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A sane person would pull away and break this connection, but apparently, River had lost part of her sanity when Nikhail showed up at her hospital, bleeding out, because she didn’t do that. Instead, she tightened her grip, shifting to get a better look at him.

“How did you get shot, Nik?” She tried asking the question sternly, but it was rather difficult with him holding her hand.

This was a platonic touch, right? It meant nothing. It had to mean nothing. But the problem was, it didn’t feel like nothing. And that was something she would have to examine.

Later.

“I was… investigating something when things turned sideways,” Nikhail said .

River snorted incredulously. “Sideways? Such an interesting term to describe nearly dying.”

The corner of his lips twitched as if he was barely holding in a smile. “Well, you know how it is. All in a day’s work.”

“Really,” she said dryly. “I’m not so sure about that.”

Admittedly, River wasn’t entirely sure about the kind of things Nikhail and Ryker encountered on a daily basis, but if this was what Nikhail described as sideways, what did he consider bad ?

A shiver ran down her spine as her mind helpfully supplied different ways things could be described as “bad.” Death, dismemberment, the loss of limbs, catastrophic natural disasters… The list was practically endless.

Damn her anxious mind for being so willing to spin dark tales for her. It took significant effort, but she pulled her thoughts away from the panicked spiral she was descending into and refocused on the fae in front of her.

“Who were you investigating?” She tilted her head and bit her bottom lip. “I mean, if you’re allowed to tell me. I know there are rules…”

His thumb swept across the back of her hand, and her words dried up. Her entire world shifted, centering on that steady movement. Back and forth, his thumb left tingling sensations in its wake.

The air grew heavy.

Put a stop to this , a rational voice whispered in River’s head. Remember the curse. Remember why this is a bad idea .

The voice was right, but the problem was, River liked the way her magic quieted when Nikhail touched her. She could hear herself think without the rest of the world’s problems weighing down on her.

So River didn’t pull her hand out of Nikhail’s. And thank the gods she didn’t, because the next words that came out of his mouth threw her world off its axis.

“The Black Night is back, River.”

Every single part of her froze. Her heart. Her lungs. Even her magic stilled, caught in a web of panic.

The Black Night is back.

The rebels had returned.

Her skin pebbled, and the hairs on the back of her neck chilled. Her pink scrubs were suddenly an inadequate barrier against the cold.

Had the temperature dropped, or was it just her? She would ask, but her mouth was no longer capable of forming words.

Suddenly, River was grateful for Nikhail’s hand on hers. Without it, she might’ve fallen over. Fainted, just like a proper lady might do. Tertia would be so proud.

River was aware of the rebels’ existence, of course. How could she not be, as the daughter of a well-known Representative and the sister of a captain in the military?

No, she knew about them, just like she’d known she was different from a very young age.

From the day she turned four, she’d attended Highmountain’s School for Young Fae in Golden City.

The renowned preparatory school for girls was one of the best educational facilities in the entire Republic, and she had attended it until the Incident.

Iron gates divided the elite educational facility from the rest of the city, including the school across the street, Blue Stream Elementary. The public school catered to the general population who called Golden City their home.

As a young girl, River had often stood at the gate in her plaid uniform, watching the other children. The Blue Stream students seemed so free. They laughed easily, chasing each other around the yard. They played games that River and her friends at Highmountain never got to play.

One day, when River had been too young to realize that questions like this weren’t very appropriate for young ladies to ask, she’d tugged on Headmistress Hart’s skirt.

“Excuse me, Headmistress?”

Stern, dark brown eyes framed by straight white hair that fell to the Headmistress’s waist met River’s. “Yes, Miss Waterborn?”

“Why can’t we play tag or throw balls like the other children?” She looked wistfully across the street, where the kids at Blue Stream were laughing and playing catch.

It looked so fun, and River had never done anything like that. She had to be quiet at home because Dad was sick, but even at school, they weren’t allowed to play like the other kids.

