The Vulpirans' Honor: The Soul-Linked Saga (14 page)

The tension in the room went up a notch at Honey’s words, but no one moved.  The Lobos,
the Dracons, the Bearens, and the Vulpirans all crowded around the bed, silent and
still, each one standing ready to feed all of the power and energy they could muster
to Vikter the moment he gave a sign that it was needed.  Vikter stood behind Honey,
one hand on her shoulder, feeding a thread of his own power into her as he felt her
energy flow into Saige and her babies.

“Good boy,” Honey said.  “I am proud of you, as are your parents.”  Honey paused for
a moment and took a long, deep breath.  “Now, listen to me, most carefully,” she said. 
“The pain will pass, but you must listen.”

Honey began to sing, her voice high and soft, the notes so sweet and gentle it brought
tears to the eyes of all of the warriors in the room.  Her song was not one of words,
but of sounds, yet they all understood that she sang of hope and love, life and beauty. 
Her voice made them think of lavender skies and puffy white clouds, of the scent of
the air after a summer rain, the sweet nectar of flowers in the spring, the kiss of
the wind against one’s cheek, the taste of sunshine. 

After a few minutes, her voice began to fade and Vikter reached out his free hand. 
High Prince Garen stepped forward and grasped it, sending his power into Vikter, who
sent it into Honey.  Her voice strengthened again, though she had not faltered for
a moment.  Vikter sensed her need for more power and thickened the thread, sending
more into her, faster. 

When Honey’s voice grew stronger, the Lobos began singing with her, their voices soft
and rich, a backdrop to hers without overpowering her.  As they sang, the pale, transparent
figures of the Eternal Pack, past leaders of Clan Lobo who watched over their own
from the next plane, began to appear around the edges of the room, surprising all
of the Clan Jasani.  None but Clan Lobo had ever seen the Eternal Pack before.  Not
everyone even knew of its existence.  But here and now, as clan joined with clan in
common cause to save these unborn sons of their race, the Eternal Pack set aside old
rules and customs.  The lives of the sons of Arima Saige Lobo, Chosen of the Eternal
Pack, transcended such concerns.

Vikter was so shocked by the appearance of the Eternal Pack that he barely heard Saige’s
soft gasp.  All eyes in the room went to Saige at the sound, including Vikter’s, then
followed her gaze to Honey’s hands where they rested on Saige, then up her bare arms.

Vikter gritted his teeth at the sight of the deep, red welts that were appearing on
her skin even as he watched.  His heart began to race with fear for her, and for one
brief moment he considered breaking off, forcing her to stop what she was doing and
so save herself the pain he sensed she was experiencing.  But he knew that if he did
that the babies would be lost, and she would never forgive him.  Nor would he forgive
himself. 

Honey’s voice began to fade once more, but now everyone understood what was needed. 
Prince Garen released Vikter’s hand and Faron Lobo took his place without faltering
in his singing.  Vikter felt a new rush of power and fed it to Honey, watching as
the welts on her hands and arms deepened into darker, angrier looking burns.  Before
long the burns began to spread.  Vikter sensed her growing pain, knew the burns were
spreading to the rest of her body, but she never slowed, never hesitated, never gave
any sign of stopping.  Faron was replaced by Jackson Bearen, then Lance, then Trey
Dracon and finally, Dav Lobo, and still Honey and the Lobos sang without faltering.

By then, Vikter had realized he could not continue to watch Honey’s skin burn without
going into a blood-rage, so he closed his eyes against the sight.  When she stopped
singing, and began to speak, his body flooded with such relief that his knees went
weak.

“What brave, strong sons you are,” she said, her voice still calm and gentle after
nearly two hours of singing, though quite hoarse.  “Rest now.  Draw comfort from each
other as you sleep.  Dream of the day you meet your mother face to face.  Know that
there will be no more pain.”

Honey fell silent for a long moment, then raised her hands from Saige’s body.  Vikter
felt her cut the flow of energy and opened his eyes just in time to catch her as she
collapsed in front of him.

