Page 50 of Family Found

“Sadir?” Inkiri stopped and clicked at me.

“It’s fine. I’m doing magic.”

He nodded, I saw that through my magical out-of-myself perception. “Maybe I should carry you. At the Hill of Tara.”

“No, I’ll keep my feet on the ground, at least to start.” The land seemed to approve of that.

Back at the smaller courtyard where we’d teleported in, most everyone had gathered, and the bagua had found construction lights and set them up. Vergis and Kinnek were making the ko circle and using more of the spray paint. A whole bag full of it was sitting on the ground just outside the circle.

Charles was chatting with some of the bagua and a small crowd was gathered around him. At the edge of the illuminated lawn, I spotted Aragis, who was holding his middle in a self-soothing way, and while he looked at the circle, I didn’t really think he was fully in the moment. His gaze seemed far off.

Aragis. I could’ve kicked myself when I remembered what I should never have forgotten when we’d arrived here earlier.

Land, you are helping that bagu, I said. I was doing my best King Lear, and the land seemed surprised.

That bagu?

Yes, that bagu. Of course that bagu.

The land, in that way it had, stopped and examined Aragis. It pulled me back into its memory, the ghostly one with the two girls in it, only this time, both girls had their hands on the Stone, and it vibrated. It sang like the land sang, in happiness, and I could hear no hoofbeats at all. What it was showing me wasn’t a memory at all.

I wished that. Then the men came, and they hurt them both. That bagu has been hurt, forced.

The land seemed uneasy about that. I was too.

So what can you do?

I cannot heal his feet. They have cut away the claws, but the wounds closed a long, long time ago. The bone is gone. I cannot heal his throat, because scars have grown where his voice used to be. I cannot heal the heart. Your kind has always been my heart. One of your kin once said that magic cannot heal the heart. She said it needs others to do that. Maybe you can try?

I snorted. Was the land asking me to do adulting? Did it know me?

After a while, the land shivered with excitement. His horns. They’re not healed. I can help with those. Get closer and touch him so it will be easier.

I gasped. His horns. That didn’t sound like much, but dang it, it had to be enough.

Back where my body was, I said to Inkiri, “Let me go for a sec. I have to do something. Be right back.”

I ran toward that courtyard, only barely aware of Inkiri’s surprised huff, but he followed me, easily matching my speed. He didn’t try to stop me, just stayed right there by my side.

I slowed down as I rounded the construction lights that stood in the middle of the concrete path and walked right up to Gesango, who looked absorbed as he observed the designs being drawn on the lawn.

“I need your help. With the language,” I told the healer doc.

Inkiri stopped right next to me, in touching distance, a warm, watchful presence.

The tall hangu-na tilted his head. “Of course.”

“Okay. Let’s go talk to Aragis.”

Inkiri stuck to my side, and we all headed to where Aragis stood. As soon as he saw us walk toward him, his attention snapped to me, then to Gesango, then Inkiri. From his wide eyes and tight lips, it looked like alarm bells were going off in his head. Gesango and Inkiri clicked immediately, and if I’d had any confidence in my ability to replicate the sound, I’d have done the same.

Instead, I waved. “Hi.” Aragis looked at me, but he didn’t move. “Gesango, can you tell him I can do a bit of magic—tell him I’m a koa. And I think I might be able to heal his horns. Just his horns. Tell him I’m sorry, but just the horns. Everything else is impossible with my magic.”

Gesango translated, then added, “You can truly do that? They would be a constant source of pain and possible infection, like a broken tooth for a human, but if you can make them whole, it will make his life a lot easier.”

I nodded. “I’ll try. Can you ask if it’s okay to touch him? His hands, I just want to touch his hands. It’ll be easier.”

Gesango translated. Aragis didn’t react for a long time. He just stood there and stared. I had no idea what had to be going on inside him. Had he ever even seen a human?