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Kyia’s face was white and she looked dangerously close to running over and jumping on top of Roka to protect him with her own body, but still she answered, “He shouldn’t feel anything. But in thisnot-happening-scenario,”—her meaning was impossible to miss—“the moment he figured out how you had managed to sneak into the city, he would realise the truth. Then he’d be able to go anywhere,includingup here to Draekora, with his own means of escape—which is the only thing that’s kept him and his army away for so long.”

“Then we’ll just have to make sure everyone here is either ready to fight, or preferably, willing to evacuate and join the rest of the mortals,” Alex said, having already considered the possibility. “Have any of you left here since I’ve been gone?”

“We’ve been helping your people with their battles whenever Aven has been in attendance, since the risk of him striking us here at the same time was minimal,” Zain answered, his hands fisted around his weapons and his eyes watching Alex’s every move, like she was a snake about to strike. “It’s been complicated, though, with the mortals having trouble recognising friend from foe, especially with their weaponised Sarnaph blood—a good idea, I must admit.”

Friend from foe. That was a conundrum they would have to solve—butlater. Right now, she needed to get to Meya, to her friends and her parents. But there were still two very upset Meyarins standing in her way.

“Alex,” Kyia said quietly, “whatever you’re thinking, you must know, there’s no way we’ll let you hurt Roka.” Her expression was stricken but her tone unwavering. “There’s no way we’ll let you kill him.”

“That, I presume, is where I’m supposed to come in.”

Fletcher’s timing couldn’t have been more perfect as he and Mayra strode into the tent.

“It might have been nice for a little warning, though,” the doctor told Alex pointedly as he came to a stop beside her.

“You were busy,” she replied. Then, quieter, “How’s Soraya?”

“Stable. Varin is watching over her while I’m gone, but I’m confident she’ll make a full recovery.”

At the confirmation, Alex exhaled a deep, relieved breath. “Thank you, Fletcher.”

“You can thank me by filling me in on your plan,” he returned. “Maggie—erm, Mayra, I mean—has brought me up here a few times to check Roka’s vitals, so I’m familiar with hiscurrent condition, but I’m at a loss as to what you’re suggesting be done to him.”

Wiping her clammy hands on her leathery armour, Alex looked over to the curtained area again and said, “Is there a way that you can make it so Roka dies but still stays alive?”

Zain and Kyia both sucked in breaths.

“What you’re asking,” Fletcher said slowly, “is not something I would advise.”

It also wasn’t something Alex wouldeverconsider under normal circumstances. But their circumstances were anything but normal.

“Desperate times, Fletcher,” she whispered. “He only needs to be dead for a second in order for Aven’s blood to become validated again.” She looked at Zain and Kyia for confirmation, receiving terse nods of agreement, before she turned back to the doctor and asked, “Can it be done?”

It took him a moment to respond, and when he did, it was with clear hesitation. “I can stop his heart in a way that would normally allow for resuscitation, but given his catatonic state, I’m not confident any of my usual methods of revival would work.” He rubbed his jaw, his gaze inward as he considered. “From what I gather, Grimm Helkin doesn’t need to do anything for his sleeping gift to stay active. It’s essentially comparable to a blast of a Stabiliser—one hit was all it took, and only a deliberate decision on Grimm’s part will wake Roka; like a second blast with the reverse effect. Until then, not even death will free him from his coma.” He paused, then finished, “Since his body and mind are in a limbo state right now, I fear that if I do stop his heart, there’s nothing in him cognisant enough to respond to my attempts at resuscitation. Not while Grimm’s gift remains in effect.”

Swiftly processing that, a new plan started to form in Alex’s head. “If you can’t revive him completely, can you keep him alive long enough for us to wake him?”

Fletcher cocked his head in question.

“Like…” Alex floundered, then an idea came to her. “Do you know what CPR is?”

The look on Fletcher’s face would have been comical in any other instance. “I’m a doctor. Of course I do.”

Alex didn’t waste time explaining that Medoran medicine was so advanced that she hadn’t been sure if cardiopulmonary resuscitation existed outside of Freya.

“Then can you keep his heart pumping while we’re gone?”

Warily, he nodded.

“For how long?” Alex asked.

“The risk of irreversible damage grows the longer CPR is administered,” Fletcher warned. “But… given his swifter immortal healing, presuming we can manually keep up a steady continuation of his heart and lungs oxygenating his blood, you’ll have the time you need to get in and out of Meya. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, of course. But without Grimm—”

In a hard voice, Alex said, “Grimm will be coming back with us.”

Silence met her statement. Until Hunter spoke.

“Add him to the ever-growing list,” the teacher said under his breath, clearly not a fan of the increasingly complicated plan, but also understanding why the gifted man had to be among their returning number.