Quill’s eyes fluttered open, but the only thing that greeted him was more darkness. He tried to move, but his limbs didn’t respond. Something was keeping him still. A gentle hand began to push itself through his hair, massaging his scalp. Another placed itself on his forehead, slowly pulling the warm cloth away. Quill tried to look around, but the hand in his hair kept his head from turning.

“Try not to move. I found you in quite the state. How often do you go swimming in frozen rivers?”

The voice came from behind him. He strained his eyes upwards, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever spoke. A face leaned down over his, lit by the flickering glow of the fire. It was a girl about his age with black hair woven back in a simple braid that wrapped around to the back of her head. A thin band of leather holding a small blue charm dangled from around her neck. Her face was lit up with a smile that gently curved upwards. Another warm cloth was placed over his eyes, blocking his vision. The thought that he died crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Death wouldn’t be this kind.

The girl’s hands returned to their soothing strokes.

“Try and fall back to sleep. You’re safe now.”

For a moment he struggled to stay awake, trying to ask any number of questions, but he couldn’t find the strength to use his voice. Once again the void of sleep began to wrap itself around him, but this time it felt so much warmer.

Cinder Iara kept reapplying the damp towels while the boy’s breathing steadied. Master Phineas would be returning soon, and she hoped that he would know a better way to treat this poor boy. He didn’t look too far from her own age. Maybe he would be friends with her? That would be nice. She took another long look at his face as his head rested in her lap. It was so peaceful, with hair darker than hers coming down to cover his ears, and a face fit for a king. Though she didn’t really know what a king was supposed to look like. The handful of people she had seen certainly didn’t look like the kings described in Master Phineas’s books.

Cinder’s thoughts were interrupted as the door to the cottage swung open. A disgruntled looking man stepped inside, carrying a heavy box. He carefully navigated through a mess of dried herbs and chairs stacked with old tomes. Two bookshelves on the wall were bursting with books on everything from history to medicine to magic.

He carefully set the box down onto the table closer to the fire, pushing aside various bowls and measuring equipment. His back was still to her as he pulled out different bundles and parcels, piling them wherever he had room. As he worked he let out a heavy sigh.

“So are you going to explain why there’s a boy’s head in your lap?”

“Well, I was going down to the Keld to gather some snowberries and I found him lying in the woods a little ways from the bank. So I thought ‘what would Phineas do?’ and I dragged him here to try and save his life.”

“That doesn’t explain why he’s using you as a pillow.”

“I remembered you telling me to keep a person’s head elevated if they’re suffering from hypothermia, and I already used the pillows we had to make him comfortable.”

“You’re combining the treatment for a damaged spine with the treatment for hypothermia. Was there any noticeable damage to his back?”

“No, but there was a large cut on his right leg, right above the ankle.”

“Let me see it.”

Cinder pointed to the corner of one of the blankets. “Kind assistant, I am currently unable to move. The cut is right under there.”

Phineas raised an eyebrow. “Of course, however I will need your professional opinion on the wound. Since I am but a simple assistant.”

“Of course.”

He crouched down by the blanket, folding back the corner. The bandages were applied well. Expert hands slowly unwound the cloth. Hidden beneath was a set of four deep gashes a few inches long.

“So, what do you think did this?”

“The cuts are too evenly spaced to be from the ice. The middle two are also deeper than the outer two, so they are probably from claws of some sort. What I can’t place is what those claws belonged to. The wound already looked infected so I put some jaurnseed on it, but there wasn’t much reaction.” She paused for a moment. “What do you think caused it, my good assistant?”

“You seem mostly correct my honored master, yet you missed a few small details. First, the small cuts and scrapes on the boy’s face and arms are from branches and thorns. It seems that he was running away from whatever gave him the leg wound. Second, the boy is a hunter. He is old enough to know how to escape the dangerous animals in the valley. Third, the jaurnseed did work, just much slower than you are used to. Look at the sides of the wound.” Phineas pulled a knife from his pocket and gently scraped the edge of one of the cuts. The knife came away with a slightly blue crust on it. “Normally the entire wound would be blue by now. As long as the jaurnseed is working he should be fine. Stay there and keep his head up. I’ll grab some Brannurt flowers.”

“Brannurt flowers: Usually found growing in sunny places, they have distinct yellow and red patterned petals. They can be used in many types of potions and salves. It’s main use is in warming salves.” Cinder recited.

Phineas raised an eyebrow. “Close. It’s quite interesting what information you decide to remember. I’m going to make it into a tea to warm him from the inside out.”

Cinder’s face flushed and she quickly focused all her attention elsewhere. “I was just trying to help him.”

Phineas said nothing as he set the kettle on the stove. The soft smell of cinnamon and woodsmoke began to fill the room as the flowers wilted in the hot water. The soft bubbling sound of the tea being poured caused the boy to mutter something in his sleep, but his eyes stayed closed. Phineas handed her a cup of tea, showing her how to keep his head high while pouring small amounts of tea into his mouth.

Cinder brushed a strand of hair off his face, tucking it behind his ear. The boy muttered something again, but this time she could make it out.

“Fire… please… not her…”

Her hand froze halfway through his hair. Was he having that dream again? When she found him, he had been saying the same things. And who was he seeing in the dream? Cinder made a mental note to ask him about it once he woke up. Phineas wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, placing a cup of tea next to her.

“Don’t get too caught up in taking care of this boy that you forget to take care of yourself, try and get some sleep soon. You said he fell into the Keld?”

Cinder nodded and picked up the small cup, blowing on it gently.

“I’ll go look around. Whatever he was running from was probably what broke the ice. It might still be out there.” Phineas grabbed his walking stick and one of his sturdier knives.

Cinder nodded, taking a small sip of the tea. Her body immediately began to warm up, banishing the cold she hadn’t noticed before. The newfound warmth made her eyelids incredibly heavy. An incredible weariness pushed its way to the front of her mind. One final push of consciousness let her lay down, keeping the boy’s head on her lap. They might as well both be comfortable. Before Master Phineas had even left the door, she was already snoring softly.