Chapter SevenThe chimes outside the Healing Ward quietly tolled the hour of one, but those gathered within paid little heed to what time it was. Standing round the bed in which Mardan lay, those friends and Healers who had drawn close waited in tense silence as Ayla laid her hand upon him, closed her eyes and sought for his thoughts. Prepared to seek deeply for them as she had done so often before, she could not contain the startled gasp that escaped her when he reached up unexpectedly to take her hand and her exclamation of surprise was echoed by those around her. Opening her eyes, her tear-filled amber gaze met his of crystalline cerulean and she could not keep herself from instantly leaning down to embrace him.
Such poignant emotion flooded through her, emotion of her own as well as th
