Path Of The Broken

19. Family Trait-4

Amelia curled up on the bed, her hands pressed against her temples, body shaking. She kept her eyes firmly closed so she couldn’t see the room around her flickering between the world it should be and the horrible washed-out grey world. The tremors and feeling so sick were new. Amelia had barely been ill in her life and didn’t know how to cope now that she seemed to be. It was like her life had been turned upside down since Alex had left, resulting in a downward spiral that she couldn’t halt, and now even her own body was betraying her. As the whispering voices increased in tempo, Amelia moaned.

“Leave me alone, please leave me alone,” she whispered, tears trailing down her cheeks.

This, she knew, was what it felt like to start going mad. She had thought, after all these years, that she had missed out on the burden of the Taint that her brother bore. Now she knew that she had been wrong. Unlike her brother, who had suffered from it most of his life, for her there had been only those few occasions. Her memories from childhood came rushing back to her. This is what it had felt like as a child, worse than what she remembered. As a child, she had been confused, not knowing what was happening to her, yet now she knew it was the Taint. However, of all the things that Kyle had told her, that Alex had told her to expect with the Taint, they had never mentioned feeling sick, wrong. Amelia rolled onto her side, grabbing the bowl she’d put next on the bed next to her as a contingency, unable to stop herself from being sick. Sweat broke out on her body as the tremors shook her, and she moaned as a stabbing pain shattered her concentration. She felt herself heaving again, and was glad she’d thought to get the bowl before she had collapsed into bed.

The only thing Amelia had to be grateful for was that she wasn’t expected at court tonight. She also doubted that the servants would disturb her; instructions left that she needed to sleep before she had retired to the inner chambers should take care of the inconvenience. That was something to be thankful to Elizabeth for. Amelia was sure that Elizabeth had reinforced the orders that she wasn’t to be bothered. Still, lying there in her misery, Amelia only hoped that she would have regained her composure by tomorrow.

Amelia shoved the bowl she been clutching onto her bed’s side stand before falling back into the pillows. Even though her stomach still felt queasy, she doubted there was anything left to come out. The sweat trickling all over her body was uncomfortable. It felt like her body was on fire, and rolling onto her side, she muffled her sobs with the pillow. Regardless of the orders not to disturb her, she knew that if servants heard her crying, they would come in to see what was wrong. If that happened, they would send for the healers. Amelia didn’t know why she was terrified at the thought of being tended to by Aaron, but she was. A small part of her mind knew that fear was irrational.

Knowing that her mother would be here at court soon, Amelia had left instructions that Healer Bates and Kate, her old maid, be given access to her quarters. She only hoped that they arrived before anyone else thought to check on her. Hearing the door to her rooms crack open and scolding voices without, Amelia opened her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.

“There is no need, I tell you, we’ll tend to Amelia. We’ve looked after her since she was a child.” The scolding voice belonged to Kate, her maid and nanny when she had been younger.

Amelia was relieved to see that Healer Bates was a step behind her. Trembling, almost doubling up as pain assaulted her, she still sobbed with relief at the sight. Amelia couldn’t help the moan that escaped her lips as the pair bustled around. She knew the bowl she had been sick in was removed, as the pungent smell disappeared, and then the healer was there, propping her up, holding a bottle to her lips. She almost gagged at the sickly-sweet taste she remembered too well as the medicine slid down her throat.

It’s all right, Amelia, you know it’ll make you feel better. It’s been too long since you’ve had your medication. The healer's cool mind voice reassured her, and she drank as she was bid.

The healer continued to talk to her, urging her to sleep and rest.

You can trust only me.

A cool cloth wiped across her brow, instantly making her feel better. As the healer spoke to her, whispering in her mind, she felt herself relaxing.

That’s it, Amelia. Only I can protect you.

This was familiar, known. Bates had been looking after her since she was a small child, since the very first time she’d encountered the Taint. Amelia trusted Bates more than she did anyone else. As she drifted off to sleep under Bates’s urging, a small part of her mind wondered whether it was Bates herself that caused her to distrust the other healers. Yet somehow that thought did not seem necessary. As always, Bates had made her feel better.

Sleep, Amelia. Your medication will make you well again.

As Bates’s mind voice compelled her, she drifted off to sleep, her body relaxing, the shaking stopping, the pain drifting away. More importantly, other than the whispering voice of Bates, she couldn’t hear any other mind voices.

Thank you, Bates. Please, please don’t let the Taint take me.

Amelia let herself drift off to sleep as the healer had directed her to, relieved, knowing that under the healer's ministrations she would be okay.