Chapter 10

The moment we landed, Se-le-ni wrapped her arms around me and helped me lie down. It surprised me, this simple gesture that we had denied each other for such a long time.

“You can rest now”, Ka-ma-la said.

I turned to look at her. She was already walking around the edges of an imaginary circle, weaving the dome that would protect us for as long as we were here. I dropped my head to the ground and closed my eyes. The ancestral force hidden in the earth floated into my body, weaving its healing into me and replenishing my strength. I heard Se-le-ni get up and walk over to talk to Joshua. I knew that none of them would be happy having come here, warriors as they were, but it was the best place for what we needed to do.

“It is done”, Ka-ma-la announced.

I opened my eyes and turned to watch her as she went to stand in the middle of the circle. Her centuries-old power vibrated above us, an invisible shield enveloping us. It reminded me of a time I had almost forgotten. It was she who had taught me everything I knew as a healer, and it was her force that ran in my veins. I closed my eyes. The others were talking quietly, and even Rubert, the younger of the men, chirped in.

I heard footsteps and I opened my eyes. Se-le-ni was heading my way, and she halted next to me, hesitating for a moment before sitting down. I smiled at her, and to my surprise, she returned it.

“How are you feeling?”, she asked.

“Better.”

She glanced around suspiciously.

“We won’t be here for long,” I said.

“It’s already enough”.

The gesture came without thinking, and my hand lay on hers before I had time to second-guess myself. She flinched at the unexpected touch, looked at me surprised, and then relaxed. We sat in silence until I felt the last of the earth’s power seep into me and I sat up. Ka-ma-la sitting by herself at the edge of the circle and as she saw me, she got up and came over to us.

“The Mother is healing you”, I see.

I nodded in response.

“When are they coming?”

She glanced out over the field stretching outside our circle.

“Soon. “