Until Tilney came for her, and she was saved. To an extent.
After managing another bow to Tembovu and Alysanne (and the world did spin a little harder as she pulled up from her knees), and scrapping together the key pieces of Tilney’s harried orders (“Did your—did your voice just crack? Oh Tilney,”), she plodded after him as quickly as she dared, wings half-cocked like sails in case her gangly limbs failed her. It wouldn’t have been the first time. The garden was cool, though, and shady; spying a little pool not too far off from where Tilney had made his stand, the girl slipped towards it and took a long, sweet draught. The effect was far from instantaneous. She still felt as if her legs were imaginings, her footing a dream-thing she’d thought of in the haze of Tallsun heat. Sipping again, though, and again, her body at least seemed the tiniest bit cooler. Managing a last mouthful, she trotted back to Tilney’s side just as the other Moon Doctor – Evangeline, she heard her say – arrived.
“Quite right,” Ultima chirped, though her voice fell a bit flat itself. Pulling a smart, wry face at Tilney, she turned back swiftly to the mare and bobbed a neat curtsy. “Hallo Miss! I’m his apprentice. Ultima,” she added, smiling. “How do you do?” And then, almost tentatively: “I say – pardon me, I really don’t mean to be a gossip, but … you’re the Doctor in charge of that girl, aren’t you? Oizys, wasn’t it?”
please tag ultima in all posts! force/magic a-ok, shy of killing/maiming her! |