The Search for Lexxie: Part 8

The Search for Lexxie: Part 8

----- Severed -----
(Also: This story takes place between Books 2 and Books 3 of the Destiny Bound series.)

While her experience with Djinn was somewhat limited, those she had read about and even met in person, were unlike the woman who stood before her.  From her studies, Paige did know that various accounts depicted exactly what she'd just seen: a floating being with four arms emerging from smoke.  Yet no recount ever suggested their appearance as a curvaceous human-like woman, though she did seem to recall a passage indicating the beings had shapeshifting abilities.  Whatever her appearance, the Djinn had been summoned by her, and while Paige didn't know exactly what happened to cause it, her priority was her companion, Nalla.

Blood oozed from beneath the Asura's cap, an indication most of the free-flowing blood had already spilled.  Paige was covered in most of it, as she held her dying companion, sitting in a small pool.

"Your friend: her wound is quite severe," Demitra said in a lofty and airy tone.

Something about her urgent nature of the Djinn made Paige angry.  "I know!  I need help!  Can you help?"  She carefully started peeling back the cap in which Nalla wore.

Demitra glided over to the scene, knelt down, assisted with the removal of the hat.  A piece of the Asura's ear was missing, no longer attached to its base.

Paige gasped, covering her mouth at the sight.  "Oh Nalla!" she cried.

"I am no healer; of this I am certain.  I am quite uncertain, however, as to my newfound 'gifts' and their impact on mortals, but I shall try."

"Please!  Whatever you can do… please, do it.  Whatever I can do to help or repay you I will!  She's important to me!  She didn't deserve this!"  Paige relented.  She felt as though her own ineptitude had bestowed such a fate on her friend, and now she was helpless to fix it.

The Djinn looked it over.  "I cannot reattach the appendage, I fear.  But, I can stop the continuation of the wound from bleeding out and infection.  It will, I am afraid, be permanently this way… But, I believe it to be her best chance of survival."

Paige agreed, nodding as she caressed the Asura's cheek.

Demitra held two sparkling azure fingers together, brought them to the Asura's ear, and began to trace an intricate pattern upon it.  Where her fingers touched, a trail was left, which eventually formed a completed sigil, mandala like in nature.  Silver glitter embedded deep within the woman's blue skin seemed to flow from its resting place, through her fingertips and into the drawing.  When finished, the sigil flared to life, in a bright fuchsia, then dulled and disappeared.  In its place, was a nub with overgrown skin, what was left of the Asura's ear.  It was no longer bleeding and solidified.

"It's going to be okay, Nalla.  We're both going home; us and Lexxie.  I promised you and I intend to keep the promise.  I'm so sor…"

Nalla moaned softly, tried opening her eyes.

Paige exhaled a sigh of relief.  "Oh thank Kormir's veil!"  She pulled the Asura closer, pressing Nalla into her chest.  She looked at Demitra thankfully, noticed her skin-tone fluctuate, changing to a normal caramel hue.  "Are… Are you okay?"

A warm smile came from the woman.  "Your friend shall live," Demitra said, a tinge of exhaustion in her proclamation.

"T-thank you.  I can't tell you… Just how much she means.  I… Thank you so much!"  Paige stroked the Asura's cheek, stared at her companion in for a few tender moments.  "Nalla, I'm so very sorry," she whispered.

"Your friend shall live, and it was due to your actions; but I do wonder: just how were you able to summon me?"  Demitra's emerald eyes scrutinized the woman.

Paige nestled Nalla into her lap, scooted away from the pool of the asura's blood.  "I… I'm not entirely sure.  It was an ancient spell; a ritual of the desert that I uncovered and enacted."  She paused, realizing she hadn't introduced herself.  "I am Lady Paige Dejarin, daughter of the Dejarin line."

"Dejarin?" Demitra said, surprised.  "I… I once knew a Dejarin."

Paige thought a moment, then grinned, having found what she was looking for.  "Was her name… Valandra?"  The woman secretly relished in the opportunity to explain something unknown to a Djinn.  "I learned of her from Ember (I believe you know her?)."

Demitra's eyes widened.  "Ember?  Yes!  I know of Ember intimately."  She smiled and slightly winked after the initial shock of the revelation.  "You know, it is a rare thing for me to be surprised, Lady Paige Dejarin, daughter of the Dejarin line.  As it was also a surprise that you called out to me.  I was unaware any could pull one such as myself from the realm beyond, without their vessel.  I am very curious as to how that was accomplished."

