It didn't take long before the door was opened, and Elder Loris stepped in with a wide smile on her face.
"Oh, child, how are you feeling?" She asked the second her milky eyes settled on Avery.
Avery sat up slowly, smiling at the woman even though she couldn't see her. Cain hovered beside her like a shadow, ready to catch her if she so much as swayed, but she waved him off with a tired smile. "I can manage," she whispered.
Elder Loris sat next to her. The moment their skin touched, Elder Loris inhaled sharply — a soft, broken gasp that made even Cain stiffen.
Avery blinked at her, confused. "Is something wrong?"
But Elder Loris shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "No," she whispered. "Not wrong… blessed."
Her thumb traced a small circle over the back of Avery's hand as if feeling something only she could sense. "The goddess herself has laid her hand on you. You carry more light than you know," Elder Loris said gently. "And more strength."
