Page 10 of Shardless (Tempris #1)

- An excerpt from The Essential Guide to Fey Pathophysiology, 1,263,856 th Edition

Though the fey display accelerated healing and immunity to injury and disease, they are still susceptible to certain poisons and venoms. Reactions can vary from mild to life-threatening depending on the individual, the poison, and the time of treatment.

The list of documented poisons and their effects is quite lengthy and will be covered in the next chapter. For now, we will concentrate on some of the deadlier venoms found throughout the fey world.

By far the most dangerous venom is that of the Tempris harpy. Only the females are venomous, and, unlike other creatures which may inject their venom using stingers or fangs, the harpy’s venom is produced by a specialized gland located underneath its anterior claws.

If treated immediately, the symptoms will be mild to moderate and may consist of fever, vomiting, and muscle pain. If left untreated, symptoms will rapidly progress and include trouble breathing, chest pain, confusion or changes in cognition, extreme fatigue, and shaking chills. A rapid decrease in body temperature is the final symptom, followed quickly by death.

For Taly, time had ceased to exist. She floated in and out of consciousness, lost in a fog of pain. Every cell, every muscle, every part of her felt scorched and charred. Like someone had injected fire straight into her veins.

There were few waking moments that she could recall. She had the vague sense of being in a bed. Of people moving around her, prodding at her with gentle hands. She could never stay awake long enough to figure out who they belonged to.

At some point, voices started to invade her dreams, drifting across that diaphanous veil between wakefulness and sleep.

“What’s… her?” a woman said. Taly could barely make out the words.

“… blood loss… harpy venom.” A man’s voice this time. “… allergic... make her comfortable…”

“When… wake up?” The woman again. She seemed quite distressed.

Taly let out a feeble groan as she turned on her back, no longer able to ignore the building ache in her arm and shoulder. Her spine arched as a new flash of pain blossomed beneath her skin. Even though her wounds had closed, she could still feel the fiery sting of the harpy’s claws .

“Look! She’s waking up. Little one?” The worried face of Sarina gradually came into focus. “I’m here, my dear.” The frazzled noblewoman sat on the edge of the bed, gently stroking her hair. Taly tried to look beyond her, but there was a strange haze clouding her vision.

“We need to get her to drink some water.” Aiden walked into her line of sight. His face looked haggard and drawn in the dim light.

Carefully accepting the etched crystal glass that Aiden seemed to produce from nowhere, Sarina held it up to Taly’s lips as the healer moved to lift her into a sitting position. For Taly, everything felt muddled—from the wrenching pain in her neck as she shifted to the pull of skin on her back as Aiden held her up.

She took a tentative sip. The rim of the glass felt cool against her dry, cracked lips, and the heavenly liquid quickly soothed the dull ache that had settled at the back of her throat. Her hands curled around the cup as she started to gulp down the contents in earnest. She couldn’t remember ever being this thirsty.

Without warning, Taly jerked forward and promptly emptied the contents of her near-empty stomach onto the floor. Bile burned her throat, and tears sprang up as the pain erupted anew, clawing at her insides, wrapping around her body like a vice. The cup hit the carpet with a dull thud and rolled away.

“What’s happening?” Sarina snapped sharply at Aiden, holding back Taly’s hair as she continued to heave.

“Her stomach is probably a little sensitive right now. That’s all,” Aiden explained in a measured tone. He reached down to retrieve the glass and then walked out of Taly’s view. He reappeared a moment later. “Here,” he said, handing her a fresh cup of water. “I know you’re thirsty but try to drink more slowly this time.”

With great care, Taly took a small sip, but it made no difference. She immediately expelled the water in the same manner.

For the next few hours, Aiden and Sarina tried, again and again, to get her to eat or drink something, but she couldn’t manage to hold anything down. Her eyes and nose burned, and her muscles ached as her stomach continued to convulse long after it was empty. She could sense their growing confusion, but she couldn’t make her body obey her commands. Something inside her was on fire, poisoning her from the inside out.

Taly soon began to drift in and out of consciousness. Her dreams were vague and disjointed and left her gasping for air, but every time she came to, she could sense Sarina nearby, and some of the lingering fear would slip away. Skye was usually there too, and sometimes she would glimpse him and Ivain huddled over her worktable, whispering quietly.

