Poisoned Trust

“Someone is trying to erase me faster.”

The words left my mouth in a rush as Mira Kane walked into the room carrying her healer’s bag. My head throbbed worse than usual. The migraines had turned sharp after the training yard. Rhydian stood by the window watching her closely.

Mira smiled like any concerned healer. “Let me take a look at you, Soren. These headaches sound nasty. I brought something special to help calm the storms in your mind.”

I sat on the edge of the bed, eyes narrowed. “Special how? I have had headaches before. Never needed rare herbs for them.”

She set her bag down and pulled out a small pouch. “This root eases the pressure. Very effective for cases like yours. Mix it in hot water and drink it slow.”

Rhydian crossed his arms. “Will it stop the memories too? Or just the pain?”

Mira poured hot water from a kettle into a cup. “It should quiet the mind overall. Make things less chaotic inside. You will feel more like yourself again.”

I watched her hands carefully. As she stirred the tea, her fingers slipped something small and dark into the cup. A root. Thin and twisted. She covered it fast with more stirring but I caught the move.

“Smells strong,” I said, taking the cup from her. “What exactly is in this?”

“Just a blend to soothe,” she replied smoothly. “Drink up while it is warm. The faster it works, the better.”

I lifted the cup to my lips but only pretended to sip. The liquid touched my tongue enough to taste bitterness. I set it down on the table beside me. “Give it a minute. My stomach is still uneasy from earlier.”

Mira pulled up a chair. “Of course. Tell me how the episodes feel. Any new voices or flashes?”

Rhydian stayed near the window but his eyes never left us. “He has been fighting hard. The training showed us more than we expected.”

I kept my voice steady. “The headaches come with full memories now. Not just pieces. It feels like someone is pushing me aside on purpose.”

Mira nodded like she understood. “That is common with these bindings. The foreign essence wants control. My tea should help quiet your own thoughts so the transition feels smoother.”

My stomach twisted. “Transition? You mean letting the other one take over faster?”

She smiled again but it did not reach her eyes. “Think of it as easing the struggle. Less pain for you in the long run.”

I glanced at Rhydian. He looked tense. “Mira, be straight with us. What is that root really doing?”

She waved a hand. “Just medicine. Nothing to worry about. Soren, finish your tea. You will thank me later.”

I picked up the cup again and pretended to drink more. Instead I let most of it spill behind the table when she looked away. The little I tasted already made my thoughts feel fuzzy at the edges.

“Tell me more about your work,” I said, buying time. “How long have you been treating pack members with these special roots?”

Mira leaned back. “Many years. Some cases need extra help when the mind fights itself. Like yours. The root calms the native spirit. Makes room for stronger echoes to guide you.”

Rhydian stepped forward. “Guide him? Or replace him?”

She hesitated for the first time. “The process cannot be stopped now. Better to help it along gently than let it tear him apart.”

My blood ran cold. I set the empty cup down hard. “You are doing this on purpose. Suppressing me so Elio comes through faster. This is not treatment. This is speeding up the end of me.”

Mira stood up quickly. “You are confused from the pain. The root is helping. You will see.”

I stood too, legs steady despite the headache. “I saw you slip it in. I know what you are doing. Why help the echo win?”

Rhydian moved between us. “Answer him, Mira. Now.”

She looked at him with careful eyes. “The pack needs stability. Elio understood leadership better. If his wisdom returns through this boy, it could save us all from worse threats.”

I laughed bitterly. “So I am just a tool. You want me gone so the golden boy can whisper advice again.”

Mira gathered her bag. “The choice was never yours. The binding happened. I am only easing the path.”

Rhydian blocked her way to the door. “You will not touch him again. No more roots. No more visits. We handle this ourselves.”

She met his gaze. “You are making a mistake. Fighting it will only cause more pain.”

“Leave,” he said flatly.

Mira gave me one last look before walking out. The door closed behind her with a soft click. Silence filled the room.

I turned to Rhydian. “We cannot trust her. Or anyone in the medical circle. She wants me erased.”

He nodded slowly. “I saw the slip too. The way she moved her hand. This goes deeper than we thought.”

I sat back down, head still pounding. “What do we do? If the healer is against me, who else is?”

Rhydian pulled up the chair Mira had used. “We keep this between us for now. No more outside help. I watch your back. You tell me everything the memories show.”

I studied his face. “Even if it hurts? Even if it shows Elio planning things against you?”

“Especially then,” he answered. “No more secrets. We are in this together until the end.”

I let out a long breath. “A truce then. Tense and quiet but real. No more tests that push me over the edge. No more surprise healers.”

He reached out and rested a hand on my shoulder. “Truce. I protect you from them. You fight to stay you.”

The room felt smaller with just us. The spilled tea sat dark on the floor behind the table. Proof of betrayal. My head still ached but my mind felt clearer now that I knew the truth.

“I am scared this truce might not be enough,” I said quietly. “The echoes are getting louder. The root would have made them stronger.”

Rhydian squeezed my shoulder. “Then we stay ahead of it. Together. Starting with locking down who we talk to.”

I nodded. “No one else gets close. Not Mira. Not the enforcers if we can help it. Just you and me figuring this out.”

He stood up and paced once across the room. “I will make sure she stays away. But Soren, if she is helping the binding on purpose, others might be too.”

I watched him move. “We watch everyone. Quietly. No open accusations yet.”

“Agreed,” he said. He stopped pacing and looked at me. “You did good pretending to drink that. Smart thinking.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. “Had to. The bitterness gave it away. One sip and I felt it pulling at me.”

Rhydian sat down again. “We take shifts watching you sleep if we have to. No more surprises.”

I leaned back against the wall. “A silent truce. You guard me. I stay honest about every memory. Even the ugly ones.”

“Deal,” he said firmly. “Now rest while you can. The headaches might get worse without her fake medicine.”

I closed my eyes for a moment. “Thank you for believing me. Most would have let her keep dosing me.”

He stayed quiet for a beat. “I see you fighting, Soren. That is enough for me.”

The room settled into calm but my thoughts raced. The pack healer wanted me gone. The binding was being helped along. My only real ally sat across from me with his own pain and doubts.

We had a truce. Tense and silent. But it was something. For now it had to be enough.