The earth fae’s mouth twisted into a scorn, and River’s heart pounded loudly. She didn’t like the mean way Headmistress Hart was looking at her. It reminded her too much of her mother.

“Do not be foolish, Miss Waterborn,” she snapped. “Daughters of Representatives do not lower themselves to play childish games like tag and catch.”

“I just thought it looked fun,” River admitted.

“Fun.” Headmistress Hart arched a manicured brow and sneered. “You don’t need to worry about having fun.”

River’s lips tugged into a frown. “I don’t?”

Her big brother seemed to enjoy having fun. Sometimes she heard him laughing with his friends, although that happened less often now that Daddy was sick.

“No, you don’t.” The headmistress placed a heavy hand on River’s shoulder. “Now, come. It’s time for your arithmetic lesson. ”

That had been the last time River ever brought up tag, but she never stopped watching the children at Blue Stream. They were free in a way that she would never get to experience, and it was all because her mother was a Representative.

And now, the rebels were back. Targeting the Representatives and their families.

Again .

River shivered, her mind bringing her back to that awful night nearly two years ago when the Black Night had abducted Ryker and the other men who had participated in the Choosing. They would’ve died if not for Brynleigh, River’s sister-in-law.

As it was, they hadn’t escaped unscathed. The Chancellor’s own son-in-law had been brutally murdered, leaving his new wife a widow. River couldn’t even remember the last time she’d heard anyone speak of Valentina Rose. Lost in grief, the fire fae had vanished from society after losing her husband.

“The rebels are in Lakewater?” River whispered, her mouth finally remembering how to form words.

Logically, she understood that that had to be the case since Nikhail worked in the city, but she needed to hear him say it. Needed him to confirm it.

His fingers tightened around hers. “Yes,” he said, his voice low.

The temperature in the room dropped even further, as if they were in the middle of a blizzard.

“We’ve been tracking the rebels’ movements through the Republic ever since the attack on the Reunion.

” Nikhail’s gaze never left hers. Never wavered.

Did he know that she was close to losing herself, that his touch was the only reason she was still holding on?

“They remained quiet for a time, but it seems they’ve decided to reappear. ”

River’s mouth dried. Her tongue was heavy and scratchy, sticking to the roof of her mouth.

Had her magic been calm before? Now it had a heartbeat of its own, throbbing in her veins.

Drip .

Tiny droplets of water formed on the fingertips of her free hand.

Drip .

The rebels were back, here to terrorize the Representatives and their families.

Drip .

Nikhail’s thumb swept across the back of her hand. Never stopping. Never slowing.

Drip.

“And they’re the ones who shot you.” Not a question.

Drip, drip, drip.

A small puddle formed on the floor beneath her feet.

Nikhail squeezed her fingers. Steady. Grounding when it felt like her world was being destroyed. “Yes. I was following a lead, but they took me by surprise. No one was supposed to be there.”

“But they were.” Obviously.

“Yeah. The job was supposed to be quick. In and out. An information-gathering mission.” A grim chuckle slipped from Nikhail’s lips. How could he laugh at a time like this? How could he find humor in this situation? “Clearly, our intel lacked a few key pieces of information.”

Drip, drip, drip, drip .

“Clearly,” she choked out, her vision spinning.

“It was an ambush, and they… well, you know the rest.”

He was shot and nearly killed. He would’ve died if he hadn’t gotten help in time .

All because of the rebels.

The room spun faster and faster. The temperature steadily dropped. White clouds puffed in front of her mouth.

Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip.

The waves of her curse rose up, a maelstrom of death and destruction, slamming into the walls she kept around it.

Oh, gods.

The Black Night was here.

They were here, and they were most likely planning something that would harm the people of the Republic of Balance. The Representatives.

River’s stomach twisted, and she held on to Nikhail’s hand with all her might.

