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I moved to the next bed, then the next, and the next. Bed after bed held childhood friends — neighbors — teachers — and more. All of them, people I'd failed to protect. Kaiya might have bound them, but I was their leader.

A leader who'd failed my most basic duty to keep them safe.

My chest ached, guilt and fear begging me to avoid the pain — to turn around and go. But they needed me. Not just Gram and Mirrim, theyalldid. So, I forced myself to keep moving, step after laden step.

I stopped at the foot of a bed holding a slender ganglyboy with red hair, and fought back a sudden stabbing pain in my chest.

Mirrim's not-so-secret admirer …

I'd disliked him at first, certain he'd be just like all the boys I'd been friends with as a teen. But he'd been kind, and a really good friend to her.

Would either of them get the chance to share their feelings?

I felt for the boy in front of me, but my heart broke knowing my little sister might never —

No.I stopped myself. Mirrimwouldwake. And she would grow up, and have a family, and be happy. And she wouldn't die until she was old and ready.

I would do whatever it took to make that happen.

"Liam!" Shooting one more concerned glance at the boy, I looked around for Kaiya.

She'd made it farther than me on her side, and I could barely make her out in the darkness as she stood over another bed, waving in my direction.

I broke into a run.

Chapter 42

Liam

Kaiya backed away as I drew near, falling to my knees beside the bed frame.

"I'll keep looking for Mirrim," she whispered.

I nodded without looking at her, unable to take my eyes off the small form tucked into the bed.

The woman who'd held me as I cried after my parents died — who'd smacked me upside the head for not going back to Kaiya — who'd tried to lead the defense when Frexin arrived …

Gram.

Her olive-toned skin shone a sickly pale — almost glowing in the darkness, and she looked so much older than I'd ever seen her …

Without thinking, I rubbed her cheek. "I'm here."

She didn't respond to my rasping voice, but the inky markings moved and swelled across her skin to gatherwhere my hand touched her, and a thousand needles dove into my skin.

"Ouch!" I hissed, yanking my hand away.

What in the seven hells?!

I squinted down at my hand as the pain quickly dissipated, but no blood or markings showed …

Fuck.Had it hurt Gram just as much? Was it still hurting her?

I looked back at her, but her expression was still and empty … and the markings slowly ebbed and flowed, spreading back across her skin.

"Damnit!" I hissed.

"Liam!" Kaiya snapped, glaring at me from the next row. "I warned you not to touch —"