His words hit me like an ice shard.
Shit.
Azur will become a weapon of the Witch King himself? I still have my arms around Astra and hold her tight, perhaps selfishly relieved that she’s not about to face the same fate.
The healer continues, his tone chilling, ominous. “If you do not find a cure, your only solution is to stop that from happening by any means you can.” I can feel a wave of melancholy through the kitchen as everyone stares at the nymph wide-eyed, then he says, “Pay attention to his hands. Once they’re completely white, he’s gone. Then it’s just a matter of hours. Try to heal him, but if there’s no way, there’s no way. For now, you must not touch him.”
“We touched him.” My chest squeezes my heart thinking about Astra.
The healer blinks with his strange, enormous eyes. “I’ll examine those of you who touched him, and see if the same fate afflicts you. Meanwhile, there’s no danger in breathing the same air he breathes or staying close to him. Just don’t touch his skin.”
He extends two long fingers and calls Astra, who follows him down the hallway. Astra, who drank the Witch King’s and Azur’s blood. I feel cold all over, my body trembling in agonizing terror. I follow them and wait outside the bedroom, hoping she’s not poisoned like Azur.
If she is, I’ll turn the world upside down to save her. I don’t know what I willnotdo.
I lean my hand on the stone wall of the hallway as if I could lean my heart, give it some rest. My chest could explode right now and it still won’t save her. A layer of ice reaches my hand.
Ice, ice, ice.
As if freezing the house and the island and the stars would help.
ASTRA
Soft moonlight comes through the window, illuminating Marlak’s hair, face, arms. I’m leaning on his chest, its steady movement soothing, relaxing, his embrace a mantle of love protecting me as I feel his fingers still digging into my hair in a soft caress.
Brilliant sunlight comes through the window, but I’m alone in bed.Hisbed.Hisbedroom.
No. I suppose it’sourbedroom now. And the embrace was no dream.
And then I remember.
The bloody head, drinking from it, the castle, the heart. So much. And then Azur, Lidiane, and that awful magic poisoning. And then the nymph healer.
Don’t be ashamed of what you are,he said in my head. I don’t recall what I replied. All I remember was that he told me I had no magic poisoning. The rest was a blur. Maybe I vaguely recall puking more of that blood, then washing, Marlak helping me, holding me, then placing me in this bed.
Quick steps sound in the hallway, and Marlak rushes into the room.
“I didn’t want to leave you alone, but I had to?—”
“It’s fine.” I sit up in bed. “How’s Lidiane? You?”
“Clear.” He exhales slowly and sits by me. “Azur’s the only one…” His eyes meet mine, worry spelled on them.
“How long have I slept?”
“Notthatmuch. Everyone but Azur just woke up.”
He runs a finger through my hair, then leans in for a kiss and I almost recoil, still disgusted with myself, but then I remember washing my face, my teeth, my mouth, my body, my hair. I wish all that washing would wipe away the memory of that disgusting blood.
And yet perhaps Marlak’s kiss is the trick, his soft lips a balm to my heart as I close my eyes and allow myself to be taken by the amazing feeling of his proximity. I can feel his fire, even in a kiss. Everything about him is fiery, an odd fire that heals instead of burning, an odd fire that he keeps buried within his layers and layers of ice.
We part the kiss and he leans his forehead against mine, then asks, “How are you feeling?”
“Still disgusted, to be honest.” I lean away from him and look into his eyes. “But worried, mostly.” My chest feels something akin to nausea when I consider the Witch King and the danger threatening us. “We need to plan.”
He runs a finger on my cheek. “Rest, Astra.”
“No. You said everyone’s awake? We need to talk, discuss, think.” I look down at myself and realize I’m wearing one of those indecent, transparent nightgowns, except that it’s not so indecent because I’m wearing a breastband. “I just need to get dressed.”
