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She was vaguely aware of the cat from Glimmers carefully laying down next to Susan, her head resting gently against the girl’s shoulder.

Just stay steady.

She didn’t know how much time later the other voices and hands arrived with blankets, braces, a backboard and monitoring equipment. Fingers brushed over hers – tingling.

‘I’m Rissa. One of the doctors. Can you hold on to your spell while we move her?’

The words came from far away and didn’t make sense. Amrita looked up at Rayenne, who gave the newcomer a tiny shake of her head.

‘Really? Wow.’

Amrita felt, rather than saw, Rissa’s surprise. A small, very tired part of her wondered what it all meant, but Susan needed her attention more than bizarre and confusing questions did.

‘OK, here’s what we’re going to do. Standard spinal protection protocol. Neck collar on. Board under the patient. Gently and carefully. We’re all trained for this. You… Sorry, what’s your name?’

‘Amrita,’ Rayenne answered for her. Maybe she knew replying was beyond her right now. ‘She’s a friend of ours.’

‘OK, Amrita, you’re doing brilliantly. Can you keep her steady while I slip the C-collar into place?’

Steady was something she knew.

She could do steady.

She nodded, then winced at the stiffness in her own neck. She blinked, trying to get her vision back to normal.

‘Stay with us, Amrita. You’re doing great.’ She knew that voice. Mia? Where had she come from? A soothing coolness touched her shoulder and energy flooded into her like water rushing into a void.

Rayenne.

Amrita didn’t question how she knew that – she just focussed on keeping Susan steady while the world and other hands moved around her, doing what they needed to do.

‘On my count. One. Two. Three.’

The world shifted; her concentration broke.

‘It’s OK, Amrita, we’ve got her now. You did great. We’ll take it from here. You can let go now.’

She didn’t understand the words. Or how to stop the rush of energy or move her hands.

The hand resting on her shoulder and the feel of cool water vanished.

‘Amrita. Look at me.’ Rayenne’s voice was undeniable. Irresistible. When she met the other woman’s eyes, Amrita felt like the world tilted on its axis. She was dizzy, floating, yet anchored inescapably.

Rayenne filled Amrita’s mind – her presence cool, calm, powerful and terrible. Alien, yet deeply familiar. Lifegiving and healing, but devastating and destructive at the same time. Pulsing through her veins. She reached deep within Amrita to the place where the odd twisting sensation had come from earlier. Pressure and intensity grew until Amrita wanted to cry out, then the words came – very calmly, in Punjabi, English, and a hundred other languages she had heard but not understood before.

‘Let go.’

Even if she’d wanted to, Amrita couldn’t have ignored the command.

Pain crashed through her – vicious blows to her head, neck, leg and ribs that stole her breath and dimmed her vision. More hands – familiar and comforting – caught her as she wavered and toppled, losing her balance.

The last thing she remembered was Rayenne apologising as the world filled with chatter from impossible places and turned to golden, glittering light around her.

* * *

She’s awake.

The voice sounded odd – too far away but too close and loud at the same time, and Amrita tried to look around to find where it had come from. It was important… It was the same voice that had told her how to help. How to help before.