Page 42 of Pirate Witch

“I don’t give a shit what you’re going on about, kid,” Val growls. “Get that Solar on her feet and tell her to fix our fuckingwitch.”

“She won’t wake,” he stammers. “I’mtrying.”

Nilsa’s whole body convulses, the glowing mark at her hairline flaring until it hurts to look at her. But I don’t dare look away.

“WAKE HER UP!” Rysen orders as my knees give out beneath me.

The others continue yelling at Elsie, who’s not in much better shape than we are. Their distraction means they’re completely oblivious to the way our mate blinks furiously, then reaches up to her eyes and rubs at them.

Our witch’s beautiful face morphs from confusion to disbelief. She blinks over and over as she looks around the room. Her eyes don’t focus on anything, and it doesn’t take long for her confusion to be eclipsed by utter terror.

No. Not again.I glance back at Nos, remembering that fateful morning when he did the exact same thing.

Nilsa’s eyes aren’t pure white, but she’s obviously reaching the same conclusion I have: she’s blind. I can practically taste the sour scent of her terror as Elsie stumbles over to her.

“I’m fine. Let me look at her.” The Solar shuts up her fussing mage friend and tugs Nilsa’s hands away from her face. “Nilsa, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”

“I can’t see.” Nilsa’s words gut me, and I glance back at Nos to find his expression just as tortured as hers is. “Everything is blurry. They took my sight, Elsie. They took—I’m going to be sick.”

She starts to retch, and I’d give anything to hug her. Klaus obviously feels the same, because he comes up behind her. Even Opal seems to want to be close to her witch. She paces around Nilsa in a circle, but doesn’t make a sound. Her fur is standing on end, like she’s alarmed.

“Give her room,” Elsie orders. “Nilsa, I need you to look at me so I can check for damage, okay? I have to know what I’m working with. Eyes are complicated.”

Nilsa is crying. The salty scent of her tears adds to the lingering scent of her blood that remains from earlier when we attacked her. Soon, every lungful of air is a stab to my heart.

We did this.

“Keep your eyes open.” Elsie’s hands start glowing, and I have no idea how it’s possible, but her hair shines even brighter. “It’s a pressure buildup,” she mutters. “There’s some swelling, but it should be temporary.”

“How temporary?” I demand, trying not to notice the way Nilsa flinches from my voice.

Elsie hesitates. “A few hours. I’ve healed the swelling. If she rests, she’ll recover faster.”

“I’ve got her,” Klaus insists, dragging our mate into his arms.

“Let us out of here and we’ll take her back to the ship,” Rysen growls.

Klaus doesn’t immediately agree. Instead, he stares at all of us. “Did it work?”

Nilsa nods, making the tear tracks on her face glimmer in the light. “It did. I chose to pay their price. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”

“What price?” Klaus asks.

Nilsa can’t answer. Her breath hitches, her face goes slack and her skin turns impossibly paler. Her eyes slide closed, and all of us hold our collective breath, waiting to see if she’ll worsen.

“She’s just wiped out,” Elsie mumbles, running her hands over Nilsa. “Her energy feels really off. Whatever happened to her… Well, it did a number on all of us.”

“I’m taking her back to her room,” Klaus announces.

I actually snarl. “Let us out of this cell.”

He’s not taking her away from us. Not now.

Klaus looks to Elsie, who in turn looks at Reva, who’s watching the events unfold as the mage kid helps her to sit up. The two witches seem to communicate silently for a second, creasing their brows as they study us.

It’s only now that I realise their eyes have changed too. Their normal colours wiped clear by yet more silver and gold.

What happened to them?