“You’re not a tool. One thing you should know about my brother is that he enjoys getting under people’s skin. And he seems to enjoy provoking you more than anyone else. You’ve captured his interest, and his interest is often lethal.” Turning, he opens the door to the healers’ quarters.
The air is thick with dried herbs, blood, and incense. It’s cooler in here, and a hollow ache pulses in my gut as Axia’s gaze meets mine.
“You’re here for your friend.”
I nod, suddenly unable to speak. Tiernon takes my hand.
“I heard what you did.” Axia smiles. “Everyone is talking about it. You were very brave.”
“Can I see her?”
“She’s unconscious,” Axia murmurs, gesturing for us to follow her into the corridor.
I swallow around the lump in my throat. “Will she wake up?”
Axia nods, and my breath explodes out of my lungs in a relieved sob. Tiernon wraps his arm around my shoulders, and I sink again into the familiar comfort.
“Another healer is working on her now. Roisin has purged the drug from her system, but it did a lot of damage. We healed most of her cuts and bruises, along with the nasty blow she took to the head.”
Axia opens a door. Maeva looks as white as the sheets on the bed, and one of the healers nods at Axia, returning to her chanting as she spreads a thick paste over Maeva’s forehead.
“This is Roisin,” Axia murmurs. “She’s one of our best healers. Maeva is in good hands.”
“You can give her my blood,” Tiernon says.
Axia smiles. “That would be most appreciated, Primus.”
Tiernon squeezes my hand, and Roisin nods to a chair next to the bed. “You can sit with her for a little while. She’s lucky to have a friend like you.”
A friend like me.
The ringing in my ears drowns out whatever else Axia says, and with another squeeze, she walks away with Tiernon to collect his blood.
Roisin follows after them and I sit. Maeva looks small, fragile. The first time I saw her, I thought she was a walking victim. But she has an unshakable core of inner strength.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
I sit in silence for a long moment, reliving every second of the last hour in my mind.
Baldric and Hester went after Maeva because, despite my best efforts, Maeva managed to become something close to a friend. And I threw that friendship back in her face. I told myself I was keeping her safe, when really I was protecting myself from the thought of losing another person I cared about.
Tiernon reenters the room, leaning down to nuzzle at my neck. I sigh against him, and he presses his mouth to mine. “You’re exhausted,” he murmurs against my lips.
“I’ll meet you back at the imperius’s quarters. I just want to spend some time here first. And I want to see how Leon is doing too.”
He presses a kiss to the tip of my nose. “Very well.”
HOURS LATER, I jolt awake, heart thundering as I peer into the dim light. The room is cold, and the shadows stir, pushing my heart into my throat.
Rorrik slips from those shadows, staring thoughtfully down at me.
If he wanted to kill me, he could have done it in the arena. Or just seconds ago when I was sleeping.
“What time is it?” I ask, my voice hoarse.
“Late. All the good little novices are already in bed.”
I roll my eyes and check on Maeva. Some of the swelling has gone down around her jaw, the bruises turning a sickly green.
