Past the other door, a long room stretched out before them. Lined on either side were small bays with cots set up every few feet, a screen separating the spaces and allowing for privacy. Occasionally, Herrick would see an Elven wearing black loose tunics and pants tending to the ill, but Maude seemed unable to find this Dahlia that she was looking for.
Ahead, one of the healers motioned toward the hall as he spoke with Maude, who nodded her thanks and took off, running down the hall.
Hurrying so he didn't lose her in the twisting halls of the Midnight Palace, Herrick followed Maude until she stopped in front of a seemingly normal door. The door to the room next to it opened at the same time that Maude banged on the glossy wood in front of them. Hakon stepped out into the hall, scrubbing the wet hair that was dripping onto his chest with dry linen.
"What are you guys doing here? How's Gunnar?" his brother asked, but before Herrick could answer, the door Maude had been pounding on opened.
A gorgeous Elven woman held the door open; her pitch-black hair and amethyst eyes held a soft light. Herrick did not dare allow himself to hope.
"Where is he?" Maude huffed, her breath coming harsh and fast. The Elven only motioned for her to go inside.
Herrick's knees almost gave out as he walked in behind Maude to see his best friend standing at the edge of the bed, awake and very much alive.
"Thank the Allfather," Maude whispered as she surged forward, wrapping her arms around Gunnar's shoulders. "You're okay."
Gunnar chuckled, the sound unsure as he hesitantly put his hand on Maude's back and patted it. "Don't tell me you were actuallyworriedfor me."
A soft sob smothered by a chuckle escaped Maude as she pulled away from their friend.
"Sit down, you stubborn fool. All of Dahlia's hard work will have gone to waste if you push yourself too far now," she said, clearing her throat to hide the emotion that had seemingly clogged her throat.
Herrick could only watch their interaction as he processed that Gunnar was going to live. Hakon was silent beside him, relief so strong in him that hisgalderwas surging within his blood.
He lives, the voice in his mind whispered.For now.
Herrick pushed away the darkness that had invaded his waking mind, the relief of seeing Gunnar alive making every dark thought fade into the background despite the chill that ran down his spine.
"You have some very eager friends here to see you," Maude continued, pulling back to get out of the way.
Before Gunnar could reply, Maude walked away and brushed past him and Hakon. Her moss green eyes flashed up to catch his stare, the air in his lungs promptly leaving him breathless as her relief mirrored his own. But she did not speak, refusing to be the one to break their standoff. She turned to Hakon instead.
"I'll let the others know. Take your time," Maude whispered. "And I'll send Liv in; she'll want to see him too."
She turned to leave, nodding to Dahlia her thanks, when Herrick acted on instinct. His hand shot out, wrapping around hers. She stilled for only a moment before meeting his stare. Refusing to speak— as he didn't want to be the first to break either— he leaned forward slowly, giving Maude the chance to turn away before placing a soft kiss on her cheek.
This strife between them was not over, but for this, for keeping close tabs on Gunnar when he was on his deathbed, for her relief when she found him alive, Herrick could allow his love for her to overpower his anger.
Her cheeks turned a soft shade of coral so similar to the sea creatures he saw in the summer before she turned away and left the room, taking his heart with her in spite of his anger.
Facing his friend again, Herrick only paused for a moment before he walked over to Gunnar and pulled him up into a tight embrace. They each gripped the other tightly; the relief of seeing each other in this world and not Odin's halls was palpable. Hakon quickly joined in, and they all stood together for a time as the brothers they truly were.
Gunnar was the first to break away, sitting on the edge of the bed again, a little winded.
"All I've done is rest, and yet, I am exhausted by the smallest of actions," he grumbled, running his hands over the ever-present neat braids that ran down his head.
The slice on the side of his scalp that had been poisoned was now closed even as the rounded side of his head seemed to dip inward, like the muscle and tissue there had been scraped away. Dark veins splintered out from the cavernous angry scar a few inches before they returned to their normal appearance. Otherwise, Gunnar looked the same as he always had, if just a bit more worn out. His blue and green threads still wrapped around a few of his braids and his eyes still twinkled with humor, but he had lost weight. Herrick was quickly scanning his friend for any other differences when the Elven healer in the room spoke.
"You have fought quite a battle against the poison in your blood, it's normal to feel this fatigued."
Herrick turned to face the Elven to ask about Gunnar's recovery when he noticed her jeweled eyes were already on him. Or rather, the iron around his neck.
"May I?" she asked softly, her voice cascading over his skin and soothing him like the darkest part of the night.
He only nodded.
Her slender fingers began probing the iron, her angular face pinched in concentration. Herrick glanced over to Hakon and Gunnar to find them both dreading and anticipating the Elven's next words. Her pointed ears poked out from beneath her onyx hair, capturing Herrick's attention briefly, forcing him to deal with all that had happened since they left Logi.
The Elven were still here, living under everyone's noses. The full impact that should have affected Herrick earlier burst through him now. His head spun as the healer continued to probe his binding, the icy burn seemingly not affecting her like it did Liv. Hakon reached his side as the Elven— Dahlia— finally withdrew. She acknowledged his brothers presence with a flat stare before returning to her thoughts.
