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And then a fourth figure joins the fight. I nearly sob at the thought of one of her men helping her, until I realize who it is.

Petrik.

He’s finished dispatching the rest of Kymora’s men, and now he’s joined us.

He has not an inch of skill in fighting, but he still swings the axle. Kymora is forced to turn half her attention on him, raising one sword to block the axle, while another fends off Kellyn’s strike.

With every ounce of my strength, I swing around my shield, allowing myself the vulnerability, and this time when I strike out with my unmagicked hammer—

I connect with the bone at her knee.

A crunch. A scream. I fall toward the warlord as Kellyn advances, throwing me into her, but I don’t care.

Because we finally hit her.

With the three of us, she shrinks toward the ground, little by little, until Petrik finally strikes her on the head.

And she collapses, limp.

Just like Temra.

I toss aside my weapons and run for my sister. Her chest is rising and falling, but blood is oozing out of wounds on her arm and right side.

So. Much. Blood.

I press my hands firmly against the sources of the bleeding before looking up at the two men around me for help.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-FOUR

My body convulses, wishing to dispel my last meal.

But I’m not allowed to do anything until Temra is safe.

She wakes not a second after I touch her, and her cries oscillate between screams and whimpers as she tries to get ahold of the pain. When her breathing turns to wheezing, tears rain down my face anew.

“This way,” Kellyn says. He takes off down the dirt road at a run.

The bleeding is more severe at Temra’s arm, so I risk releasing her side to hoist her up to a standing position. She screams at the movement, and I stifle a whimper of my own.

“Don’t worry about Kymora,” Petrik says. “I’ll watch her. You take care of—” He cuts off, unable to say my sister’s name.

I slide my free arm under Temra’s knees and lift her up, cradling her, so I can move more easily. I’ve barely heard Petrik’s words. I know I should probably worry about whether he’ll try to help his mother get away, despite how he took our side at the end. Familial bonds are strong, as I well know.

But nothing will keep me from running as fast as I can until I know Temra is safe.

Kellyn knocks on some door and lets himself inside before anyone answers. He says very little before an older woman with long hair in gray braids instructs us to lower Temra onto a bed.

The healer urges us to boil some water. Before I turn, I watch her elevate my sister’s arm carefully on a pillow, applying her own fingers to the wound.

I run out of the room, try to find the kitchen in the modest home. Kellyn is right beside me.

“I’m sure she’ll be all right. Here, let me.” He tries to take the kettle from me.

“Go make sure Petrik doesn’t let Kymora go. I can do this on my own.”

“He’s no more safe with her running free than we are. He won’t do anything stupid.”