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“It’s been playing on my mind. How else was I able to get us out when the exposure had taken Nyx down?”

“You make a good point, youngling.”

I didn’t have time to reply before he painted the mixture he’d used on Nyx over my back and pain lanced through me. It burned, and I hissed, shaking with the agony of it.

“Breathe, youngling.”

I forced myself to suck a breath through clenched teeth.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“No. Get it done.”

He worked quickly and had me wrapped up by the time my back went numb. I stumbled off the bed, putting my hands on my knees to take a few lungfuls of air.

“Maybe don’t—” He cut himself off. “Too late. Don’t pass out on me.”

“I’m not going to,” I said when I could finally manage words again.

The healer went to a drawer and brought out a heavy black chain. I had the sudden fear he was going to chain me to stop me escaping. But he placed the chain around Nyx’s neck.

“What’s that?” I asked urgently, fearful it could be something like the necklace I’d been forced to wear.

“Calm yourself,” he soothed. “It’s a tantalum chain. It will help him restore his power.”

When he saw that I still didn’t understand, he sighed.

“Tantalum is the rarest metal in all the realms. It’s our most effective restoration metal. It won’t harm him.”

I relaxed.

“You should rest with him,” he said. “Your presence will help him, too.”

Emrys left me with Nyx, and as soon as he was gone, I climbed into the bed next to him and closed my eyes. I had to check his magic reserves to see for myself. I followed the strings of my magic to his and then to his center. I’d never seen him so low, even at the outpost. He must have been using it while we slept, trying to heal himself. I hated myself for letting it go so long before I found the village.

I held on to my crystal, hoping to restore his reserves through mine. I couldn’t do nothing. My reserves were still low, and I had to heal, but I knew I couldn’t live without him. I couldn’t bear to lose both Nyx and Kol. We both had to survive for this to work.

I settled into Nyx’s chest and drifted off to sleep.

FIFTY-THREE

NYX

My head buzzed like light bugs swarmed inside it. There were bright spots, but the rest existed in darkness.

A body shifted against me, drawing me further into consciousness.

“Zaria?”

“Nyx!”

I winced.

“I’m sorry.” Her damp face pressed against mine.

I tried to move, to hold her, but my limbs were dead weight. “Are we in the Valley of the Dead?”

“Not yet.” She sobbed.