Astra shakes her hands in the air, desperation clear in her tone. “The nymph said skin! He didn’t mention blood.”
What an idiotic conclusion. The only reason I don’t roll my eyes is because I know what it’s like to fear for your soulmate. “Reach through your bond. Is he in danger?”
She swallows, then closes her eyes. A moment later, she says, “No. But it doesn’t mean?—”
“Look through your bond,” I insist. “If you are able to transcend to where he is, you can also know if he’s in danger. You’d feel it.”
She sighs, unconvinced.
Renel places a hand on her shoulder. “And it’s dangerous for you to go there. My brother knows the castle well. He might indeed have sneaked out.”
Astra turns to Lidiane. “Wasn’t your magic supposed to protect them?” Even though her tone isn’t accusatory, her words stir a pot of anger in my gut.
I raise a gloved, wet finger in the air. “You’re not going to blame Lidiane.”
Lidiane sighs. “His sister was the one who found him. You’re right that my magic should have allowed them to go in unnoticed. I’m sorry.” She approaches Astra. “Close your eyes, feel him, see if there’s any deception, anything hidden.”
Astra closes her eyes, but her face is still tense. “He seems fine, but?—”
“Then he’s fine,” Lidiane says. “Truly, you’d sense it.”
Astra’s shoulders sag, I suppose partly convinced, then Lidiane takes a deep breath and tells her, “I have something for you, and I’m wondering if you’re willing to try it.”
“What?”
Lidiane opens her hand and shows us a pin, its tip red. “I was able to prick Zorwal. And… he’s a healer… I made sure it didn’t get wet.”
Astra glances at me, then takes the pin.
If she licks it, she’ll taste blood from a powerful healer. A healer.
A knot uncoils from my chest. There’s a chance for me. I look at Lidiane, and, for the first time since I faced the Witch King, I see true hope in her eyes, and it’s not her usual tenacious, stubborn hope against the impossible, but a relaxed, happy hope. My breath catches. Why is she so beautiful? To think that we might have a chance is more than I could hope for.
I look at Astra, excitement and fear of disappointment battling in my chest. Can I even dare to hope?
ASTRA
Marlak, Marlak, where are you? There’s a coldness settling in my chest and a worry that won’t leave my heart, and yet I have to trust that he’s fine, if I’m not sensing anything wrong. When I think about him, when I try to reach him through our connection, I sense no sign of danger. I hope he’s not fooling me.
Pushing away my anxiety, look at Lidiane’s pin. Oh, this is so gross. I’ve licked blood before, but it was in moments of extreme danger or distress, when my nerves muddled my senses and muffled my revulsion. But if I can save Azur, this will be worth it.
I bring the pin to my tongue, hoping the trace of blood in it will be enough, hoping I’ll be able to do something as complex as healing. It tastes…
Gross, obviously. There’s the metallic tang of blood, and then there’s something else. Darkness. Hatred. Malice. An overpowering force about to take me to its depths.
For a moment, I see the cave of the Witch King, where a grotesque head grows from his neck, then I see myself, sword in hand. For some reason, Otavio comes to mind, laughing with an eerie, odd laugh, and then so much darkness. Coldness prickles my entire body as if a layer of ice was forming under my skin. Bile stirs in my stomach as my mouth feels dry and wrong and bitter.
Horrific.
“Astra!”
There are voices far away, beyond this darkness, voices I know.
“Astra!”
A hand touches my wrist while another touches my shoulder. Meanwhile, pain radiates from the middle of my back.
“Astra!” The tone is urgent, worried.
