Chapter 16: Sena - Fated to the Night King

"Hello, Miss Sena. I am Danvers." The short, round man exuded friendliness and calm, and there was no sign he was offended when I didn't take his offered hand. He just sat down beside Gus, who nodded at him like he was supposed to be there. "I'm the healer here. Gus has told me you've regained the ability to talk and you've been eating. All are encouraging signs, of course, for someone who's recovering from the injuries you had."

I made myself remain still, not flinching at the fact that there was an unknown male beside me. My fingers curled in, the sharp edges of my nails cutting into the soft skin of my palms. Those bright, tiny spots of pain anchored me. Reminded me that this was real. And that there was a man sitting at my side, making no threatening moves my way.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his tone both warm and professional.

I shrugged, looking to Gus for support. She just smiled and patted my arm. "Danvers is a good 'un, girl. Treats everyone here. You'll come to no harm from him."

"If I may share an observation, while I was treating you when the patrol first brought you in, I tested your blood." He holds up his hands in an apologetic gesture when I gasp at his statement. "It was only to ensure that you didn't have a condition that I might make worse without knowing if I used a treatment that might not be appropriate. I assure you, in regular circumstances, I would never take blood from you without your consent."

Gus patted my arm again and offered me one of her spiced cinnamon buns, encouraging me to take a bite. I'd had more consistent feedings from her than I could remember after becoming sick. Among the Stricken, we shared as much as we could. But it always seemed like someone else needed it more than I did. Glory liked to chastise me about neglecting myself, but I couldn't stand seeing hunger in the eyes of others. People looking to me for guidance and even hope.

My stomach roiled at the memory of those left behind. Glory, Danil, even Calla. So many people were relying on me, and I was here, in a comfortable bed, being fed delicious food. Thalon had sent me to accomplish a job. Find the cure. Bring it back to my people. And I was sure that if I killed the Night King along the way, he wouldn't mind that either.

"You suffer from the Silver Sickness, correct?" The healer's question brought me back to the moment and it was impossible to mistake the sympathy in his eyes. As if he could anticipate my thinking, he points to my arm. "The blood sample. It's easy to spot the signs of Silver Sickness if you know what you're looking for."

"Ah." It's all I could think of to say, shame washing over me like I'd done something to mark me as deserving of such a thing. "I didn't know anyone outside of shifters knew about the sickness."

Danvers shifted on his chair, looking at Gus as if she had answers for my unspoken question. "Well, we've heard of it, of course. People passing through is how news gets around. But I wondered if your initial inability to speak was because of your illness. It's a symptom I haven't heard reported before, and your injuries didn't seem to be of such extent that it would affect your voice."

I nodded, understanding what he wanted to know, but also unsure how to approach this without being honest. Options spun through my mind. None made sense and I dragged in a breath.

"In your own time, love." Gus squeezed my fingers, leaning in like she was tempted to hug me. "There's no rush. You're not going anywhere."

Her eyes flicked to Danvers and he swallowed, looking uncomfortable.

"You're not the first lost one who turned up on our doorstep, and you won't be the last. Not if I have anything to say about it." She said it like it had already been decided. She'd been kind to me, and I didn't want to lie to her more than I had to.

"My voice," I said, clearing my throat when it closed up on me. "It wasn't because of the sickness. Or the beating." Gus flinched as I called what happened exactly what it was. Tears filled my eyes as the memory of the pain hit me all over again. In that instant, I relived every blow, every kick, and even worse, the way I was forced to hold the agony inside.

Silent.

Powerless.

But not in this place. The truth came out, the words trembling as I forced myself to speak. "The Alpha of my pack, he has the power to compel obedience. He told me to be silent. To submit and bear it in silence. So that's what I was forced to do."

Gus and Danvers both stared at me, unmoving, for an instant, and I saw their own horror reflected back at me. Being stripped of your own power is a terrifying thought for anyone. Rarer, though, to know what it actually feels like. Gus took in a shaking breath as her eyes filled with the sheen of tears.

"Sweetheart, that will never happen to you here. That is a promise I can make to you."

Danvers reached for her shoulder, to console her or to pull her away from me, I couldn't tell. She looked at him with near rage on her face, and he dropped his hand into his lap.

"You'll be safe here, Sena. You can trust me on that. You won't have to go back to where you came from. Ever." When Danvers tried to interject, she spoke over him. "I promise you. You won't be going back."

Her kindness struck me deep in the chest, making it hard to breathe as I battled with the real reason I was here. She was defending me, a woman she only barely knew, and without any hesitation, she was willing to stand up for me. Offer me safety. Sanctuary. Something I'd longed for in my life forever. A true place where I felt safe. Where the risk of being Called and having to submit to whatever was demanded of me wasn't hanging over me every moment.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to rest my head on her shoulder and let her mother away my fears.

But I couldn't do any of that.

So, I simply smiled, drank the warm sweet spiced cider she offered me and gave her my thanks.

My eyes drifted closed for a second after that, and all I remembered was the feeling of Gus tucking the blanket around me tighter and her whispers to Danvers as I rested once more.