She’d been raised knowing that Representatives were, for lack of a better term, the rulers of the Republic of Balance. Even though the land was no longer split into kingdoms and there were no more kings and queens, no one could deny the power of the ruling upper class.

For the gods’ sake, the only reason River had attended the University of Balance, the only reason she was here in Lakewater General at all, was because of her mother’s influence.

Doctor Collins thought she’d bribed someone, and while that wasn’t true, she couldn’t deny that she owed her very freedom to her Waterborn name.

By all rights, she should be rotting away in a prohiberis-lined cell at the bottom of a dark prison.

Were the Representatives good ? No.

Were the murderous rebels any better? Also, no.

Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip.

“Hey.” Nikhail’s voice was soft and commanding. It broke through the haze of her panic. “Look at me, River.”

Dragging her eyes to his was like moving a stick through drying concrete. Nearly impossible, yet somehow, she managed to do it.

“Good job,” he murmured, the words soft and just for her. His praise went straight to her core, despite her panic. “Breathe with me, princess.”

He reached for her other hand, squeezing it. He inhaled dramatically, waiting for her to follow his lead before exhaling.

His chest rose, and so did hers.

It fell, and hers followed suit.

Encouragements fell from Nikhail’s lips, soft words only for her to hear. She was doing well. Just keep following. It would be all right. Everything was fine. No one had gotten seriously hurt. They would stop the rebels once and for all. He had her.

The dripping slowed, then stopped.

Nikhail’s words didn’t falter for a single moment. He kept murmuring, kept encouraging her to breathe and remain calm. Kept assuring her that he wouldn’t leave her, that he was right here.

Gods, he knew exactly what to say.

Eventually, her head felt clearer. She was breathing on her own, and her magic was no longer a tumultuous storm in her veins.

Nikhail’s lips kicked up into a small smile. “There you go.” Lifting his left hand from hers, he cupped her cheek. Without meaning to, she leaned into his touch. “I’m very good at my job, River.”

“So good that you just took a bullet to the gut?” Her brows hit her forehead.

He laughed , which was not the response she was expecting. The deep sound warmed her insides, an unexpected reaction considering the severity of the situation .

“Okay, other than that, I’m good at my job.”

“I see.” To be honest, River didn’t see the humor in the situation. Ryker always assured her that he was good at his job, too, and he’d gotten himself kidnapped and nearly killed.

What if something like that happened again? What if this time, the rebels won? What if?—

A warm breeze twisted up her arm like a vine, pulling her from her thoughts. She sucked in a breath, dropping her gaze.

“You’re thinking very loudly,” Nikhail said.

“I am?” She blinked.

“Your panic is written across your beautiful face.” The air fae’s amber gaze drilled into hers, as if he could see into the depths of her soul if he tried hard enough.

She latched onto one word. “You think I’m beautiful?”

She’d been wearing the same scrubs for over a day, her hair was a mess, and she was sure there were bags under her eyes. Her teeth were fuzzy and desperately needed to be brushed, and she couldn’t wait to shower.

The smile that stretched across his face couldn’t be faked. “I think you’re the most stunning creature that has ever lived in the Republic of Balance.”

“Oh.” What was she supposed to say to that?

Nikhail took advantage of her stunned state, chuckling softly. “I promise, River. Everything will be okay.”

She wasn’t sure if it was the sincerity in his tone or the way he looked at her, but she believed him. Shoving the what-ifs aside, she took a deep breath.

Nikhail was right. He was good at his job, just like she was good at hers. If he said it would be okay, then it would be. Right?

It had to be okay.

River remained by Nikhail’s side for a few more hours, until she was so tired she was swaying. He urged her to go home and get some rest, promising to stay in the hospital until the attending physician cleared him for release.

She walked home, grateful that her residence was nearby, and wearily climbed the steps to her third-floor studio apartment. As she went through her bedtime routine, Nikhail’s words kept playing through her mind.

I promise, everything will be okay.

By the gods, she hoped he was right.