Chapter 217: Chapter 202: Backlash

Janis didn’t know how much time had passed. Something as distant and unimportant as the passage of time ceased to matter when your whole being was narrowed down to the magic. The pain, and the mana. She wasn’t sure how long she hovered between them, and she only vaguely became aware of anything happening in the outside world after things started improving.

It wasn’t easy. She had to corral her mana, which was suddenly much more restive than she’d ever experienced it before. And she felt strained and hurt on some fundamental level by whatever the backlash of their magic had done. It made it hard to focus, which was dangerous in this situation.

Finally, though, she’d imposed a semblance of order on it and the pain was receding, turning into only a blinding headache that pulsed behind her closed eyes and wrapped like a tightening steel vise around her temples. It made it hard to move, but not impossible. So, Janis blinked her eyes open.

It took a minute until she stopped seeing spots and her vision was no longer swimming, so she could try to take in what she saw.

She’d been vaguely aware of people nearby, towards the end, and now realized they must have moved her. She was lying on soft grass with folded-up cloth beneath her head, and several presences hovered near her. She could sense them even without seeing them, through the psychic link. Despite everything else, feeling herself being connected to it again was a relief.

She also immediately became aware of Regina’s attention on her. The Hive Queen’s notice was something she suspected all drones or members of the Hive could learn to feel, and as she’d been growing more powerful it had been growing less subtle. Janis groaned and sat up, blinking and trying to assess what her senses told her.

There was one person nearby who she couldn’t sense through the link, although, after a moment of surprise, she realized it only made sense. Madris stood over her, perhaps a meter away, looking down at her with a contemplative expression.

“Take it easy,” she said. “You are mostly recovered, but I wouldn’t do anything too strenuous for a while. Do not immerse yourself into your hive link too deeply, yet, at least.”

Janis nodded, which she quickly regretted. “Alright,” she said. “Thanks for the tip, and, uh, the help?” she trailed off.

“I did not do much,” Madris replied. “You dealt with the backlash yourself rather well.” The corners of her lips lifted up into a slight, lopsided smile that looked closer to a smirk. “Good job, girl.”

“The backlash?” Janis repeated, questioning.

“It was worse than I anticipated,” Madris replied. “I suspect that may be a feature intentionally built into the ritual. Or perhaps the use and effect of mana in the affected location is the cause. It will need some more research and perhaps careful testing.”

She apparently dealt with it well enough, Regina said. She also brought back a prisoner to ask about the ritual. She paused and then sent the equivalent of a warm hug. I’m glad you’re okay, Janis.

Thank you, Regina, Janis replied, relaxing a little despite herself. It seemed like things had gone pretty well while she was incapacitated, at least. Although she hoped it hadn’t been too long.

A System screen in the corner of her vision caught her attention, and Janis smiled when she read the notification.

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