopped to ask Orsina for help with anything. Orsina said that they would spend the night, then be off the next morning. Aelia, disoriented and tired from last night’s protective circle, went to bed at three in the afternoon, much to Orsina’s concern.

It transpired that there was one benefit to being sick, though, and that was getting to see just how attentive Orsina could be. She sent for Sacisa’s only healer, an apothecary affiliated only loosely with the Temple of Adranus who had more experience with farming injuries than illnesses. He gave Aelia some terrible tea, told a story about a man who had been gored by a bull (as though he expected Aelia to be grateful that her situation was not much worse) and then announced that she would probably be fine by morning.

Orsina was openly dissatisfied with this prognosis and spent the remainder of the day at Aelia’s bedside, offering her everything from fresh soup to soft bread to peeled oranges. When the room became too warm at the high heat of midday, Orsina folded a sheet of paper into an accordion and fanned her with it.

Aelia didn’t understand why Adranus was always worrying about plagues. In her estimation, being sick was rather nice.

Still, she could not help but feel a little guilty that she was keeping Orsina from her work. She encouraged Orsina to go out and try to find something to defeat, but Orsina only laughed and said the town was showing no signs of evil influence.

As the day went on, Aelia drifted in and out of sleep, slowly regaining the energy that Orsina’s protective circle sapped from her. She awoke sometime after sundown to see Orsina had fallen asleep as well, her head resting in Aelia’s lap despite still being seated in the chair she’d pulled up.

Aelia reached down and stroked Orsina’s hair, pushing it back behind her ear. Orsina did not even stir, and her breathing remained steady and even.

Aelia sat up, carefully, trying her best to not disturb Orsina. But as her legs shifted, Orsina’s eyes fluttered open, and she pushed herself up from the bed.

“Elyne…”

“That doesn’t look very comfortable,” said Aelia with a smile.

“Mmm, you’re right.” Orsina stretched, and Aelia heard something in her bones make an odd noise. She rubbed the back of her neck. “How are you feeling?”

“A little better, actually. Maybe the healer was right after all. I think I’ll be able to travel by tomorrow.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” said Orsina. “I’ve been worried about you.”

Aelia shrugged, suddenly embarrassed. “I’m sorry to have delayed us.”

“That wasn’t your fault. You didn’t get sick on purpose.”

Aelia did not reply. If she’d been an ordinary woman, the protective circle would have had no effect on her. There was no sense in feeling guilty, for she had not asked to be a goddess any more than Orsina had asked to be a Man, but Aelia found that she could not help herself.

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