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Tarian and Karilya were together when they found them. He was unconscious and Karilya was sobbing in Valeria’s arms. She looked up as the group entered and pulled loose, running to Lyrrekka.

“Mummy! Bad people are coming!”

“We know, sweetness,” Lyrrekka knelt down and hugged her while Sarah hurried to Tarian’s side.

“Thank goodness you’re here,” Valeria said. “I was going to come and find you but I was trying to calm Kari down first. I take it these two weren’t the only ones it happened to?”

“Every clairvoyant here saw it.” Sarah laid a hand on Tarian’s forehead and sighed in relief. “No neurological damage. I wonder why he’s still unconscious.” She tilted her head and frowned. “His energy is really low. You might have to stop him frenzying, Lyr.”

“Oh, that will be why then,” Lyrrekka said. “He’s keeping himself unconscious until I get here. It’s a trick he’s surprisingly good at.” She tutted to herself. “He must have been injured in his vision and his body is reacting as if it happened in reality.”

“Should we feed him before we wake him then?” Sarah asked.

Lyrrekka nodded. “It would help if we can find a volunteer.”

“I’ll do it,” Lydia said. She knelt down on his other side, took his hand and relaxed her shields. Immediately she felt her energy being dragged out of her and looked over at Lyrrekka. “Could you make sure he doesn’t take too much, please?”

“Of course.” Lyrrekka lifted Karilya into her arms so she could walk over to Lydia. She knelt down beside her and placed her hand on top of Lydia’s. They sat there for several long moments and gradually a fatigue fog crept into Lydia’s brain as the still unconscious Tarian leeched her energy away, but before it got too serious Lyrrekka pulled her hand out of Tarian’s and a psychic wall cut the energy connection simultaneously.

“That’s enough,” Lyrrekka said firmly. She laid her hand on Tarian’s chest and nodded. “He should be fine now. Tar, it’s okay. It’s safe to wake up.”

Tarian’s eyes immediately snapped open. He took a shuddering breath and sat up looking around wildly and clutching at his chest just above his heart before his breathing settled.

“No wound? A premonition?” he murmured. “Must have been.” He looked over at Lyrrekka. “It wasn’t just me, was it?”

“No,” she said. “There’s going to be a mass clarification later.”

“Good.” He looked at Lydia who was still kneeling by him, head and shoulder slumped with fatigue. “And by the look of you I owe you major thanks, Lydia-ida.”

“No thanks is needed.” She managed a tremulous smile. “You needed it more than me.” She rubbed her temples. “I need a coffee.”

“I don’t think caffeine would help much,” Sarah said. “What you need is a nap.”

“No time for a nap,” Lydia said. “We need to get the clarification done.”

“And for that we need to wait for Julie and Tara to get back,” Sarah said. “Not to mention Adrian. If his vision was bad enough to cause convulsions we definitely need him here for this. You can take a cat nap no problem. I’ll wake you up.” When Lydia didn’t move immediately she pointed to the door. “Go nap.”

Lydia stared at her a moment longer before climbing to her feet. “Thank you. Don’t let me sleep too long.”

 

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