Sebastian awoke as any other morning, and for one brief moment he almost believed it was any other morning. Until he opened his eyes and recognized the hospital ward and felt the cot beneath him. He took a sharp breath as the events of the battle returned. To a point. Did Falcon survive? He had to have, the vision was clear. But then, the vision seemed clear that he would not return to the hospital, and here he was. Falcon’s wound had been mortal, and there was nothing in the vision about that either. The ogres had interrupted him as he had started knitting the torn muscles together and–

  He sat upright with a gasp. He had prayed to God for deliverance and the ogres had been struck down in front of him. He looked down at his hands. His gift had only been for healing and for warning others of danger. “What have I done?”

  “You saved Sacarosa.” Falcon’s deep, confident voice answered beside him. “You saved my life and the lives of everyone inside this hospital. Plus many of the people outside of it.”

  Sebastian swung his legs over the side of the cot and turned to face the knight. The warrior lay on another cot with his arm tucked over his wounded side and his other hand behind his head. “When you put it like that it sounds so much better than ‘you broke your vow not to shed blood and killed three ogres.’”

  Falcon barked a laugh that immediately had him doubled over with a grimace of pain. “Okay, clearly laughing is on the list of things I can’t do for a while.”

  “Let me see your wound.” Sebastian was at his side and lifting the hem of Falcon’s tunic before Falcon could object. He didn’t get far enough to get a good look at the wound, though, before Falcon blocked him with his arm.

  “It’s just a scratch now, thanks to you. I don’t want you putting yourself back in that cot over me.”

  “I’m fine, I promise. At least I will be once I eat something.” He was hungrier than he could ever remember being. Hungrier even than the time he’d committed to a full fast starting at sundown on Good Friday until after Easter Mass.

  “Then you can heal it once you eat something.” Falcon kept his arm over the wound and glared at him.

  “At least let me take a look at it.” Sebastian took Falcon by the wrist and pulled his arm away from the wound.

  The wound looked clean enough, though somewhat more healed than he remembered, and perhaps a bit inflamed.

  “How long did I sleep this time?” Sebastian made the sign of the cross over the wound and subtly laid his hand on it, hoping his question might distract the knight enough for him to finish the healing he’d started.

  “Three days. And you know I can tell what you’re doing, right?” Falcon sucked a breath between his teeth, but didn’t try to stop him again.

  “Three days?” Sebastian frowned at the wound. That explained its appearance. “Did the ogres try to attack again?”

  Falcon didn’t answer right away, but Sebastian himself was too distracted to notice. The sutures would have to be removed for him to finish healing, but he was feeling a bit lightheaded and worried trying to leave to find something to cut them with would end with him on the floor and Falcon pulling the sutures himself trying to help. Sebastian opted instead to motion for Falcon to move his feet so he could sit on the end of his cot as casually as possible and repeat his question. “So did the ogres attack again? Who fought them off if you were hurt? I feel like my vision turned too symbolic by the end.”

  “No, your vision was pretty spot-on.” Falcon didn’t look fooled by Sebastian’s attempt at hiding his weakness, but moved his legs and sat up slowly so Sebastian could sit down. “You just slept through the rest of it.”

  “The ‘shadow of death’ was me killing the ogres, wasn’t it?” Sebastian asked softly. He didn’t feel nearly as bad about killing the ogres as he felt he should.

  “There’s no question about that.” Falcon matched Sebastian’s sober tone even as he watched Sebastian carefully. “Just going to remind you before we go any further that God answered your prayer for deliverance by killing the ogres and that if the ogres hadn’t died many innocent people would have. Both the cause and the judgment were righteous.”

  “I know. It’s just that I made a vow not to shed blood and somehow went from not killing foxes to killing three ogres.” Sebastian shook his head and trailed off as Falcon’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

  “First, technically, no blood was shed. They just died.” Falcon raised a hand to stop him.

  “Semantics. The spirit of my vow was not to kill. God knows that and will hold me accountable.” Sebastian finally noticed that Falcon was acting like he wasn’t sure how to tell him something. “What else, technically?”

  “Technically, God brought down judgment on the whole ogre army, not just the three you saw. Every ogre, cursed beast, and treacherous human within a mile of the city walls fell in a moment.”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Sebastian caught his breath. All of them? Humans, too? Evil humans, but still. God forgive me. I never meant to kill… but they would have taken so many lives.

  “Easy there, Seb. Remember to breathe.” Falcon’s voice was soft, and his hand was on Sebastian’s back, steadying him. “God worked a miracle through you that saved the city. That’s the only thing you need to think about.”

  “How…” Sebastian pulled in a breath and tried again. “How many?”

  “I don’t think you need to know that.”

  “I need to know that, Falcon. I’m sure nearly anyone else will tell me.”

  Falcon looked mildly alarmed by that, and his hand on Sebastian’s back tightened to grip the back of Sebastian’s tunic.

  “They’re still counting, but the estimates I heard put it near ten thousand.” Falcon gestured with his free hand as he repeated slowly, “God worked a miracle through you that saved Sacarosa. You healed me when I was as good as dead. At least that many more owe their lives to you. Let’s keep our priorities straight here.”

