“Then show me this passage.”
ASTRA
The house has never been so full, and yet anxiety permeates every face as we convene in the kitchen. We prepared salad with fish and vegetables that Nelsin insisted on bringing from some fae city, perhaps to have some time away from Ferer. It makes me sad to see that they haven’t reconciled, but it’s true that they might need some time.
When lunch’s ready, we all sit down at the largest table, with the exception of Azur, who sits by himself.
Marlak looks cheerful and calm, but I know what kind of maelstrom might lie beneath his calm facade. Can he even conjure fire? Can he use it and not fall deep into a disturbing memory from where he can’t escape? Going to the Shadow Lands tomorrow feels hasty, but it’s either that or wait for the Witch King to become even stronger.
Zorwal’s magic is fading from my body, and slowly I’m losing my ability to perceive other people’s bodies and organs. Despiteits despicable origin and how bizarre it can feel, it’s a wonderful kind of magic. But my light is good too, and I’ll have to use it.
When we finish eating, Marlak and Ziven use water magic to clean the dishes, and I head outside and find Azur sitting on a rock, watching the river, Lidiane sitting by him, close and yet so far. At least they’re talking, which is helpful. Even then, my heart hurts for them, for their fear, for the threat of death surrounding them.
“Azur,” I say. They both turn. “Can I see your hand?”
Clearly uncomfortable, he takes a shaky, deep breath, then removes one glove. The fingers are completely white, and some of the palm too.
I need to trust that my magic can help him, so I think about the Almighty Mother and imagine the purest light freeing Azur from that dreadful magic. I don’t focus on his hands, but on his heart, then his entire body. When I finish, I still see no difference, even if I feel that my magic did something.
Azur’s looking down, barely disguised sadness seeping from his every pore.
Well, I don’t blame him. “You don’t believe that my magic will work, do you?”
He huffs. “I wouldn’t be here, letting you waste your time and mine, if I didn’t think there was a chance.”
Lidiane leans over for a closer look at his hand. “It might have slowed down the spread. That’s helpful.”
Maybe. I’m not sure. What I’m thinking is that maybe the Heart of Magic could help, and yet I’d rather wait and only go there once the Witch King is dead.
Dead. My body chills with the fear that it can’t be that simple.
Still, I give them what I hope is a confident smile. “We’ll find a solution.”
Azur shakes his head. “I… don’t doubt you, Astra. What kills me is being useless. There’s so much I could be doing now, if it wasn’t for this.” He raises his ungloved, half-white hand.
“You saved us,” Lidiane says.
He snorts. “Just barely. A few seconds more, and we would all have ended up in the Shadow Lands, face to face with the Witch King.”
And that would have been disastrous—and yet I understand his desperation, why he felt he had to go to the castle.
We’ve been walking side by side with danger, missing it but just barely.
I sigh. “I’m glad you didn’t end up there.” Despite everything, I manage a light chuckle. “I’ll be back to try to use more light magic on your hand. If it slows the spread, it will be worth it. Time might be just what we need.”
I turn around and walk away from them, hurting to think what it must be like to be close and yet unable to share a single touch. At least it won’t last forever—if Marlak succeeds.
My breath pauses. So much hangs on his power, on his magic.
The magic he dreads the most.
I find my husband in the kitchen, drinking cold-brewed tea with Ferer and Nelsin. Those two are sitting as far as they can, and don’t look anywhere close to a reconciliation. I hope time will heal them. For now, I need some time with Marlak.
“Do you have a moment?” I ask him.
His eyebrows shoot up. “Something wrong?”
“No.” I’m not sure how exactly to say it. “I just… want to show you something—unless you’re still discussing…”
