“Alright. You may begin.”
Kade’senmade the fire worse. It wasn’t a soothing balm or a warm and bright blanket of bliss. Instead, it felt as though Kade was redoubling Hokda’s efforts to boil Killian from the inside out, and then digging his claws through the ash that was left.
The sound of agony he let slip would haunt Killian, as would Kade’s answering expression of horror. Killian could feel Kade’s hands begin to shake, the determination in his eyes slipping into something more akin to a scared child.
Killian was sure if he opened his mouth now, he’d start screaming. So he clamped his mouth shut and tried to focus. He met Kade’s amber eyes and nodded stiffly.
Breathe. Breathe.
By some miracle, Kade understood. He paused, took two deep breaths, and then dove back in.
The pain was still there, but they both did their best to ignore it.
Killian was heaving, near throwing up by the time it was all finished. The skin across his abdomen was scarred and puffy, raised and bumpy with the evidence of fire. Hisenil, however, was still as prominent as ever, the burns and healing not able to put a scratch on it.
Again, Hokda made a displeased noise at the sight of Killian’s healed wound and his quill flew across the page.
“Can you give me a fucking second?” Killian snapped when Hokda announced he was ready to move on to the third and final stage. Hokda gave him an affronted look, but begrudgingly allowed him five minutes to catch his breath, mumbling all the while aboutnoisy guinea pigsand how itwasn’t eventhatbad.
Kade stepped close and lowered his voice. “Are you alright?”
Killian just nodded. His throat dry as a desert.
This time, Kade really did take Killian’s hand. His skin was cold and clammy. He made a small noise, like a whimper.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Just do what you need to do.” Killian tried for a smile. “You hear me?”
Kade nodded.
They startled at a loud clap. Hokda announced their five minutes was up. “Captain, if you would do the honors of choosing.” He laid out the four vials of mud. He giggled at Killian’s disgusted expression. “Don’t worry. They’re all fairly weak poisons, none couldactuallykill you. I promise.” But then he winked, and Killian didn’t find himself believing the healer at all.
“Poison?” Kade gasped. “You’re going to poison him?”
Hokda nodded eagerly. “That’s the plan.” Then, “Kade del Torau, this is the last stage of your practical examination. You must identify which poison was chosen, based on your patient's symptoms, and walk me through the steps as you begin to craft your antidote. Again, you have access to all my stores. We don’t have time to let the antidote brew for the allotted time it needs, so once you’ve identified the poison and crafted the antidote to ninety percent, I will provide you with a finished product. Do you understand?”
“Poison?” Kade was still stuck on that.
“You may forfeit at any time.” Hokda’s voice was ice cold.
The grip Kade had on his hand was deathly, Killian squeezed back hard and then let go.
Killian chose the vial on the left, it was the lightest in color and didn’t look as thick and slimy as the others. Hokda looked too gleeful as he poured it down Killian’s throat, singingdrink up.
The potion tasted as bad as it looked. Bitter and earthy.
Killian’s body caught aflame the moment the poison passed his lips. The liquid was like a hot iron poker being shoved down his throat, eating away at his organs as they melted together into one big mess. He was getting really tired of fire.
He was hot.
He was too cold.
He was burning.
Gurgling, Killian was vaguely aware he was shaking, his muscles spasming uncontrollably as his eyes rolled.
Cold hands touched Killian’s face. They felt good. Soothing.
“Killi, can you hear me?” Kade, but he was distant and warbled, like he was speaking underwater. “Can you look at me?”
