The first thing she noticed was something scratching the side of her neck. Tissaia tried to brush it off, but it moved with her fingers. Her head ached as she opened her eyes and squinted into the brightness. She was lying on a bed inside a small, white tent that was being pierced by sunlight. There was a woollen blanket draped across her and she kicked it off. It was difficult; her limbs were weak, and they ached from the slightest movement. Tissaia sat up and massaged her temples.

"Tissaia?"

Sabrina looked over her shoulder at her. Her hair was dishevelled, and she was still wearing the same bloody and tattered dress. She was slumped in a chair on the opposite side of the tent and there was a woman Tissaia didn't recognize lying on her back in the bed next to her.

"What… happened?" Tissaia asked.

"You passed out after I found you. I took Yennefer and then sent some of the Temerian soldiers to find you and bring you to camp. You've been asleep for almost a day. The healers had to give you a sleeping draught so that they could work the dimeritium out of your system."

"Yennefer… where did you take her? Is she safe?"

Sabrina looked at her hands. "Nowhere, Tissaia. I couldn't. I tried, I swear, but I couldn't take her."

Tissaia got up from her bed and moved over to Sabrina, kneeling beside the chair. She took Sabrina's hands, which were clasped in her lap, and squeezed them. Sabrina looked at her and Tissaia saw that her eyes were red and her face puffy.

"Where is she, Sabrina?"

Sabrina inclined her head towards the woman lying on the bed. She had straight blonde hair and a freckled complexion, and she was dressed in a well-made but simple green dress. Tissaia looked at the woman closely, then sat on the edge of the bed. She felt Yennefer's presence beside her. Tissaia waved her hands over the body and dispelled Sabrina's illusion.

With the dirt removed from her body, the lights dancing across Yennefer's skin were brighter than before. Tissaia touched her face gently. Yennefer's presence felt stronger than before. She was recovering, but not as much as she would have expected. Tissaia still felt something strange about Yennefer and wondered whether it was because of the chaos pounding in her blood. She'd never seen anything like it before.

"After you told me to hide her, I took Yennefer through a portal and into the keep," said Sabrina, "but something happened. When we went through her skin started to burn and for a moment her heart stopped. I thought… I thought I'd killed her."

Sabrina closed her eyes and tilted her head back then took a deep breath.

"I hid her in the ruins of the tower while I sent someone to help you and then I tried to heal the wound in her stomach. I managed to close it, but her skin reacted to my magic again and I realised that I wouldn't be able to take her through another portal. I didn't know what else to do, so I covered Yennefer with an illusion and tried to help her heal without magic. The cream I've been using has made a difference, but not much. I'm sorry, Tissaia, I know I should have done more but-"

"You've done well, Sabrina," Tissaia interrupted. "You saved us, and you've kept Yennefer alive and hidden. I know that can't have been easy, she's always made for a horrible patient." Sabrina smiled faintly. "Now, off to bed with you. I can take over from here. Get some rest."

Sabrina nodded and slipped out of the tent. Tissaia tied the flap shut behind her and sat down in the empty chair. She noticed a small bowl of cream sitting on a barrel beside Yennefer's head. Noticing that it had the same scent as Yennefer's skin, Tissaia took the bowl and started applying the ointment to her body. Yennefer's skin was warm, dry and cracked, and when the light wasn't passing through it, it looked sore and red.

When Tissaia finished applying the cream, she leaned back in her chair and thought about what Sabrina had said. Her story suggested that Yennefer had somehow become sensitive to magic, reacting negatively to healing spells that were designed to work with the body. Tissaia tried to remember if she had ever heard of or dealt with a similar case, but she didn't think she had. She knew that Triss was allergic to magic potions, but she didn't react to spells. No one did. Yennefer's circumstances were unique. Tissaia had never known a mage to do what she had done and survive. Yennefer's chaos should have killed. It was still trying to.

Tissaia sighed and held her head in her hands. Nothing with Yennefer was ever straightforward. Even unconscious, she was still causing trouble. Besides keeping her out of sight and away from Nilfgaard, Tissaia also had this mystery to solve. She didn't know how long it would take for Yennefer to wake up, but as soon as she did, they needed to move and without using a portal it would be difficult. She needed to work out what was wrong before then and she had to do it without drawing attention to herself.

At least she had Sabrina. Tissaia knew she could count on her student to pick up her role and organize the other mages so that she could stay with Yennefer. But Tissaia would have to make an appearance sooner or later. She had too many other people depending on her to pretend that she was dead. Tissaia couldn't look after Yennefer forever.

Tissaia spent the rest of the day examining Yennefer's condition. She tried different types of spells and magic against patches of her skin and found that she reacted the same to each. The stronger the magic the more Yennefer's skin reacted and the weaker it made her presence. Remembering that Sabrina had said that the herbs and medicines she'd been administering weren't as effective as expected, Tissaia guessed that the illusion she had used to hide Yennefer had been irritating her and working against the healing effects of the cream and draughts.

But without that spell, Yennefer was vulnerable. Nilfgaard would still be looking for her and Tissaia didn't want anyone to see Yennefer is case Fringilla or one of her mages tried to invade their thoughts, or if there were spies among them. Tissaia wanted Yennefer to recover more of her strength before she moved her, but the longer they stayed the greater the risk that Yennefer would be caught, and trying to hide her with spells hindered her healing. Tissaia wasn't sure what to do, so she decided to sleep on it.

Tissaia levitated her bed next to Yennefer's and put a lit oil-lamp on a barrel between them. She re-applied the cream and brushed Yennefer's hair and then her own. When she was finished, Tissaia conjured a small barrier across the tent flap that would wake her up if anyone tried to come in before collapsing into bed.

