Movement outside of the cave woke me, but I could barely turn my neck to verify the source of the noise. Henry Mancini hopped to his furry feet and scampered to the cave’s opening to check it out for me. He barked when Uncle Rick came into view, and though most of me was immovable, my heart lifted in my chest at the sight of his friendly face. Though, I admit, it was still strange to see him in the long wizard-type robes. When he would visit us in the real world, he usually wore Dockers and a hand-made orange cardigan no one had the heart to tell him was a woman’s. He still had the cardigan on, but the wizard dress underneath really threw me.
“Hello, dear. Have you been enjoying the sights?”
I looked up into his eyes and tried not to break down with relief. Jens had not moved in hours, and I feared the worst. “Can you help him? Is it too late?” My mouth could barely move, but I managed to get the words out without sounding like I’d had a stroke.
Uncle Rick took out a pouch from his robes and dipped two fingers inside. He produced a thick mulch-colored paste that he proceeded to rub on Jens’s gums and the inside of his mouth. “There we go. It works quite quickly,” he said, putting away his pouch and sitting next to me so he could keep an eye on Jens’s progress. He rifled through the red backpack, sighing with relief when whatever he was looking for was still there. “I see you made yourself a little friend.” Henry Mancini was sniffing Uncle Rick’s ebony hand and sneezing at the remnants of the green concoction.
“Henry Mancini. He’s been keeping Jens from freezing over.” I knew I should probably tell Uncle Rick that I needed some of the paste, but I wanted to make sure Jens had enough of it to cure him first. He’d been bitten so many more times than I had. “Are the others okay?”
Uncle Rick nodded. “Nik is busy telling any of my kind who will listen how he defended their borders once fighting off a menacing troll.”
“Making friends, as usual.”
“Indeed. We are a patient race, which is playing in his favor.” I could hear the smile in his voice, but my neck was too stiff to turn my head to look up at him. “Tor’s enjoying elfish libations, which are a bit stronger than your average drink. Foss and Britta are with Jamie, resting and preparing for the next task.”
“Jamie? I thought he was still at his dad’s palace. How’d you manage to get him out?”
“When I port myself, it leaves an imprint that those familiar with elfish ways can spot. I can take one person with me when I do it, if I’m strong enough. So I took Jamie with me, after he sent the message to Jens, fearing what his father might do to him.” He scratched a gray patch behind his ear. “Understand, it was not my intention to abduct a member of the Tonttu throne. Jamie wanted to come along. I can’t imagine Jens will be pleased, though.”
“Jens loves Jamie.”
“True, and part of that love is keeping Jamie safe. Jamie doesn’t have much experience with long journeys such as ours.”
“He’ll figure it out. I haven’t died yet.”
“A fact that will please many, I’m certain.” Uncle Rick’s focus shifted to Jens when he saw movement. “Jens? Can you hear me, son?”
“That’s some fast-acting stuff,” I commented, relieved that it was working. “Did you give him enough?”
Uncle Rick nodded, testing the man’s limbs for signs of life. The red bumps were already going down.
“Is there any left?”
“He doesn’t need more than I gave him. Patience is the key ingredient now.”
Relief flooded through me, and I didn’t realize until then how scared I had been for the man in my arms. “C-could I have some?”
“I can teach you how to make it when we get to my house. I can teach you all sorts of herbal remedies. It would be my joy.” He looked at me in the darkness with a glimmer of paternal pride. My face was shrouded in black, since the light did not shine on my upper half anymore.
“That sounds nice. But can I have some of it right now? Is it real expensive? You don’t have to give it to me.” I’m not sure why I was in no rush to be certain of my survival. Perhaps teetering on the edge of death for hours had the same numbing effect that the spider larvae did. Deep down inside, I was ashamed that a small part of me welcomed the uneventful quietness of death.
Uncle Rick leaned closer, and then clicked his fingers in my face, summoning up a flame that danced on his fingertips so he could get a good look at me. I think I was immune to being surprised anymore. I mean, the man can teleport. Not much freaks you out after that. “Lucy!” he exclaimed, whipping out the burgundy pouch again. His fingers fumbled this time as he swiped the inside clean and jammed two digits in my mouth. His face was stern as he brushed my teeth and tongue with his fingers. “Why didn’t you say something? Foss told me only Jens was bit! Why, Lucy? Why?”
I had a feeling I was only a sentence or two away from a stern “young lady”, so I didn’t answer. Conversation was kind of impossible right now anyway. The pouch was turned inside out and shoved into my mouth. Uncle Rick held the back of my head as I sucked the last of the paste from the rough fabric. My tongue went fuzzy, and then started warming. As I swallowed, the heat spread through my body at warp speed, killing off the larvae and warming my frozen extremities.
Jens was regaining consciousness and Uncle Rick was looking cross as he lectured me, testing my arms and legs for any signs of circulation.
The heat was delicious. It soothed my anxiety as it spread through me like honey, warming and healing as it went. My eyes closed as I enjoyed the blissed-out sensations coursing through my body. I went from rigid to oddly boneless and laid down on the ground contentedly once the weight of Jens was lifted from my lap. Uncle Rick was shouting something, but I was too cozy to care. I closed my eyes and smiled. If this was death, I would welcome it.