Page 57 of Poisoned Kingdom (Secrets of Dagome #1)

Roksana

T he city infirmary, a massive stone building next to the magistrate’s office, was busier than the town centre on market day. Ciesko had assigned me to the group of healers looking after those with minor injuries but had failed to mention that there would be so many patients.

Countless people came and went, but after dealing with the injured miners in Wiosna, none of my current patients’ injuries were much of a challenge. After several hours, the voices of passing citizens and the stench of blood faded into the background while I worked instinctively.

‘My lady, is everything all right?’ my patient asked. ‘Did you find something else?’

The question shook me out of my stupor as the man on the cot looked between me and his aether-infused wounds, the blood already clotting.

‘Everything is fine, but the spell needs time to settle in,’ I lied, forcing a smile to my lips. ‘Let me suture it, and your arm will be healed in no time.’

My patient quietly hissed when I sprinkled a little nivale powder on his wound, but as the pain-numbing herb began to work, his face smoothed into a blissful expression. I could see the change in him, that hundred-foot stare that always glazed their eyes when the narcotic took effect.

I worked swiftly, closing the edges of his wound while my thoughts drifted to Tova.

Reynard had promised he would find him, and I couldn’t fault his efforts. The Observers had reported that patrol after patrol had been sent out, some of which the king led himself. Rey had also engaged dragons in the search.

But so far, they’d found nothing.

And as the days passed, I slowly lost hope.

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and stood up to collect my tools.

‘All done, just remember to keep it clean,’ I said to the man before returning to Ciesko.

Today was the first day he’d allowed me to work alone. My healing spells were growing stronger, and my non-magical healing already surpassed his other apprentices. Despite all this, Ciesko resisted, and I had the unsettling feeling he was keeping me hidden.

‘I’m finished with the last patient. Do you have any other tasks for me?’ I asked as I approached the arch healer, but he only sighed deeply, shaking his head.

‘You’ve done a great job, Sana. Your affinity for healing magic is stronger than I’d thought possible, but you can’t do too much too quickly.’

Another refusal, another half-arsed excuse.

Ciesko looked at me with the same benevolent smile he used on his patients, but I had already learned to see past his mask.

‘You call this “quickly?” I’ve barely studied the basics. Why do I have to wait for the geas ceremony?’ I asked, my fists involuntarily tightening, rehearsing the arguments in my head.

I’d never realised how gratifying it would feel to work the strands of aether. How a simple tug on a person’s energy could change the outcome of a disease, or how purging the corrupted strands could clean a wound and speed up healing.

‘You’re not ready for more,’ he answered.

I wanted to scream in frustration. I studied diligently, barely sleeping at night as I made steady progress through all the books he’d given me, while also juggling my responsibilities in the Brotherhood. But asking Ciesko to show me more, teach me more, was like trying to get blood out of a stone.

‘Did you know that I conjured fire yesterday?’ I asked, my fingers dancing as tiny flames appeared on their tips.

I’d finally done it. After years of failing, I finally understood the flow of aether enough to manipulate magic I had no affinity for. I had lit a bloody candle, all alone in my eerie, empty house, with no one to share my success with.

Then I’d cried myself to sleep.

Ciesko’s pupils widened before he grasped my hand and tightened it into a fist, smothering the flames. The benevolent smile slipped off his features like water, and a fear I didn’t expect to see flashed in his gaze.

‘Go home, Roksana,’ he said, patting my shoulder as he avoided my eyes. ‘Get some sleep. You’ve worked hard enough today. My reputation will suffer if people think I exploit my students.’

He was a mage of vast knowledge and experience.

Under his patient guidance, my understanding of the aether had grown by leaps and bounds.

I’d have blessed the fates for putting him in my way if not for the fact he was also an insufferable arsehole.

I’d seen him soothe a dangerous, half-crazed mage with nothing more than a couple of hastily drawn sigils, yet a few tiny flames had made him send me home with no explanation.

I left to wash my hands in the basin while I calmed my thoughts before I tackled the problem head-on. I returned to the arch healer, knowing I couldn’t pretend to be oblivious to his manipulations any longer.

‘What’s the real reason you’re stalling my progress?’

His expression darkened, his brows furrowing as he looked at me sharply, the previous joviality completely gone. This was his true face—stern and powerful. But it didn’t matter how much the aether danced around him, I would not back down.

