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I found I didn’t much care.

Asher began to move again, only stopping to set me down into a chair. He had to pry my hands off of him. As soon as he did so, I began shivering violently.

He sighed, murmuring once more with the medicine man.

Then Asher’s arms were around me again. He lifted me and resettled the both of us in the seat.

“Lana, look at me,” Asher said.

I forced my eyelids back, my eyes burning, and gazed up at the hunter.

A concerned crease had formed between Asher’s brows. “The pharmacist has to give you a shot.”

I blinked slowly, as if surfacing from a dream. I had made a pillow out of Asher’s shoulder; now I pulled away from it to look around. I was surrounded by rows upon rows of human medicine; the place smelled of chemicals and human malaise.

Then I caught sight of the pharmacist. He held a tube with a needle attached at the end—a syringe.

At the sight of it, I cringed back against Asher, shaking my head frantically. I held my injured arm tight to my body.

The hunter nodded to the medicine man, and I tensed, preparing to use up the last of my reserves to fight this.

Before I had the chance, Asher tilted my chin to face him. I stilled at the touch, still transfixed by it. By him.

“You’re an Infernarus, a fighter,” he said, his voice hypnotic. “You will do whatever it takes to save your people, including this.”

I stared at him, mesmerized by his words. A sheen of sweat coated his face, and I realize the heat of my feverish body was too hot for him. Still he held me.

He was right. The human was right.

I gave him a small nod. His eyes left me only long enough to give the medicine man a signal.

I let out a cry when the pharmacist touched my swollen arm.

“Not that one,” Asher barked, and he sounded legitimately angry on my behalf.

I stretched out my other arm, gritting my teeth when I felt the other human’s cold hands on my skin. My gaze drifted to the syringe once more. The moment I saw that long needle, I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Hey, hey, look at me,” Asher said, again turning my head to face him.

Maybe it was his touch, maybe it was the unexpected gentleness in his voice, but I did force myself to look at him.

My breath caught at the expression in his dark eyes.

Hewantedme to live. Demanded that I do so.

“You’ve seen worse, Lana Malesuis,” he said. “I know you have.”

My eyes widened. “You remember my full name.”

“One of them,” Asher clarified. “Lana of the Badlands. Are you going to take me there when we cross over—?”

I winced as I felt the prick of the needle slipping beneath my skin.

I swallowed, then nodded, then shook my head. “I don’t know. There’s nothing out there.”

The needle slipped out and I relaxed.

“I want to see it,” Asher said. “I want to see it all.”