Bala drowned out Nadir's screams with her own ringing ears. She couldn't believe what was happening in front of her. Or perhaps it was she didn't want to believe it.
She forced herself to look back down where Nyssa was lying. Naked on that wet sand. Hair sprawled around her head. A sob caught in her throat as she looked at the Princess's face, more of it visible from the black than it had been moments before.
Wait—
Her heart skipped so suddenly she almost vomited again.
The black marks were receding.
Bala skidded to her knees behind Nyssa's head. "Hey—“ She picked up her limp head and placed it on her knees, her hands pressing quickly to Nyssa's cheeks. "Hey—hey, hey— I see you, Princess—“ she picked up her head in her hand “—you're almost here. Keep going. You're almost home."
Nadir stopped fighting. He and Lex both stared at her.
"The lines are moving again," Bala pointed out.
The pair ran and nearly stumbled in the sand, pushing to either side of Nyssa. Nadir grabbed her hand, holding it firm as he kissed her knuckles.
"Follow our voices, Nyssa," he begged. "You're not alone. Take my hand."
Lex reached to Nyssa's neck, and a visible sigh left her lungs. "Come on, Nyssari. Come home."
Nadir kissed her hand again, pleading for her to come back in the old language.
"Take my hand, Princess," he finally whispered.
—Nyssa bolted upright.
The three of them fell backward at the abruptness.
For a moment, it was all Bala could do to comprehend what had just happened. Nyssa's chest heaved, her eyes still coming back from the black and gold.
Nadir was the first to recover. He sat up onto his knees and pressed his hands to her cheeks. Nyssa jumped as though he had hit her, her entire body visibly shaking.
"Hey—Nyssa! Hey!It's me!"
Nyssa froze as she met his gaze. Eyes wide and petrified.
"Nadir?"
Nadir visibly choked, but he brushed the tear off her cheek nonetheless. "Hello, Princess," he whispered.
Nyssa's body caved, and she reached for him. "Are you real?" she asked, her hand settling around his cheek.
"Yeah," he breathed. "Yeah, you're home."
Lex reached for Nyssa's leg and squeezed it. Nyssa turned, and her body sank just slightly.
"Lex?" she managed.
Lex reached up and ruffled Nyssa's hair, tears streaking her face. "Please don't do that again," she said softly.
A flinch of a smile passed her lips, and she looked back to Nadir. He pushed her hair off her face, obviously unwilling to let her go.
Her chest rose high once more.
And then she collapsed in his arms.
Bala fell back onto the sand with the deepest breath she'd ever taken.
