“Get James,” Sparks said. “Please.”
Nate dropped to his knees at Alden’s other side. “Alden. Hey.” He didn’t know what to say—what he could possibly say. “Shhh.”
“He’s in the kitchen.” Ivy touched Sparks’s shoulder.
Sparks gave a quick nod. Her curious gaze darted between Nate and Ivy. She rushed out of the room, sure-footed. It was strange to think that Sparks had spent so much time with his mother while kicking chem, and neither of them had ever known.
Nate moved over to let Ivy close. He tried to show Alden that he was there, but Alden was dazed, each labored breath a low, hurt sound.
She touched Alden’s neck and forearm. “His fever’s high. Jamie said it was likely sepsis. It’s never easy.”
James’s Servant’s robes fluttered as he came in quickly, holding a metal box with a lid. “I thought we might. . .”
“Yes,” Ivy said. She saw Nate’s curious look. “We don’t use the medicine we have for everyone. It’s in such shortage. But hopefully we can ease his suffering.”
“You mean kill him?” Reed stood by the couch with his arms crossed. Pixel peeked around his hip, trying to see over the huddle around Alden.
“No, no.” James began opening small glass vials. “Unfortunately, his body will handle that well enough on its own. I can reduce the fever and his pain. He may have some lucidity after it kicks in. At least for a little while.”
Nate stopped listening, because they were talking about Alden like he wasn’t in the room. He caught Alden’s hand and squeezed it. James took Alden’s other arm and prepared injections.
It was too familiar.
Alden’s wavering gaze caught his. “Natey.”
“I’m right here.”
“Pix. . .Where’s. . .They can’t have her.”
A prickle of worry chilled Nate’s back. James and Ivy didn’t know what Pixel or Juniper were. Ivy’s expression sharpened as she helped James.
“She’s here. She’s got your beads still. They’re so pretty.”
“I’m not—an infant,” Alden managed. “Where are we?”
“Safe. A sick-den, with Servants. This is Ivy. She wants to know about the Remedy you had.”
“It’s gone. I couldn’t get it right. I tried.”
“What did you try?” Ivy asked, rubbing her thumb gently at the spot where James had injected Alden’s arm.
He turned his head slowly, furrowing with a fraction of the icy glare Nate expected. “Who are you?”
“We can trust her, I promise.” Nate squeezed Alden’s hand.
“You’re a tremendously bad judge of character.” Alden squinted, looking around the room. “Where is your Reed?”
“I’m here,” Reed said, sounding surprised. He shuffled to stand behind James where Alden could see him.
“Doyoutrust this woman?”
Reed’s lips parted for a long moment before he gave a small, firm nod. “Yes.”
Alden’s breath made a sound like water gurgling through a rusted pipe. He closed his eyes as if it had exhausted him to speak so much. When he opened them again, his gaze was a little clearer. Not sharp, but aware. “I tried different formulations. Half the sludge-chem that comes out of Gathos City was made in labs. Same ingredients. Different results.”
Nate pressed his hands to his eyes. His wrists throbbed under the bandages. He recalled Alden staying up late, hunched over his desk, over his books. The days he’d gone into his storage room for hours, never letting Nate follow. “You were trying to make Remedy?” he blurted, reeling.
A shadow of mischief crossed Alden’s face, as if it delighted him to have kept a secret from Nate. “I got what I had to last longer.” He sobered. “Not long enough.”
