“Don’t blame her, Damia,” Phaia says, coming up to stand beside me. She’d been at the Vastamae with Helia when we crossed the border and rode through two nights to meet us on the way to Lavail. Her voice is soft as ever, but it doesn’t have its usual calming effect.
“I thought she was stronger than this,” I say, my frustration adding a bite to my words. I would never let love—or the loss of it—stop me from stamping out evil.
“This isn’t just an emotional blow for her,” Phaia replies. “They’re moored—with part of the captain gone…wherever he’s gone…it’s like her world has been torn in two.”
I scoff, and Phaia frowns.
“I think I should know, given I’m the only other person around here who’s completed the ritual,” she says with a hint of resentment. “When you’re moored, your other half is like an anchor, holding you in place.” She has an annoyingly tender look in her eye, obviously thinking of Helia as she talks. “With the captain gone, Morgana’s soul is missing its anchor. Her whole sense of self is untethered.”
I force my retort down and nod, accepting her correction. At the same time, I miss Eryx. He’d always complain with me when I needed to vent. Now I’m just stuck listening to Phaia’s calm logic and pretending I have any understanding of what love like that would be like.
Deciding I need some air, I turn to exit the sanctuary, passing by Lafia and Mal deep in conversation with one of the dryad healers. My hands are itching for something to do, something tofight, as I step out under the porch over the sanctuary, held up by rows of twisting white columns.
Wadestaff is there, leaning against one of the columns and staring out across the grounds.
Sss…It’sss too cold…sss…
A disgruntled hissing comes from beneath my collar. Even under the cover of the porch, Barb isn’t enjoying the rain, and she burrows a little deeper against my neck.
Wadestaff looks at me and smiles. “She doesn’t like this weather, does she?”
I squint at him, wondering—not for the first time—how he reads my pet serpent so well. It’s not as if he can communicate with snakes like me.
“How do you know that?”
“She usually comes out to say hello to me.” He shrugs, and I catch the wince that quickly follows. Mal managed to patch his wound up on the way here, but it wasn’t a very comprehensive job.
“Get inside,” I order. “What kind of idiot gets stabbed and doesn’t see a proper healer the first chance he gets?”
He conjures a smirk. It shouldn’t look as good as it does when he’s so clearly in pain, but that’s just one of Wadestaff’s many tricks.
“I hardly think I’m a priority when there’s a prince to save.”
I glower at him, hoping I can scare some sense into him with just a look. It usually works on the average man.
“There’s half a dozen dryads in there,” I say. “I’m sure they can spare one healer long enough to make sure your insides aren’t on the verge of falling out.”
“Why, Lady Rhymis, it almost sounds like you care.” He puts a hand to his heart but otherwise doesn’t move. He knows I hate being called that. He’s baiting me, and I can guess why. But I won’t give him what he wants.
“Fine, have it your way,” I say, turning on my heel to head back inside. “If you die out here in the rain, I’ll send someone to clear your corpse away before it starts to smell.”
I hear him laughing to himself as I walk away. Stupid, infuriating human.
Nonetheless, I still stop the first healer I see inside the sanctuary.
“There’s a man out there who suffered a severe abdominal injury three days ago. Go make sure he’s alright, and don’t let him brush you off,” I order.
The dryad ducks his head and starts to make for the entrance when Corrin walks stiffly into the sanctuary on his own accord.
“Changed your mind?” I ask dryly.
His smirk is gone. “I just wanted to say the prince will be alright, you know.” He meets my gaze so directly that I have the urge to look away. “I’m sure they’ll find a way to help him.”
A wave of emotion crashes against me, and I fight to keep my face blank.
“Perhaps,” I say. My voice is even, but he looks at me in that maddening way, the way that sees straight through me.
“I know you have to be strong, but I’m here if you need me.”
