The restoration took four hours. Longer than most, because growth gifts had particularly complex pathway structures. Intertwined with life force in ways that required extraordinary care. Aria worked with patient precision, clearing scar tissue cell by cell, coaxing pathways to remember their proper shape.
Grandmother Iris watched with the focused attention of a healer recognizing expertise even in unfamiliar techniques. Once she whispered, "What you are doing, I can almost see it. The energy moving under your hands."
"You have healer's sight," Aria murmured without breaking concentration. "Undeveloped but present. We can work on that later if you want."
The moment of integration came suddenly. Marcus gasped as his gift essence reconnected with his pathways, the dormant seed suddenly receiving water and light. His hands began to glow with gentle green light.
