She tries—she closes her eyes and tries andtries.
But even if the iron were out of her system, she’s too weak now from the infection to heal herself.
“Skies,” I mutter, raking a hand through my hair before pacing the campsite, palm pressed against my forehead.
I know with stark clarity what I need to do. What, perhaps, I should’ve done when I realized the arrow was iron-coated.
Will she agree, though?
Skies, let her say yes.
With measured steps, I walk back and crouch before her, my eyes fixed on the angry gash in her side.
“Are you familiar with … power sharing?” I ask quietly.
She frowns, trying to sit up, but her ravaged body can’t handle even that slight movement. I steady her before she falls over, all the while cursing the men who did this to her. I wish I could kill them again.
“There was a man and woman,” she rasps. “Caught power sharing. It’s forbidden. Too much power to one person. Unnatural. Dangerous.”
I nod quickly. “That’s true, yes. If one wielder channeled enough power into another, it would weaken him temporarily and strengthen the other.” I take a deep breath. “But that’s not the only reason it’s forbidden.”
Her brows furrow. She doesn’t know. I don’t know if that makes this harder or easier.
“It also acts as a strong … stimulant. For the wielder receiving the power.”
“Stimulant?”
Her brows draw tighter together.
“Aphrodisiac.” My lips press into a thin line. “If performed without consent … it makes it incredibly easy to take advantage of someone.”
“How do you know about this?” she asks.
“I’ve shared my power before.”
I can’t decipher the expression on her pale face—is that a whisper of jealousy?
“And you want to channel your power into me,” she rasps.
I nod, gently wiping the sweat from her brow. “Just a little. Enough to fight through the lingering iron so you can heal yourself. I’m—Skies, Mayah. I’m terrified.” I’m not proud of the way my voice trembles. “We can keep going, but you’re getting worse. This would save you. But you need to know what will happen after.”
A panicked laugh rips from her throat. Fuck, is she afraid I’ll take advantage of her? I’m about to reassure her that I’d never do such a thing when she speaks.
“Maybe—maybe it won’t have that effect on me. Maybe I can fight it off.”
Unlikely. I’ve seen wielders twice her size succumb to the effects.
“Yeah. Yeah, definitely. You’re strong, Mayah. You can do this. And even if you can’t, even if you start feeling … strange, it’ll just be my power flowing through you. I’ll know it’s not anything real.”
It’ll never be real.
“All right.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Allright.”
So much relief courses through me at those two small words, I sag against her beneath their weight.