‘Roksana. I can’t tell you. Not yet. But trust me, I have my reasons,’ he said.

I exhaled slowly, calling on all the patience I had left.

‘Then I’ll ask Riordan,’ I responded.

‘And end up in the Court of Aether’s dungeon until the geas ceremony?’ Ciesko shrugged, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he shook his head.

‘Roksana, vivamancy is feared for good reason. Some believe it’s a blessing that our ancestors eradicated it. We have to develop your skills slowly. Your ability is growing too fast, your power blooming in a way I didn’t anticipate.’

He stopped, exhaling slowly, as if our conversation had exhausted him.

‘Just . . . promise me you’ll only practice under my supervision.’

‘I can’t promise you that,’ I said. ‘Tova—’

‘Is not here,’ he interrupted. ‘It’s been nearly three weeks since your friend vanished. You have to ready yourself for the worst and not push your magic because you think a more advanced spell may help you find him or save his life.’

Why was he doing that again? Pressing and prodding at the rawest part of my soul. Was he testing how much I could take? Did he want me to throw a hissy fit and give up magic?

I steadied myself, fist tightening until nails dug into my skin, grounding me enough to answer.

‘I know all of this, but I believe in Reynard. He’ll find Tova, and I’ll never give up searching until the dwarf or his body turn on my doorstep,’ I said harshly, bracing myself for more insensitive comments.

To my surprise, Ciesko’s gaze softened, filling with regret.

‘Alright, Roksana, but please get some sleep, child. Otherwise, you won’t survive long enough to see your friend return.’

By the time I left the infirmary, the sun was beginning to set. Despite the chill breeze from the river, its rays created a pleasant warmth that had me tilting my face to its radiance.

Winter was coming. It had been three months since I’d arrived in Truso, and in that time, the trees had lost most of their leaves—and I’d lost my friend while trying to save another.

As if mirroring my thoughts, a red Acer leaf floated by on a gust of wind and landed at my feet—a sign that nature didn’t care about my woes, the seasons rolling by at their own pace.

The streets were full of traders and passersby as I walked to the Brotherhood’s mansion to see Boyan. A nice perk of my healer’s training had been the ability to ease the cough plaguing the grand master, an ability I conveniently forgot to tell Ciesko about.

Graveyard cough was fatal, but its victims’ prognoses depended on their age and overall condition.

As much as I couldn’t do anything about Boyan’s age, my gentle manipulation of his body’s aether helped him cope better with the illness.

Lately, I’d been experimenting with isolating portions of his lungs that appeared like black, lifeless holes in his life force.

The sentinels inclined their heads in greeting when I entered the building.

Ever since I’d rejoined the Brotherhood, I’d been treated with the respect of my old position.

Boyan had even given me a new title—Shadow Mage.

But it concerned me. If his current shadow were to resent my sudden rise, I could end up in trouble before I knew it.

Just as I was about to knock on the grand master’s door, the sound of quick, light footsteps behind me distracted me. I turned, recognising the runner. It was one of the maidservants Lily had assigned to me, and both the haste and the tension on the woman’s face made my heart stutter.

‘My lady! Wait . . . Mistress Lily . . .’ the girl gasped.

I grabbed her arms, steadying her. ‘What? What’s happened to her?’

I was almost shouting, shaking the poor girl while my mind came up with the worst scenarios.

‘Nothing with the mistress, no, but they found him . . . the dwarf . . . The king sent a message, but we couldn’t find . . . Here. That’s for you,’ she said, passing me a letter.

The poor thing looked like she’d been running all over the city, but the relief and worry I felt at her words overwhelmed me. My knees buckled, and I stumbled to the wall, hiding my face in my hands while trying to calm my breathing before I passed out.

‘What’s going on here?’ Boyan said, opening the door, his shadow falling on the stone floor. ‘Roksana, are you alright?’

‘They found the dwarf, Grand Master,’ the girl responded. ‘My lady . . . I think it was too much for her.’

A dry, skeletal hand stroked my hair, Boyan’s fingers trailing through the strands.

‘Go to the east wing,’ he said to the maid. ‘Find Irsha—he should be there training his recruits. Tell him I require his presence.’

She bolted to fulfil his orders. Her steps were still reverberating through the corridor when Boyan paused, his hand moving to cup my cheek.

‘Roksana, look at me!’ he commanded.

I raised my tear-streaked face, and he studied my face before embracing me.