  “Ten thousand.” Sebastian breathed. A miracle of Biblical proportions. He felt torn between worshiping God that he was counted a worthy vessel for such a miracle, and crawling to Father Mattias in abject repentance. “Is it bad that I don’t feel badly that they’re dead?”

  “I don’t ever feel badly about ending evil or protecting the innocent.” Falcon snorted. “But I’m not a healer or a priest.”

  Sebastian groaned and dropped his face into his hands. “I am going to be doing penance for the rest of my life.”

  “The penance will fit the offense, Sebastian. You know that.” Father Mattias approached. He sounded like he was trying to be reassuring, though his words certainly missed the mark. That was precisely what Sebastian was afraid of.

  A low rumble in Falcon’s throat indicated what the warrior thought of any penance and would have made Sebastian laugh if he wasn’t already worried his lack of sobriety would factor into his penance.

  Sebastian took a deep breath and lifted his head to face Father Mattias, ready to take whatever penance Father Mattias judged right. Instead, the older priest offered him a large, steaming bowl of hearty stew.

  “Eat first. There is much we must discuss, and you’ll do better on a full stomach.”

  That certainly didn’t make him feel any better, but Father Mattias was right that he needed to eat.

  Falcon’s hand moved to squeeze Sebastian’s shoulder heavily as the knight turned to swing his legs over the side and place his feet on the floor. The knight rubbed at his stomach. “Hey, I barely felt that.”

  “If Father Mattias removes the sutures, I can finish the job.” Sebastian offered around a mouthful of stew. He gestured at the wound with his spoon. “I don’t like leaving a job half finished.”

  “I’m alive, Seb. You can make sure the job is finished later.” Falcon shook his head. “We’ll have plenty of time.”

  Falcon’s comment reminded Sebastian that Falcon had indicated he and Father Mattias had interpreted the remainder of Sebastian’s vision.

  “How about while I eat, one of you explains the rest of my vision to me.” Sebastian caught the look traded between the other two men and sighed. He set the spoon back in the bowl. “Look, I know I can’t stay here. Is that my penance?” A terrifying thought struck him. He was responsible for ten thousand deaths. Could that cost him his ordination, or worse? “Father Mattias, I’m not to be excommunicated, am I?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Falcon took the bowl from Sebastian’s shaking hands and glared at Father Mattias. “If I had my way, you’d be hailed as a hero. Nobody’s getting excommunicated.”

  “Of course not, Sebastian,” Father Mattias scolded. “Your penance is simply that you must heal as many as the deaths you are responsible for.”

  “Oh.” Sebastian leaned against Falcon’s shoulder, weak with relief. He had dedicated his life to using his gift to heal people already. The penance seemed a just consequence and one he would willingly accept. He gripped the edge of the cot and started to stand. “I’d better get started, then.”

  “Sorry, that’s not happening.” Falcon pushed him back down on the cot and shoved the bowl back in his hands. “You’re going to eat, then rest. You can heal who you want after dark, but we have to be out of here by dawn.”

  “So I am leaving.” Sebastian took the bowl and poked a chunk of meat absently. “I don’t understand. I can do a lot of good here.”

  “Andrew Demas, the governor’s man, told the governor about what happened at the battle.” Father Mattias lowered his voice and rested a hand on Sebastian’s knee. “Your healing Sir Peregrine’s mortal wound was enough to draw his attention. Your defeat of the ogre army assured you a place in the governor’s court.”

  Sebastian shot his head up and looked from one grim face to the other. “No. You told them I’m a healer. I’m glad the city was saved, but I’m never planning on doing that again.”

  “People like that only see power.” Falcon’s mouth twisted into a grim smile. “And the power to heal the dead and level armies is not one they’re going to let slip through their fingers.”

  “In fact, if Demas found you’re awake now, he’d probably haul you to the palace before Sir Peregrine could get you free from here.”

  “What Father Mattias means is if Demas found out you’re awake now, I’d probably end up wanted for murder before we could leave the city.” Falcon crossed his arms and glared at the older priest. “Father Mattias and I don’t see eye to eye on how to deal with the governor’s man.”

  “I’d rather avoid both being conscripted into the governor’s army and being complicit in a murder, if at all possible.” Sebastian rolled his eyes. “What are my other options?”

  “Your vision. The end of it anyway.” Father Mattias gestured to Falcon. “Sir Peregrine has rather aggressively offered to help you escape the city.”

  “Tell it like it is, Father.” Falcon took a deep breath and shifted on the cot to look at Sebastian. “I owe you my life. With my order dishonored, I can think of no better cause than pledging my service to the seer priest who healed me and called judgment from heaven.”

  “Calling judgment from heaven isn’t something I’m precisely proud of right now.” Sebastian reminded him. “It’s also the direct reason for my needing to escape to begin with.” He sighed. “And since I am determined not to do it again, I am going to need someone with your skills at my side.”

  Sebastian had never been outside the city, and while he’d known the vision indicated he would have to leave, he hadn’t had time to think about it much. He thanked God for providing him an ally so he didn’t have to go on his journey alone.

  “I will help remove Sir Peregrine’s sutures so that you can finish healing him, then I recommend you both rest until dark.” Father Mattias advised. “You have a long journey ahead of you.”