Chapter 24

Eddie had woken up to find himself on a snug bed. Standing above him was Catherine and a lady who looked familiar. He sat up but the lady stopped him with an excuse that he needed food first. He forced his head back to the pillow, his look as confused as they could ever be. "What happened and where am I?" He asked.

"You wanted to save Jane a few minutes ago but you ended up almost dying in that endeavor. You are here because you had been rescued." The lady answered with a knowing nod. She had a thin frame and a tall stature. Her face looked more masculine than feminine; a feature accentuated by her short hairs. If not for her knockers and a charming soft voice, no one would think of her as a woman.

"And she attacked me." Eddie said reaching for his bandaged chest with his left hand.

"You will discuss that with her when she wakes up, right now, you need something to eat." Catherine said, and Eddie for the first time since his eyes opened saw the tray she was holding in her hands.

"How come you are okay; you were badly injured as well." Eddie asked with grimace.

"My injuries were not as bad as yours and Jane's. Deborah here managed to heal me with the magic she has. She alongside Green Wyvern saved us all." Catherine smiled.

Eddie turned his head towards Deborah and a surprised look appeared on his face, "You, you are the one who was assigned to kill me yesterday but spared my life. Is it true that you saved my life?"

Deborah nodded, "I am the one who was given the assignment but as for saving your life, I did nothing to help. Green Wyvern did everything."

"Who is Green Wyvern?" 

"I am." A course voice sounded from outside before a green dragon-like creature the size of a fully grown human appeared scaring Eddie a little.

"You?" Eddie looked at it doubtfully.

"Boy, are you doubting a dragon that has lived for more than ten thousand years?"

"I dare not."

"The wound on your shoulder was hard to heal even with my magic. It will take you days to heal." Deborah said.

"Does it mean I am going to lie here for days?"

"Not really, once your stomach is full and you have enough rest, you will be okay."

Eddie was well rested by the time the sun was almost setting. His chest was aching but he could walk. With Catherine beside him, he went to the room where Jane was laid and found her unconscious with wounds on her face.

"I thought she was with them; how did she get injured?" He asked.

"I think as Deborah said, you will have a discussion with her when she wakes up. Aren't you getting late for the concert?"

It is then that Eddie remembered about the concert he was invited to. He decided to leave immediately. He wanted Catherine to fly her there but Deborah offered to take him to his destination by her motorbike claiming that Catherine was still weak from healing and she needed rest. Eddie objected but Deborah insisted.

Minutes later, after Deborah crossed a few streets, they were standing at the entrance of an ancient building at the center of the city. There stood a lady who was a head shorter than Eddie and her curvaceous body was attractive.

"Brenda." Eddie smiled, "You are here."

"Yes, and what happened to your chest." Brenda pointed.

"What?" Eddie had worn a leather jacket to conceal his chest, he was however aware that there was no way he could hide this from Brenda. Even so, he lied, "I am fine."

"Eddie, only those who do not know you will not be aware that your chest is normally not as protruded as it is currently." She smiled confidently and turned to Deborah who was standing beside Eddie, "You are also walking with a healer and I smell blood."

"How did you know I am a healer?" Deborah's mouth was agape. 

"She is a sniffer." Eddie stated matter-of-factly leaving Deborah speechless. He also wondered the kinds of freaks he hanged out with. 

Sniffers were related to the finders just that the former mostly traced living things while the latter mostly non-living things especially treasures. The way their magics worked was different and were influenced by several circumstances, making the sniffers a little wealthier than the finders.

"What would a sniffer gain by selling tickets in this low-level place?" Deborah looked at Brenda warily.

"She is a friend to John Jason, the singer we are attending his concert." Eddie again answered on behalf of Brenda. Brenda nodded in agreement before turning to Eddie with a scowl, "You haven't told me what is wrong with your chest." 

"He was in High Shrine where he was attacked by the spectral stick." 

Deborah was not willing to tell Brenda what really happened. However, it was difficult to ignore a sniffer's question. It was even harder to lie to them because apart from perceiving people's scents, they could discern feelings too. That was probably the reason why she did not even have to see Eddie's chest to realize that he was hurting.