He lifted her into his arms and pulled her close, his heart nearly stopping with fear
as he looked at the deep, dark burns that covered every bit of skin that he could
see.  She looked as though she’d walked into a fire and stood there while her skin
blistered and split.  He threw his head back but did not howl for fear of frightening
the infants she had just risked her life to save.  Lance and Hunt began to crowd close,
but Prince Dracon stepped forward.

“Bring her, Vikter, now,” he said.

Vikter turned, automatically obeying his prince, following him out into the hall,
then into another bedroom where Doc and Jareth stood waiting.  Hope rising in him,
he laid Honey on the bed and carefully slid his arms out from beneath her before stepping
back out of the way.  He watched as Jareth stepped next to the bed held his hands
over Honey’s prone body and closed his eyes. 

A moment later the Lobos, Bearens, Trey and Val Dracon entered the room and stood
quietly, watching.  With the Lobos came the Eternal Pack, once again appearing around
the room.

“What’s happening?” Vikter asked Prince Garen who stood beside him.

“Jareth is healing her,” Garen said softly.  “She did not heal Saige’s sons so much
as she drew their injuries onto herself.  Now Jareth will heal her as much as he can. 
Her burns are quite severe so he will likely require as many as three sessions.  He
cannot accept our power as Honey did.”

“Why did he not heal the infants?” Vikter asked, trying not to sound accusatory.

“Because he can heal only those he can touch,” Garen explained.  “He cannot touch
the unborn, so he cannot heal them.”

“If those infants were burned as badly as Honey, it is a miracle they survive at all,”
Vikter said softly. 

“That’s true,” Doc said, moving away from the bed to join the conversation.  “Remember
though, there are three of them, and only one of her.  She has triple the injuries
that each of them had.”

“How did they become injured in such a manner?” Vikter asked.  “How did they become
burned?”

“Poison,” Doc said grimly.  Vikter, Lance and Hunt stared, the breath frozen in their
lungs, shocked to the core of their beings. 

“Who would do such a thing?” Vikter asked when he could make his mouth work.

“That we don’t know, though the Xanti are a good guess,” Garen said. 

“Yesterday, when Honey met Arima Hope, she sensed distress in her daughters,” Doc
explained.  He told them what had happened with Hope, and about the faint trace of
chemical that Jareth found.

“I searched carefully but could find nothing out of the ordinary,” Doc continued. 
“Hope’s body regenerated too quickly, so there was nothing left for me to find.  Early
this morning, Saige began having contractions.  Faron called in Jareth right away
and he was able to stop them, but he’s not able to examine the infants since he can’t
touch them.  He had a hunch though, thank the stars.  He started looking for something
in Saige’s system that shouldn’t be there, and he found what he’d found in Hope yesterday,
only a lot more of it. 

“He called me, but by the time I arrived her body had already thrown off the poison. 
All I knew was that the babies were in extreme distress, and there was nothing I could
do.  So the Bearens came to get Honey, hoping that she could help.”

Vikter, Lance and Hunt listened intently to every word Doc said, but their eyes remained
on Honey.  They began to breathe a little easier as the burns covering her face began
to lighten.  Then Jareth began to weaken, and they knew that he would not be able
to do more until he’d rested.

Then, one member of the Eternal Pack glided forward and placed a ghostly hand on Jareth’s
shoulder.  Jareth blinked and looked around.  He stared at the apparition, nodded
once, then began healing once again. 

It required four more members of the Eternal Pack to feed power to Jareth before Honey
was healed, but in that time, no one said a word.  They could only watch.  When the
healing was complete, every warrior in the room bowed solemnly to the Eternal Pack
in thanks.  They returned the bow, then faded slowly away.

“For what she has done this day, your Arima will be honored by Clan Jasani for all
time,” Garen said to Vikter.

The Vulpirans tore their eyes from Honey and stared at their Prince in surprise. 
Garen frowned.  “She is your Arima,” he said.  “Of this I am certain.”

“She is,” Vikter said in a low voice.  “She is also married.”

Garen stared, his golden eyes fixed on Vikter’s pale yellow gaze for a long, breathless
moment.  Then he smiled, a faint turning up of the corners of his mouth.  “All will
be well, Vikter,” he said.  “Your Arima is meant to be with you.  I know that it’s
not easy for the three of you.  But there is a reason for all things, and for all
things there is a reason.  Be patient.”

