She reached the linen closet and pulled out a pile of gauze and bandages, as well as a kit with medical thread and a sterile needle in case whatever wound Kreya inflicted needed to be sewn up. Closing the closet door, Zera jumped—Guine was standing a few inches away.
“You’re supposed to be watching for danger,” Zera scolded.
“Is the danger already within?” Guine asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Your friends are working unholy magic, aren’t they?” His eyes were pleading, as if he needed her to comfort him and reassure him that everything was perfect, she’d never do anything remotely morally ambiguous, and he didn’t need to worry about anything.
“They’re saving the life of one who didn’t deserve to die,” Zera said carefully. She didn’t want to lie to him, but she also didn’t want to burden him with a truth that could endanger him. “I wouldn’t call that unholy.”
“Word is that you found human bones in Grand Master Lorn’s palace.”
“Word travels quickly,” Zera said. “And yes, Eklor had bones he’d taken from the plains.” Carrying the bandages, she strode back toward Marso’s bedroom. She had to hope that her trust in Guine wasn’t misplaced, and that his trust in her was intact. She felt vulnerable, which was not a sensation she liked. “Eklor’s still the bad guy. We’re still the good guys. You need to watch to make sure the bad guys don’t come to kill the good guys while we’re busy, okay?”
Guine laid a hand on her arm as she went to open the door. “Tell me: are you working illegal magic in that room?” His voice shook, as if it unnerved him to question her.
She raised both her eyebrows. “Are you going to try to stop me?” It would be inconvenient if she had to use a talisman to fight him—fight Guine? The very idea sounded ridiculous when she thought it. He was devoted to her, even if he wasn’t in love with her. But she’d do it if she had to, though she’d rather not drop all the sterile bandages on the clean-but-not-sterile marble floor.
He hesitated, as if he hadn’t considered the matter all the way through.
“You don’t need to approve,” Zera said, “but you do need to get out of my way.”
“People aren’t meant to live after they die.” He looked terrified as he said it. “Such magic shouldn’t exist. It violates all the laws of nature and decency.”
“The laws of nature and decency say friends don’t give up on friends,” Zera said. “No matter what tragedies happen. No matter how many years pass. People are meant to keep loving each other, even after death.” She might not have been sureabout the ethics of what Kreya could do, but she believed in the goodness of her friend’s heart. Jentt was a part of her, and in saving him, she’d saved herself. Now she wanted to do the same for Stran.
“If I died, would you try to save me?” Guine asked.
Zera didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
“Even though you don’t love me?”
“You’re my friend. Like Kreya. Like Jentt. Even when you’re behaving like this, the answer is still yes.” Maybe it was a choice no human should be able to make, but if it was available to her, she’d do it.Hey, Kreya, I understand now.
And she also understood why Kreya said the knowledge would die with her.
Guine wasn’t wrong. It was a terrible and wonderful power that no one should possess. She could think of six dozen ways to abuse the spell before dinner, and unlike Eklor, she wasn’t even trying to be evil.
He let her go.
She raised her eyebrows at him. “You don’t care if I’m using illegal magic so long as I’m willing to use it on you too? Impressive ethical gymnastics there.”
“I assumed I was replaceable to you.”
“Well, you aren’t.” She wasn’t certain how or why this should affect Guine’s attitude toward their breaking the law, but he was looking at her as if what she’d said changed everything. “You are important to me, a fact I would’ve thought was obvious. But maybe it wasn’t. A fact I can make obviousafterthe current crisis, if you’re willing to give me a second chance to be less of an asshole.”
“I... misjudged you. Please—”
“Apologize to meafter,” Zera told him. “For now, go makesure no one comes to murder us while we engage in our ‘unholy’ behavior.”
He still looked dazed.
“Guine, I am trusting you with all our lives. Don’t make me thinkI’vemisjudgedyou.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He fled down the hall.
She pushed her way back into the room and shut the door behind her. Dumping the bandages on a chair, she locked the door. For extra measure, she withdrew a strength talisman, activated it, and shoved a wardrobe in front of the door. Jentt helped her. He didn’t ask any questions. Neither of them spoke.
