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Liam opened it and looked back at me. "Prepare yourself."

I nodded, chest aching, and then we dropped down.

We were in a small cell, but the red striation on the stone walls was mostly covered in yellowing vines and drooping leaves.

I spun to examine the rest of the room, and froze.

In the center was a strange tree growing from floor to ceiling. It too was yellow and dying — just like the rest. But …

My heart sank. "Rien!"

I broke into a run, recognizing the strange tree for what it really was — Rien, in human form, hanging limply from manacles around his wrists and neck.

Dying vines trailed up the chains to the ceiling, the sickly plants spreading from there across the rest of the room.

A ball of emotion clogged my throat as I pulled away the dying vines to reveal Rien's red hair — matted to his skull, pale skin turned a dull gray. He was covered in bruises and had grown so thin I could see his ribs.

Gods. He was doing worse than the plants!

I reached out a shaky hand to his cheek, fearing the worst. "Rien?"

"Kaiya?" he rasped.

Relief and guilt slammed into me. He'd been comforting me in my room each night while Frexin tortured him in that cell! Forsaken hells! Why had I given him so little thought? He'd just seemed so unconcerned with his situation, that I'd —

No. There was no excuse.

I bit back the urge to scream. It was all so much. First Tye, then the volunteers, and now Rien!

Don't think, Kaiya. You're so close. Don't break yet …

"Rien, I'm so sorry."

His eyes slowly blinked open, white gaze tired.

"I am glad you came."

"How bad is it?" I asked.

"Bad?" He tilted his head. "I do not understand. I am fine."

My chest ached as I looked at him — so different from the man in the forest all those months ago — and so different from the green creature who waited in my room and talked me to sleep these past weeks.

"She's HURTING you," I said. "Whywouldn'tyou tell me?"

He shook his head. "I see you are worried, but there is no need, Kaiya. I am fine. This body and mind will soon pass on, but my spirit will return to the forest where the Reaper cannot get to it. This is a good thing. You should be glad."

Shock rippled through me.

"You will pass on?! That isnota good thing, Rien! We call that dying! Do you understand? DYING."

He just nodded, those white eyes so solemn. "I see Liam was right. The condition of my body upsets you. Perhaps it was good I didn't tell you earlier?"

"No," I hissed. "You have it all backwards. You should tell me so Icanbe upset. Don't hide things like this!"

He shook his head. "But I do not want to upset you.You already have to deal with so much. A branch can only take so much before it breaks. And, when I look into your ocean-deep eyes, Kaiya, I see something soveryclose to breaking."

I winced at how close to home that hit.