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“She’s lucky. The arrow created a partial seal, slowing the bleeding.” Her eyes meet mine. “But it needs to come out. And it’s going to create more damage. I will have mere moments to attempt to save her life, and I don’t have time to waste sparing her from pain. You will need to hold her steady.”

Madinia

Blinding pain. The pungent scent of herbs and flowers. Dim light dancing on the walls.

Most worryingly, I can feel strong hands, holding me down.

Someone else touches the arrow and I scream.

I know what’s coming next.

“Don’t.” The word is a choked sob. “Please.”

“It has to be done, sweetheart.” Calysian murmurs, pressing his lips to my ear. “You need to live, which means your new accessory needs to go.”

“Don’t—”

The pain steals my breath, unbearable agony razing my body as someone wrenches the arrow free.

I devolve into sobs, desperate for it to all just be over.

“Live, Madinia. You have much to stay alive for.”

Do I?

“Your friends may still be waiting for you.”

My eyes flutter closed. If Daharak and the others are still alive, they’re probably better without me. What have I brought them except suffering?

The healer does something particularly nasty, and I moan, fighting against her torturous hands.

“Kyldare escaped,” Calysian continues. “If you die, you release him from your vengeance.”

Kyldare’s hateful voice echoes through my head.“If I can’t have your life, I’ll gladly take your death. Think of me as you die choking on your own blood.”

Fury edges out the agony. It lasts only moments, but it’s long enough for me to take a full breath. Then the healer does something else to make me cry out.

But the thought of revenge is enough. For now.

Calysian’s lips meet my temple. “There you go. It will all be over soon.”

My entire body shudders, the pressure in my lung unrelenting. I’m not sure why Calysian is doing this. Why he cares. We may have had one night of pleasure, but I shoved him away like Ialwaysdo, and then he found his precious grimoire.

So why is he still here?

“Infection has already begun,” a low, female voice says. “I must burn it out.”

That doesn’t sound good. In fact, it sounds terrible.

“No burning,” I mumble.

“Shhh.” Calysian’s hand is cool as he strokes my hair back from my forehead. “Rest.”

Warmth spreads through my chest. Warmth that becomes blazing heat. I writhe, pushing uselessly at the healer, but Calysian captures my hands in his.

“Finish this.” His voice is low, dangerous. I tense, but he’s not talking to me.

“You came from the swamp. I must remove all of the infection. To skip this step would mean her death.”