My heart thundered, and my stomach turned, my body swaying again. I was so fucking dizzy, I could barely stand straight.
“Auriel?” I hissed, prying his hand from my mouth. “Can you travel?”
“No,” he whispered, forcing his hand back to shush me. “Not this time.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, barely daring to breathe. The front of my hair was plastered to my forehead with sweat. Auriel’s body was too hot next to mine. I was burning up.
The door started to open.
Shit. Shit.
“Turion Kevel.” This was a new voice, more distant. From a vadati? “New sighting inside the Katurium. We’ve got Lyriana. Arresting her now.”
“Turion Abner, bind her and anyone you see with her at once. Lock the whole Katurium down. I’m on my way.” His footsteps moved back over our heads, returning to the front door.
“See you at the pole tonight,” snapped Kevel. “Three lashes. Sundown. You miss it—you won’t be leaving your house for a week, Glemarian shit.”
The front door slammed shut. I pressed my back against the closet wall and sank to my knees, no longer able to hold myself up.
Auriel swung the closet door open, allowing light on me and my crouched position.
“Lyriana?” Auriel yelled in concern, and sank before me. His hand was on my forehead. “You’re not just feverish. You’re burning up. I thought you felt off in there.”
I was clammy, and nauseated. And for a second, I wanted to push his hand away. His skin was too warm.
I needed to cool down. I needed Rhyan’s cool touch. His aura. His cold. Him. Just him. I needed Rhyan. Not Auriel.
Not …
Auriel craned his neck back, shouting at Sean and Branwyn who were rushing down the stairs. “Help me!” Auriel yelled.
“We need to get her into a bed,” Branwyn said, her eyes on Auriel. “Now!”
He lifted me up into his arms, my head cradled against his chest as Branwyn led us to a cot that she pulled out from behind a shelf. Gently Auriel laid me down on it, asking Branwyn to grab fresh water and sunleaves. He pulled back the bandage and I hissed. “No. Not you. I want Rhyan.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
I looked at my arm, bile rising in my throat, my vision blurring. Everything above my elbow was red and swollen. The bandage was soaked through, mottled brown and yellow. Dark blood still oozed from it. Alongside the blood, cloudy yellow pus eked out, making a path down my arm and onto the bed. I swallowed back bile as the smell hit me, like something rotting.
“Shit!” Auriel yelled. “Lyriana, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I had no idea it was this bad. We’re going to have to clean it out. It’s going to hurt. A lot. But I’m going to put you to sleep so you don’t feel it.”
I shook my head. “What? No. No. I can’t sleep. We don’t have time for that.” My eyes burned—I wasn’t sure from the fever or tears.
“Well, we’re going to make some.” He pushed my hair back from my forehead, and I became aware of Sean. His face had paled, and his aura was exploding with grief. He’d been keeping it clamped down since he’d found me, since the visit from the turion. But now, it was rushing against me. A mirror for how I felt inside. And it was agony.
“Auriel,” I whimpered. “Please. Don’t. It hurts.”
He kissed my forehead. “I know. I know it does,Meka. We’re going to fix it. You’ll be okay. You’re going to rest, and we’re going to take care of you.”
“Not my arm,” I said, shaking my head. “My heart.”
A tear rolled down his cheek. “We’re going to try and fix that, too,” he said, his voice hushed. “But first this. Okay? I’m going to put you to sleep now. You won’t feel anything.”
“No!” I shouted. “No! No! I can’t! Please, I need to stay awake. To find Rhyan. To find Meera and Jules! And?—”
“Lyriana!” he scolded. “You’re burning up with the infection! You’re in no condition to fight. You can’t even stand up right now. Not until you heal.”
“Auriel! Sean! Please, please don’t?—”
