“Jess!” Frankie screams, climbing the bed to lie next to her. “Did it work?”
Dahlia leans against the bed, looking like she might collapse if she doesn’t prop herself up. She doesn’t need to say the words—her expression says it all—but she does anyway.
“No.” She looks down at her hands, shaking her head. Her voice is a little stronger as she adds, “This isn’t just venom. There’s something else there. It almost feels like the same corruption seeping from the portal. Whatever it is, I can’t draw it out.”
“No,” Frankie whispers. She stands and begins pacing the room. “No, this can’t be it. There must be something else.”
“I’m so sorry,” Dahlia says. “I put a light sleeping spell on her so she doesn’t feel the pain, but she only has a few hours, maybe a day, before the venom takes over completely."
“No!” Frankie buries her head in Jess’ neck and sobs. “No, you’re wrong! There has to be someone who can help her. I can’t lose her too.”
Fuck!I swallow hard, unable to speak. Graven walks Dahlia to the door, but I can only focus on Frankie. Her tiny body shakes, incoherent sounds leaving her lips. I want to pull her into my arms and makeeverything better, but I can’t. Not this time. I continue rubbing her back, giving her room so she can focus on Jess.
“If anyone can help, it’s Quenric.” He’s studied the realms his entire life. If her bite is related to the portal in any way, he’d be the one to know. If I hurry, I can make it back in less than an hour.
She lifts her head, looking at me, and I almost wish she wouldn’t. The pain in her green eyes is more than I can bear. Placing a hand on her cheek, I use my thumb to wipe away a tear then replace it with a kiss. “I’ll be back. I promise.”
CHAPTER 24
Frankie
“I’ll just be in here if you need me,” Graven says as his boots scuff against the floor. “If there’s a cure, he’ll get it.”
I know I should acknowledge him, but my throat won’t work. None of this feels real. I’m outside myself, watching some broken version of me bent over my best friend’s body, sobbing…useless. I can’t make that person speak. I can’t do anything except lie here and let the tears burn down my cheeks. Memories of every night Jess held me when we were kids flood in. I can’t lose her. She’s a part of me. How would that even work when she shares my heart?
I’m not sure how long I’ve been sleeping when I shoot straight up. The air is heavy, and there’s an itch beneath my skin covering my entire body. I’m still on the bed, next to Jess, but it feels like I’m in my own bubble, cut off from everything around me.
“Frankie.” A rough voice has me leaping off the bed. The anger I shoved below the grief boils to the surface when I finally realize who it belongs to. It might be deeper now, rougher, especially when the wound around his throat is still seeping blood, but I’ll never forget it.
“Don’t scream. I won’t hurt you. Not that anyone can hear you, anyway.”
I grab the blade hidden under the mattress and hold it up. I know what he did to my best friend, I saw it with my own eyes. I should hate him, and I do, but my heart aches so much for the brother he once was.
He stands close enough for the torchlight to hit him. Scars. So many scars. Pale lines cross his cheeks and jaw, twisting across skin that should belong to the boy who used to chase fireflies with me.
The Nate I once knew wouldn’t hurt a fly. This person—thismonster—standing before me is a stranger now. “What the hell are you doing here? How’d you get past the guards?”
His gaze lingers on Jess. “I would never hurt you.” His eyes meet mine again, and they look so much like the old Nate that I almost believe him…almost.
I tighten my grip on the handle. “I thought you’d never hurt Jess, so don’t mind me if I’m not exactly trusting.”
“I know.” He looks down, rubbing the tattoo on his wrist. The matching ink on mine suddenly feels wrong, so I pull my sleeve down to cover it up. “And it kills me, what I did,” he adds.
“Really? It kills you?” I snap. “Because the only one dying right now is Jess.”
“That’s why I’m here. I want to help.”
My eyes narrow at him. “Why would you help us after what you did?”
His eyes flick back to Jess. “Because she was like a little sister to me.”
“Fuck you!” I spit. “You don’t get to say that.”
He flinches for a moment, then straightens his spine. “I’m glad you’re wearing my gift.”
My hand rests on the stone. “You’re the one who gave this to me? Are you the one who’s been responsible for my blackouts?”
“Yes.”
