Chapter 10

Stefan nodded, brushing a stream of blood away from the Soul's eye. "She calls the dregs of magic from the crystal and uses her own strength to multiply it and push it into the Flight." Ishaan could have sworn he heard the other man sniffle a little bit, but his voice was stable when he spoke again. "She is the most powerful Soul in memory, but she will die if she is called upon to do many more quickenings like that one. That is why we must find a home, why we wish to find a home with your people."

Ishaan followed the large man into a room with three other people and a glowing tub made from what looked like crystal. The older woman that he recognized as the Heart was there and she gestured to the tub with a horribly scared expression on her face. "Lower her into the healing spells, Protector. Quickly now, she's fading."

There was a tiny splash as the Soul's body was lowered into the tub, limp form sinking down to lay at the bottom of what looked like water. "Won't she drown?" Ishaan asked when Stefan came to stand at his side.

Chanting started, breathed into life by the women around the periphery of the tub and Stefan shook his head. "The tub is full of magic and water; she will breathe the mixture and it will heal her from within."

She must have horrible internal damage from all of those impalements. He didn't know if modern medical tech would be enough to save her. Hopefully the magic could. He couldn't see what was happening inside the tub, the water and the thickness of the crystal conspired against his eyes. He could see that the water had gone a light pink with all the blood that must still be flowing into it. Didn't they have a clotting factor? Birds had a clotting factor, but how similar were they to birds? The Soul hadn't felt particularly light when he'd had her in his arms, so their bones weren't hollow. Chances are, they flew with some odd combination of lift and magic. Which was why the ceilings were so high and the corridors were so wide.

So why didn't they fly more? Was it because the magic was failing? He had far too many questions and not enough answers. Ishaan turned to Stefan and opened his mouth, intending to ask the hundreds of questions pounding through his head when the chanting stopped abruptly and a pale hand reached out of the tub, grasped the side and the Soul pulled herself out of the magic, retching pink water out and back into the tub.

Stefan was by her side in an instant. "No, my Soul, you must heal further. Lay back and let the Mother heal you."

"I cannot, my Protector." She rose further, water draining down her body in pale rivulets. "One of the humans was at the quickening tonight and they may have questions."

"It was the one they call Ishaan and I have been answering his questions as you bid me to do." Stefan laid his hands on her shoulders. "Rest, my Soul, please. That was the worst quickening I have yet seen, and you need more healing."

The Soul went limp, nodded, and laid back, sinking back beneath the water to lay against the bottom of the tub. Stefan returned to Ishaan's side as the chanting started again. "What's her name?" He looked up at the older man. "You call her Soul but that's just her title, right?"

"She gave up her name when she became the Soul." Stefan didn't look at him, eyes only for the still figure in the tub. "She gave up her name, her ability to find her mate and wed, her freedom, all to guard the safety of the Flight as we travel."

"What does she get in return that could possibly be worth all of that?" Ishaan was gobsmacked. To give up everything only to be stabbed hundreds of times on what sounded like a regular basis. "Why would anyone want to be the Soul of the Flight?"

"She is given every comfort," Stefan said, eyes still on the form in the water. "Every honor that it is possible to bestow on her she is given. She is held in the highest regard by the rest of the Flight."

"But she has no name, at least not one that is used." Ishaan stared at the unmoving form in the water. "She will never know love, never have a family."

"She gave everything up willingly," Stefan said quietly. "I should not tell you this, it goes against the laws of the Flight. But you are not one of us and are not held to the same rules." He turned to Ishaan and bent down to his ear. "Before she was the Soul, her name was Carina, and she was my daughter."

"Carina," Ishaan whispered, looking at the sadness of the man in front of him and over at the figure in the tub. "I'll remember that, thank you."

"Do not use it in earshot of other members of the Flight." Stefan said, slowly backing away. "Carina is among the honored dead and only the Soul remains, remember that as well."

Ishaan thought that was the saddest and loneliest thing he'd ever heard