Chapter 21

Grant released Damian as he finally pulled away and flew to his mate's side. With a roar, he felt the horrific pain she was in, the entirety of her skin blackened and charred. Only her pink hair remained the same, seemingly untouched with the exception of a new streak of silver.

“Galena! Hezin!” Damian immediately summoned as he collapsed onto the ground next to his queen, afraid to even touch her.

Galena and Hezin appeared immediately as they looked upon the scene horrified. “Hezin, guard Grant and that wooden box with your life. Take him to our sitting room until I come for you. No one, with the exception of Amelia, is to know that he’s here or what has happened. Do I make myself clear? No one!”

“Yes, my Prince. Our Queen...” Hezin replied worriedly.

“Our Queen lives. She’s paid a heavy price for what is in that box. Do NOT let it be in vain!”

“Of course, my Prince,” Hezin replied as Grant gingerly picked up the wooden box and Hezin took him from the room.

“Damian...” Galena began as her tears joined his.

“I need the softest of blankets to cover her. None must see her like this. We'll take her to our room and there we’ll try to heal her until Chaos hears my pleas,” Damian stated, his voice cracking.

Conjuring forth a blanket as soft as the gentlest breeze, Galena covered Theanna with it. She watched as Damian picked her up, causing her to moan in agony. As he held her close and murmured words of love into her ear, Galena took them from the room in-between and to their bedroom where Damian laid Thea upon their bed as softly as he could.

Galena immediately set about using her powers to try to heal her Queen, her sister, her friend. As she worked, Damian sat on the edge of their bed, holding Thea's hand. The fear of losing her was almost crippling in it's intensity.

“Let me work, brother,” Galena whispered to him.

With a heavy sigh he gently rested Thea's hand on the bed and headed out to their sitting room, where Grant and Hezin waited. “Galena works to heal her now. She'll be ok, we must believe this above everything else.”

“If I had known...” Grant began, guilt evident upon his face.”

“It would've changed nothing. Once my mate and Queen makes up her mind she can be incredibly stubborn. I thank you for everything that you’ve done to help us. Please, not a word, the Titans and our enemies have spies.”

“Of course. We'll develop plans for Tiamat and be in touch once they're ready. Please let me know that all is well. I beg of you!” Grant pleaded.

“Of course. Hezin, make sure he returns home safely and then return to us immediately. Your Queen needs your protection now more than ever,” Damian instructed as he took the box containing the Ash of Death from Grant.

Once they left he returned to his bedroom and placed the box in the secured vault, with the Lycan Chalice and Theanna’s sword..

Galena gasped as she paused in her healing. Theanna's face no longer appeared burnt but was as it was before. “I was only able to heal this much for now. I’m completely drained. Once I've rested I’ll try again.”

“Go rest, sister,” Damian instructed as he gently smoothed Thea's hair.

As Galena left them, Amelia hurried into the room, saying nothing as she set up a cooling bath filled with healing herbs. Damian didn't question how Amelia knew she was needed, that was just how she was. She always knew.

“My Prince, I'll need you to join our Queen in the bath and hold her. The herbs will aide in healing as they cool the burn.”

“Amelia, not a word to anyone. No one is to know she's been injured,” Damian automatically instructed as his hand caressed his mate's cheek.

“Of course not, my Prince. May I see her?” Amelia asked tenderly.

Damian gently pulled back the blanket as he said, “Galena was able to heal her face before she was drained.”

“This would explain why I received a box from Chaos, which he sent discreetly. The instructions stated that the balance in Theanna and in Magick has to be maintained. She can only be healed in three phases, one per each day. I filled the bath with the first of the herbs he sent. Call for me if you need my help, my Prince.”

“Thank you, Amelia,” Damian replied almost absently as he immediately started to undress. Once he was naked, he pulled back the blanket and whispered to Thea, “Zoqa, I need to pick you up again. I know it'll be painful and that hurts my heart but Chaos sent something that'll help.”

Thea slowly opened her eyes as she whispered, “I'll bear it to be in your arms, Dnirya.”

He smiled softly at her as he placed a gentle kiss on her temple. Slowly, he lifted her into his arms as Thea fought back the excruciating pain ripping through her. The pain was like nothing she'd ever felt before. Her entire body felt like the cells themselves were on fire, destroying her layer by layer.

Damian climbed into the large bath and held her in his arms. Once inside the tub he slowly sat down and lowered them both into the warm water, the herbs producing a unique cooling sensation on the skin. As Theanna's body was completely submerged, she released a gasp at the sensation of her body healing.

Damian watched as her neck, feet and part of her legs started to heal. The charred skin floated away as if it was simply dirt on her skin. The new skin looked red and tender at first but slowly as she continued to soak, the redness lightened until it was healed.

“Dnirya, those herbs must have been blessed by Chaos, I can feel his energy flowing through me,” Thea whispered, her voice raw.

“During the second spell, the one drawing on your powers from Celestia, I swore I saw a shimmering version of Chaos. He looked upon you with such love and tenderness, but mostly I saw pride in his face. He then kissed your forehead and turned into the green mist that filled the bowl.”

“I felt him as well and of all the spells, it felt as if he made that one gentle to me. The ancient Daemoni spirit... that one was so angry. Not at me but at everything. It felt as if it were made up of all the darkness of the Dark Realms.

“That was the one during the Ash Spell that felt as if it were judging if I were worthy. Even though I was so badly burnt by it, it felt as if I passed some sort of test. I just knew that if I'd failed I wouldn't be alive right now. I remember standing firm but also pleading with it to see the love in my heart for you and for the Dark Realms.”

“It's a relief to know that the great spirit found you worthy,” Damian smiled as he held her and caressed the water and herbs ever so gently into her skin. “My love, did you realize that you have wings?”

“What?”

“It was during the first spell that they appeared and they were magnificent. They were large, appearing perhaps larger than even mine, but they were the color of your horns, and... you had feathers,” Damian smirked at her.

“Wait, are you saying I have Illuminare wings but instead of white, they were dark purple like my horns?” Theanna questioned in surprise.

“When you're well, and dry, maybe you should try to call them forth again. I wonder if the spell activated that ability in you.”

“I never even thought I had anything from the Illuminare except for funky genetics, so I've never even considered trying,” she murmured thoughtfully. “Lucifer will be less than pleased to see feathers.”

“You'll have to wait until the perfect moment to show them off to him,” Damian smiled. Sobering up he asked, “How do you feel?”

“Better... weak and tired mostly. The herbs have calmed the flame for now. I just want to sleep in your arms,” Thea said as she cuddled closer to him.

“Hezin, will not let anyone enter. He’s incredibly loyal to you. He received new ink recently and showed it to me earlier. Your symbol on the inside of his arms, near the elbow. Written along the veins of both arms, in ancient binding script he had written, 'High Queen Theanna. Forever loyal. Forever my Queen.' He said he went to the same tattoo shop in Denver that you went to because the script was so intricate and he wanted it done correctly and to be binding.”

“I was thinking of promoting him to High Commander of my Royal Guard. What do you think?”

“I agree. I trust him. Now, no more talk, let's get out of the bath and lay in our bed while I hold you in my arms.”

“Bliss... being held by you is pure bliss,” she murmured as she yawned.

Damian smiled as he stood them up and picked Thea up into his arms, using his powers to dry them off before he laid her down in their bed. Quickly, climbing in next to her, he wrapped his arms around her and made sure the blanket that Galena had made was wrapped around them.

Tucking his face into the crook of her neck so that he could breathe in her delectable scent, thus calming the beast within, he dimmed their lights to almost nothing. Once he felt his mate relax and drift off to sleep, then and only then did he join her.