Of course they did. Nature-loving murder scientists. Fan-fucking-tastic.
"You life-bound folks are really creative when it comes to killing things," I mutter, watching the skin around the wound blacken like rot. "Is it worse because of your blood? The whole… alive thing making pain sharper?"
"No, her blood is helping," Maeve says from somewhere nearby. She's still as warm as a snowstorm. "If not for that, you'd already be unconscious. Or dead."
Oh. Well, cheers then.
"At least it didn't go through your heart," Sage says softly.
She's focused on the wound, lip caught between her teeth, worry carved into every line of her face. And even like this, covered in blood and panic, she's beautiful.
She'smine.
"Look at you," I rasp. "Protecting your husband in every way you can."
I grab the front of her shirt and pull her in just enough to crash my mouth against hers. It's rough and desperate, but it gives me something other than pain.
"Kayden," she scolds, but her eyes soften the way they always do when I make things worse like this.
She turns to the druid. "Can you help him?"
Maeve doesn't move. "You should be able to help him yourself. Manipulating natural toxins falls under your powers."
Sage sags a little. "I haven't learned how to do that."
Of course. Sage has goddess-tier potential and zero training.
"But I'll try," she adds.
And fuck, I believe in her. Because if anyone can fight nature and win, it's the little nymph who wrecked my whole damn life with one kiss.
Sage places her hands over my shoulder, hovering just above the wound. Her fingers tremble, but her gaze doesn't waver. Then her eyes begin to glow brighter, deeper green, like emerald fire. The light pulses from her fingertips, and I feel it as it seeps into my skin. It burns and soothes at once.
I grit my teeth and keep still, swallowing the groan that claws up my throat. Not gonna give them the satisfaction of hearing me scream again.
The poison flares as the light touches it. My muscles twitch, vision swimming.
A minute crawls by. Then another.
The black still spreads, but slower. The green light is pushing against it, reclaiming territory like vines swallowing rot.
Sage is panting. Sweat beads on her brow. Her hands shake. Her focus is laser-sharp but her energy's fading fast. I'm about to tell her to stop, when the druid moves in.
"Let me help," Maeve says, grabbing Sage's wrist.
The moment she makes contact, the power spikes. A surge rips through me like lightning, dragging a full-body groan out of my chest. I clamp my eyes shut, fists clenched, jaw locked tight.
And just like that, it's done. They pull away.
I exhale shakily and look down. The black is gone. In its place, red skin and healing. Not perfect, but no longer trying to kill me.
"Thank you," Sage breathes, voice low and raw with exhaustion.
"Yeah," I mutter. "Thanks." It comes out gruff. Doesn't mean it's not real.
Maeve brushes herself off like she just took out the trash. "That was the last thing I'll help you with," she says, then turns to Asher. "We're done. I'll send my final invoice. It will be… adjusted for the circumstances."
He gives a single nod, no comment. Classic brother.