Vikter, Lance, and Hunt raised their fists to their hearts and bowed to their Prince,
touched and comforted by his words.  “We thank you, Prince Garen,” Vikter said, “and
we are honored by your words.  We shall follow your advice, and allow time to run
its course.  If I may, though, how did you know she was our Arima?  We have told no
one other than the Falcorans, and they have said they would keep the information to
themselves.”

“The Falcorans did not break faith with you,” Garen said.  “It was easy enough for
all to see when you acted as a conduit to feed our power to her.  If she was not your
Arima, such a thing would not have been possible.”

Vikter nodded, accepting Prince Garen’s words, though he had not been aware that such
a thing was possible only through their Arima.  He knew that Clan Jasani were able
to share power with each other, especially between brothers.  He’d never heard of
such a thing being done with a woman before, though.  Perhaps that was why.

“In that case, I wonder how she knew, or at least believed, that it would work?” he
asked.

“Probably for the same reason you thought it work,” Garen said.  “Instinct.  Or need. 
Perhaps both.”

“She will require much rest,” Jareth said tiredly, his usually white skin now gray
with his own exhaustion despite the assistance he’d received.  “Perhaps a full day
and night.  If she is not awake by this time tomorrow, I must be summoned.”

“She is healed?” Vikter asked.

“Yes, Consul Vikter, she is fully healed.  She needs only to replenish her own energy.”

“We thank you, Jareth,” Vikter said.  “We are in your debt.  If ever there is anything
we can do for you, please do not hesitate to call on us.”

“We have no wish to argue who is most in debt,” Faron Lobo said with a wry grin. 
“Nevertheless, Jareth, please call us if ever you have need.”  He turned to Vikter. 
“I have been asked to tell you that from this moment on, whenever Honey heals an injured
infant, she will be able to do so without drawing the injury onto herself.”

“The Eternal Pack?” Vikter asked.  Faron nodded. 

“If it is possible, please thank them for us,” Vikter said.  He could not express
what it meant to him to know that they would never have to see her go through such
an ordeal again, so he didn’t try. 

“I would like to take a moment to check Arima Saige,” Jareth said, smiling at the
group of Jasani males.  “Then, if one of you with the ability to speed-travel would
return me to my home, I would be most grateful.”

After Jareth left with the Lobos and the Dracons, Doc paused beside Vikter.

“I’ve already arranged for a nurse to stay with Honey until she’s up and around again,”
he said.  “Just give me a call whenever you’ve decided where to take her.  If you
want to leave her here, I’m certain the Lobos will be happy to care for her.”

“Thank you, Doc,” Vikter replied.  “We’ll let you know.”

Doc nodded and left the room to check on Saige, and Vikter turned to Jackson Bearen. 
“We would ask that you take Honey back to her guesthouse,” he said.  “It is the closest
she has to a home here, and as much as we would like to take her to our home and care
for her ourselves, we cannot.  At least there she will have Michael to watch over
her.”

“I’m afraid Dr. Davis is not there,” Jackson said.  “Rob said that once Hope took
Nica to our home, he went to the Research Center to work.  By the way, Hope packed
an overnight case for Nica, so she will be fine for a couple of days with us.”

“Did he ask to come to check on his wife?” Vikter asked.

“No, he did not,” Jackson replied.  “He asked only that you be told that he would
be at the lab should you need him.  However, to be fair, he has no knowledge of his
wife’s current condition.”

“Thank you, Jackson,” Vikter said.  He frowned down at Honey uncertainly.  “If we
take her back to the guesthouse, she will be alone until Michael returns, aside from
the nurse Doc sends.”

“Consul Vikter, Honey Davis aided our Arima, and us, yesterday,” Jackson said.  “We
would return her efforts in a small way by inviting her to stay in our home until
she is well.  She will be watched over carefully, you have our word, and not only
by a nurse.  Once she regains her strength, she and her daughter may remain with us
if she wishes.  You may visit whenever you like, of course.”