Consciousness meant pain. Involuntarily Summer projected, fear / pain / resistance / negation, but even her own body was resisting the coma now, and slowly her eyes slipped open. A wholly unfamiliar face hovered over her, dark eyed and dark haired and sharp with bones. In fact, nothing at all was familiar, and a whimper escaped her.
Merlin shushed her gently and offered her a small smile. It’s okay. You’re safe, he assured Summer telepathically. I’m sorry if I scared you. I found you in the street and brought you here.
He wasn’t lying, she could tell that immediately. He believed she was safe, and he was speaking into her mind.
Magic.
He had magic too. And he was telling her she was safe.
Summer didn’t actually relax any, but the spasms softened, leaving her muscles aching. “Where am I?” she whispered. “Who are you?”
Oh, right. I’m Merlin, he introduced himself, and we’re in Gaius’ and my chambers. Gaius is the court physician, but unfortunately, he’s out at the moment. He shifted awkwardly before asking, Those muscle spasms, do you normally get those? I mean, they’re probably bad news whether you get them normally or not, but I figured I might as well ask.
Court? He’d — Merlin — had brought her to the /court/? She was dead. She was dead and someone had forgotten to tell her. Summer rubbed at her face, muffling her next words. “Yes. Yes, they’re … normal. It’s … part of my magic. Part of the price.”
Merlin’s eyes widened in surprise. That is… That’s one heck of a price, he replied quietly. Is there any way to help ease them even a bit? Gaius would probably know, but…
She held up a hand, slowly, and a tiny flame grew in it, grew and hovered, then dwindled away. “That’s how I avoid them. The … energy has to go somewhere. There’s no avoiding it.” Closing her hand, she struggled to sit up. “Thank you.”