"I didn't know it would be you, in all honesty."  She wrapped her arms around Nalla, nuzzled the Asura's head with her nose, still relishing in the safety of her friend.  "Is it so rare a gift?" Paige mused.

"Indeed, it is.  Unless…"  She trailed off, thinking of something for a moment, but said nothing more.

A few more squeezes and hugs caused the Asura to stir a moment.  "L-Lexx?"  Nalla uttered, barely opening her eyes.

"Of course, my dear.  No delays.  I've got this, Nalla.  You rest."  Paige sat upright, clearing her throat at the patiently waiting Djinn.  "I wonder if I may ask one more wish from you?"

Demitra held up three azure fingers, brought one down.  "You have only two more, Lady Paige Dejarin, daughter of the Dejarin line."

Paige looked bewildered, then seeing Demitra's grin made her realize the joke.  Both women lightly laughed.

"Well, I'm not sure if it's going to be as easy as granting a wish.  You see, Nalla here has a sister that has been lost to the sands for a while.  I require… I ask… for your assistance in retrieving her, if it's possible."

Demitra adjusted one of her bracers.  "Lost to the sands?  Such a thing is relateable," she said prophetically.

"Well, we know she's somewhere in the desert.  And, if I have to comb through every nook and cranny in I will find her!  But, it would be a lot easier with your help.  I'd originally did the ritual to receive guidance from the spirits."

"A powerful incantation, to be sure.  Are you this powerful?"

"Well, I had help.  This torch is a relic which contained a bit of energy I was using to amplify my power."

Demitra raised an eyebrow, her eyes staring at the torch.  "I see…"

Paige cleared her throat.  "I failed though.  I was going to find out where in the desert Lexxie was, for Nalla, by performing that ritual.  Since you were the one I summoned, can you tell me where she is?"

A slight sigh came from Demitra.  "I am somewhat drained from assistance provided to your friend.  As stated: I am very much not a healer or cleanser.  But, for all the mysteries of our intertwinement and respective acquaintances, I shall do this for you."  She buried one of her hands into the sand beside her, the other placed upon Nalla's chest.  The Djinn's eyes glowed a vibrant lime as her skin pulsed a blue aura.  After a moment, her normal appearance returned with smiling ruby lips.  "I believe you were both on the right path.  The Asura in question is being held here, in this place, it seems."

"Is she… She's still?"

"Alive; yes." Demitra sagely nodded.

A quite smile came to Nalla's face, relief at what she had undoubtedly heard.

The smile was infectious; Paige caught it next.  "Can you tell exactly where she is or in what condition she's in?  Guards and the like?"  Paige was already strategizing the rescue.

Demitra touched her forehead a moment, then shook her head.  "Perhaps, I could have before assisting your friend, but I am a bit weakened by the ordeal.  I do, however, have a generalization.  We may wish to leave your companion in a less… volatile area."

Paige was already fine-tuning a plan.  "Explosives maybe?  Heat perhaps?  But what if it's a metaphor…"

"You are inquisitive beyond compare, Lady Paige Dejarin, daughter of the Dejarin line."

"I've… uh… I've been told that," Paige confessed as she blushed.

Demitra stood, looking around past the cave walls.  "Vehjin Palace is close; we can leave her in the care of medical professionals at that establishment, then after we escort your friend there, we can proceed on your quest; if you wish it."

Paige looked down at the Asura, who had her eyes half opened.  "Nalla, do you trust me to save Lexxie and bring her home?  May I… May I be your hero this time?"  Tears again found their way down the woman's dark cheeks.

Nalla squeezed her hand, and slightly smile at her poobah.

"I feel that you care deeply for this one; she feels for you the same."

"I've… I've fallen for you too, Nalla.  And… I won't let you down.  I promise."

Demitra waved a hand forward, rising the sands in front of her which compressed, formed shards of glass that quickly combined, forming into a jackal.  A purple and golden sheen formed over the construct as it solidified.  "Come," she said as she mounted the steed.  She collected the Asura, placed her in front, then held out a hand to Paige.  Paige accepted the woman's hand and mounted the construct's back.  She wrapped her arms around Demitra's waist, feeling a tingling sensation that almost made her hair stand on end.

[To be Continued...]