I drearily opened my eyes to the bright sunshine shining smack dang on my face. “Mother above, that’s bright.” I slowly made my way into a sitting position and let my eyes adjust to the sunlight.

“Good afternoon, sleepy head. How’re you feeling?”

I yawned and stretched. “Good after… Hey!”

Astra’s bird-like laughter flittered through the air as the sun illuminated her porcelain skin. “Almost got you. Don’t worry, the sun has only been up a few hours, you’re safe.” She walked to the other side of the room and placed some fresh, scented candles next to my mother’s bed.

“What’re they for?”

“They’re enchanted with a spell that keeps dark magic away and also help to heal. Plus, they just smell really nice.” She lit them and rewet my mother’s cloth.

“…How is she?” I fidgeted with the sheets, crumpling them and smoothing them out.

“No better but also, no worse.” Astra walked towards me, fiddling with her hair. “Let’s have a look at that bump.” She carefully removed the dressing and picked up the mirror on the bedside table.

I stared at the area of irritated skin and flesh that sat at the edge of my temple. Some of my hair was missing from the area that’s probably the size of a small peach. “At least I get a sick scar from this. Why has it healed so fast?”

“A new spell I wrote. It heals small wounds like this in a few days. I decided to try it out on you. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to save the hair. I had to remove it from the area in order to place the ointment and dressing. And before you ask, no, it won’t grow back. The way that the flesh has healed, there’s no way for hair to grow. Sorry.” Astra looked down and frowned as she played with her long, curly, black hair.

“Hey, it’s fine. I get to add another sweet ass scar to my growing collection. I don’t mind. I would rather it heal fast than be stuck in bed for a few days straight. Hey, wait a sec. Did you say you wanted to try it out on me? Was I a guinea pig?” I reassured Astra who perked up at the mention of her spell.

“Yep! And it’s worked exactly as I had planned it to! Tell me if they’re any side effects. I have to tell the great priestess that we have another spell to add to the books.” She clapped her hands and her hazel green eyes light up with glee.

I didn’t want to see her smile fade, but there were more questions to ask. “How is everyone?”

Her face instantly dropped. “Coping. Altogether, out of the six hundred and six men and women who were at the pit… twenty-two people made it out.”

“But there were at least forty people on the way into town. Did that many pass away? Even after when we reached Almdalir?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Quite a number passed last night. Their wounds were too severe for us to heal.” Tears formed in her eyes and she started bawling. “I couldn’t find them. They weren’t anywhere to be seen. Where are they?”

I wrapped my arms around her and rocked her in my arms, stroking her hair. “I’m sorry Astra…Bael and I…” My breath hitched as tears fell down my cheeks. “I was too late.” I started sobbing alongside her as her crying became louder. Her nails grasped onto the thin cloth that covered me and I feel them bite into my skin. I didn’t know how long we sat like that, weeping, but my mind had enough time to drift through memories. When we first met the boys, they were scrounging for food in the trash. When I was sent to join the army at age twelve, all my friends joined with me. All the scraps we got into and won, but also all the ones we lost. The scars we picked up together and the bruises we gave each other. The ribbings and the pranks, the drunken nights at the pub and the many nights spent camping under the stars, singing the songs of old. Another memory flashed through my mind of when Astra and Threnchal married a couple years ago on the spring equinox.

“I miss them, Aida… I want them in my arms.” She sobbed into my chest.

“I do too, Astra. I do too.” I held her gently rocked her as tears streamed down my cheeks.