The hair on the back of Tissaia's neck stood on end and she shuddered. Her eyes snapped open and she shot up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. The empty tent was dimly illuminated by the oil lamp. Tissaia got up and checked the spell that she had placed by the tent flap. It was still intact. Shaking, Tissaia dropped onto the end of her bed and wrapped her fingers around her necklace.

She looked over her shoulder at Yennefer. Her closed eyes were twitching as she tilted her head side to side and fidgeted under her blanket. The star pendant at her neck flickered and Tissaia felt another ripple in the air as Yennefer sent out a pulse of magic. She sat on the edge of Yennefer's bed and held her face.

"Yennefer," Tissaia whispered, lightly tapping her face. "Yennefer, wake up."

Tissaia felt another surge of magic as Yennefer tossed her head making her hands slip. She gripped Yennefer's shoulders and tried to hold her down.

Yennefer, Tissaia projected, you need to calm down. Calm down, and open your eyes, Yennefer. I'm right here with you.

Yennefer kept thrashing. The barrel beside her head started to shake and the flame inside the oil lamp flared. Yennefer's chaos was out of control. Tissaia felt her invasive and almost painful presence as she tore and pulled at the source. Anyone nearby who was tuned to magic would be able to sense her, and Yennefer's chaos was getting stronger.

Yennefer, you must listen to me. Listen to me, Yennefer. Stop this, please.

A brush of hot air ruffled Tissaia's dress and blew back her hair as Yennefer gasped and opened her eyes. She tried to sit up, but Tissaia's hands were firmly pushing against her shoulders, keeping Yennefer against the bed. Yennefer's eyes darted around the room.

"Yennefer, I'm right here," Tissaia whispered. "You're safe. It's over."

"Where am I? Why is it so dark?" Yennefer croaked.

Tissaia froze, her lips parted. Yennefer was looking in her direction with wide eyes, but she wouldn't meet her gaze. Her hand trembled slightly as Tissaia brushed some of the hair from Yennefer's face. Yennefer recoiled and curled her fingers tightly around Tissaia's forearm. Her violet irises were dull.

"You're going to be okay, Yennefer. I promise."

Yennefer paused. "Tissaia, what aren't you telling me?"

"Yennefer, you need to calm down-"

"I'm not doing anything until I can see you."

Yennefer pushed off Tissaia's hand and sat up. She started twisting her fingers.

"Yennefer, don't!"

Tissaia grabbed her wrist as Yennefer conjured a ball of light in her hand. It hovered in the air above her leg as Yennefer screamed and doubled over, clutching her sides. Her magic spiked, and Tissaia felt a jolt in her stomach that gave her goosebumps. Yennefer's presence grew wilder and more unstable. Tissaia tried to hold Yennefer's face without burning her hands.

"Yennefer, listen to me. You need to get your chaos under control." Focus on my voice, Tissaia projected, and breathe with me. Feel me, Yennefer. Don't fight it.

"Why can't I see you, Tissaia?!" Yennefer asked, clinging to her arms. "I can feel my light, but I can only see darkness. What's going on?"

Focus, Yennefer. Control your chaos. Don't let it take over, it will kill you.

Tissaia tried to deepen their connection but Yennefer resisted her. They struggled against each other and then Yennefer gave way. Tissaia felt her mind and body and tried to guide them. Yennefer's breathing slowed as her lungs started to work in-sync with Tissaia's. She could feel Yennefer inside her head and clenched her jaw when she felt her try to pry into her thoughts. Tissaia tried to stop her, but they were too connected. She felt Yennefer searching around in the back of her head.

I'm blind, Yennefer's thought rang inside her head.

Yennefer…

Yennefer completely withdrew from her Tissaia's mind. She tried to hold on, but Yennefer cut the connection and the sudden loss made Tissaia feel empty. The tones of red and gold in Yennefer's skin started to dance as the floor trembled.

Tissaia dropped her hands from Yennefer's face and pulled her forwards. She wrapped her hand around the back of Yennefer's neck and held her, the side of their heads pressed together. The Rectoress closed her eyes and screwed up her face. She began an incantation and Yennefer moaned in pain.

Stop! Stop, you're hurting me! Tissaia. Tissaia, stop!

Yennefer's nails dugs into Tissaia's shoulders as she tried to pull her off, scratching her back and neck before going limp. Tissaia finished her incantation and let go of Yennefer's neck. She felt her presence shrink and her chaos calm as Tissaia's magic put Yennefer into a deep sleep.

"I'm sorry," Tissaia mumbled into Yennefer's hair.

Breathless, her right-hand throbbing, Tissaia hugged Yennefer's body. She had hurt her, and Yennefer didn't know why. Tissaia hadn't wanted to, but it was for her own good. Someone might have found her. Yennefer had lost control; she could have killed herself. This was for her own good. But Yennefer couldn't understand.

Blisters had already begun to form on Tissaia's hand when she put Yennefer back to bed. She soothed her skin with magic, applied some of Yennefer's cream and wrapped a piece of cloth, torn from her dress, around her palm. With her hand bandaged, Tissaia took the cream and started administering it to Yennefer. She didn't go back to bed when she was finished. Instead, Tissaia stayed up for the rest of the night, making some more cream and medicine while watching Yennefer and making sure that no one had found her.

I wish I could tell you this is as angsty as it gets... but I would be lying. Hoping to update again next weekend, however, I have a lot of work to do for my dissertation so I can't promise anything :)

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