Part 40 (2/2)

”Don't move her!” Ana snapped out the order as she dropped beside them. She was breathing hard, fighting back terror, but her hands clasped firmly over his wrists. ”You don't know how or where she's hurt.

You can do more harm by moving her.”

”She's bleeding.” He cupped his hands on his daughter's face. ”Jessie.

Come on, Jessie.” With a trembling finger, he searched for a pulse at her throat. ”Don't do this. Dear G.o.d, don't do this. We need an ambulance.”

”I'll call,” Mel said from behind them.

Ana only shook her head. ”Boone.” The calm settled over her as she understood what she had to do. ”Boone, listen to me.” She took his shoulders, holding tight when he tried to shake her off. ”You have to move back. Let me look at her. Let me help her.”

”She's not breathing.” He could only stare down at his little girl. ”I don't think she's breathing. Her arm. She's broken her arm.”

It was more than that. Even without a closer link, Ana knew it was much more than that. And there was no time for an ambulance. ”I can help her, but you have to move back.”

”She needs a doctor. For G.o.d's sake, someone call an ambulance.”

”Sebastian,” Ana said quietly. Her cousin stepped forward and took Boone's arms.

”Let go of me!” Boone started to swing and found himself pinned by both Sebastian and Nash. ”What the h.e.l.l's wrong with you? We have to get her to a hospital!”

”Let Ana do what she can,” Nash said, fighting to hold his friend and his own panic back. ”You have to trust her, for Jessie's sake.”

”Ana.” Pale and shaken, Morgana pa.s.sed one of her babies into Mel's waiting arms. ”It may be too late. You know what could happen to you if-''

”I have to try.”

Very gently, oh, so gently, she placed her hands on either side of Jessie's head. She braced, waiting until her own breathing was slow and deep. It was hard, very hard, to block out Boone's violent and terrified emotions, but she focused on the child, only the child. And opened herself.

Pain. Hot, burning spears of it, radiating through her head. Too much pain for such a small child. Ana drew it out, drew it in, let her own system absorb it. When agony threatened to smother the serenity needed for such deep and delicate work, she waited for it to roll past. Then moved on.

So much damage, she thought as her hands trailed lightly down. Such a long way to fall. A perfect image clicked in her mind. The ground rus.h.i.+ng up, the helpless fear, the sudden, numbing jolt of impact.

Her fingers pa.s.sed over a deep gash in Jessie's shoulder. The mirror image sliced through her own, throbbed, seeped blood. Then both slowly faded.

”My G.o.d.” Boone stopped struggling. His body was too numb. ”What is she doing? How?”

”She needs quiet,” Sebastian muttered. Stepping back from Boone, he took Morgana's hand. There was nothing they could do but wait.

The injuries inside were severe. Sweat began to bloom on Ana's skin as she examined, absorbed, mended. She was chanting as she worked, knowing she needed to deepen the trance to save the child, and herself.

Oh, but the pain! It ripped through her like fire, making her shudder.

Her breath hitched as she fought the need to pull back. Blindly she clutched a hand over the zircon Jessie still wore and placed the other over the child's quiet heart.

When she threw her head back, her eyes were the color of storm clouds, and as blank as gla.s.s.

The light was bright, blindingly bright. She could barely see the child up ahead. She called, shouted, wanting to hurry, knowing that one misstep now would end it for both of them. She stared into the light and felt Jessie slipping further away. ”This gift is mine to use or scorn.” Both pain and power s.h.i.+mmered in her voice. ”This choice was mine from the day I was born. What harms the child bring into me. As I will, so mote it be.”

She cried out then, from the tearing price to be paid for cheating death. She felt her own life ebb, teetering, teetering toward the searing light as Jessie's heart began to beat tremulously under her hand.

She fought back, for both of them, calling on every ounce of her strength, every vestige of her power.

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