She grasps my arm in a strong grip. “How will you find a healer in the middle of the night?”
“There are healers who work at odd hours.”
I’ll turn the world upside down to find one. I don’t care. She’s still holding my arm tight and I bring her close.
“It will be fine,” I whisper. “Can you lie down and rest? It’s been an incredibly long night.”
“For you as well.”
“I’ll stay awake as long as it’s necessary.”
“The Witch King…” Her voice is shaky.
“Is on his way right now?” I don’t know how I manage to keep my tone flippant considering all that’s happening.
“Not right now, obviously, but?—”
“Then rest,azalee. You moved an entire castle just a few hours ago. Cut the servitude bonds not long before that. Then you beheaded the Witch King. I’d say it’s enough for a lifetime, let alone a night.”
She lets out a soft, lovely chuckle. “Fair. But check on Azur. He did most of the castle moving.”
I kiss her cheek. “I’ll check on him. Don’t worry. And I suppose I’ll just ignore the fact he tried to kill me a few hours ago.”
My words were meant as a joke, but her face turns somber. “Sorry. For asking you to bring him here. I don’t fully trust him, but keeping him hidden is what matters the most right now.”
“Whatever you say, wife. I think I’d bring the Witch King himself if you asked.”
“You would not.” At least she laughs.
“Hey, I brought Azur. Do you doubt anything? Stay. I’ll go and see what I can do.”
Astra nods and lies back on the bed. I don’t want to leave her, but I need to find a healer as soon as possible.
It’s that thought that speeds up my heart but also springs me into action and makes me leave the bedroom, leave Astra. As I step in the hallway, I see a strange figure coming in.
A nymph—out of the water. They rarely do that, rarely reveal that they can spend some time without breathing or that they can sense what happens on the island. It’s a male nymph, his green skin looking almost black in the poorly lit hallway.
King Marlak,he speaks in my head, its voice deep and haunting.I’m the Queen’s healer, and I ask for authorization to see your guest, Azur Sestin.
A healer in the middle of the night. I can’t believe my luck, can’t believe the nymphs are helping us this much. “Sure. Can you see Astra too?”
Astra, yes. And you. But before anything, I’ll need some time alone with him.
Hopefully Azur won’t throw a fit because a nymph wants to heal him. I find Azur in one of the bedrooms, and before even entering, I can sense death looming and smell blood in the air. Lidiane, Ferer, and Ziven are standing around the bed as if it was a funeral.
“There’s a healer here. For Azur,” I say. My tone is so grave that it surprises me.
They turn to me, Lidiane’s eyes misty with tears.
I continue, “He needs to be alone with his patient, so…”
Azur extends a hand and holds Lidiane’s. “Don’t go. It’s pointless.”
There’s so much pain in his voice, regret perhaps. He sounds like a completely different fae than the Azur I know—or thought I knew.
Alone,the Nymph insists, and I think Lidiane hears him too, as she gets up and says, “I’ll be right back.”
Azur watches her as she leaves the room in quick steps, after Ziven and Ferer. The nymph walks in and I close the door, strangely worried about Azur’s fate.