It was dark outside the next time Taly managed to claw her way back to the waking world. She immediately felt… cold. The fire in her veins had been replaced with ice, and the chill weighed her down, made her limbs feel tight and rigid. Violent shivers racked her body, but she didn’t have the energy to pull at the quilt that covered her. She barely had the strength to crack open her eyes.

Sarina sat beside the bed in a plush wingback chair, looking faded and worn around the edges. Her usually immaculate hair was disheveled, and her eyes and nose were red.

“How much time do you think we have? Do you think that Skye and Ivain will be back before...” Sarina’s voice trailed off, and she brought her hands up to cover her face. “This can’t be happening,” she whimpered, a rough sob ripping from her throat. “We were supposed to have more time.”

Aiden sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I don’t understand any of this. I’ve checked for every infection I know to check for. It had to be that metal rod that fell through from the mortal realm. Human diseases evolve so quickly… It must be something that’s developed since the last time the Aion Gate opened. Something that we just don’t know how to treat.”

“Skye and Ivain will never forgive me if they’re not here when it happens,” Sarina mumbled, her eyes vacant. Reaching over, she pulled the blanket up higher, tucking it around Taly’s chin. “Maybe I made a mistake sending them to Litor to get more blood wood. They’re supposed to be back tonight, but… Will they make it in time? How much longer does she have?”

“While I think it might be wise to start preparing ourselves for the worst,” Aiden said, studying the various herbs and crystals scattered across the table, “I’m not giving up. Not yet. I have an idea. It’s crazy. Really crazy. And I’m going to need to go to the clinic in Ryme to get supplies.”

“You think she can still get better?” Sarina asked, cautious but hopeful.

Aiden slammed his hands down on the table. “As long as she keeps fighting, then anything’s possible. Right? There’s one more thing I can try. It’s a last resort measure, but if she’s already… well, what have we got to lose? If Ivain and Skye get back before I do, keep them close by. This will be easier with a shadow mage. I’m going to need a lot of aether.”

Sarina placed a hand on Taly’s brow, her fingers trailing down to cup the girl’s cheek. “Please don’t let my baby die, Aiden.”

Aiden hesitated, swallowing thickly. “I’ll do my best.” He gave Sarina a curt nod before sweeping a pile of empty vials into a small bag and hastily exiting the room.

The next time Taly awoke, birds were chirping all-too-merrily outside her window. Each happy warble was like a dagger, piercing and razor-sharp to her overly sensitive ears. The scent of herbs and something faintly aseptic tickled at the blistered skin of her nose.

Groaning, she turned and buried her head in her pillow. Her very hard, lumpy pillow. She tried punching it, hoping that would make the traitorous sack of fluff fall back into line.

But it didn’t. In fact, the feeble blow sent a wave of pain reverberating up her arm and into her shoulders and neck. She writhed, trying to get away from the crest of blazing fire that had been ignited beneath her skin, but the blankets pinned her in place. They weighed her down, and the more she struggled, the more tangled she became.

Someone drew in a sharp breath, and a pair of hands reached out to still her. “Let’s not do that,” a soft voice murmured. “We don’t want your wounds reopening.”

“Skye?” Taly rasped. Her throat felt raw. Her tongue was dry and clumsy. When she cracked open her eyes, Skye’s face slowly came into focus. His clothes were wrinkled, and it looked as though he hadn’t shaved in several days, but he was smiling.

“Yeah, Tink,” he replied quietly, reaching out to push aside a stray lock of hair that had fallen across her eyes. “I’m here.”

Taly opened her mouth to speak, but something in her throat caught. Coughs racked her body, and she whimpered at the fresh surge of agony that accompanied the uncontrollable spasms.

Skye was at her side in a moment, looping an arm around her shoulders as he lifted her. Leaning her against his shoulder, he held a cup up to her lips. “Here.”

Taly pushed his hand away as best she could. The memory of the last time someone had offered her water—and the resulting pain—was still too fresh. “No, I don’t want that,” she managed to choke out between coughs.

Gently pulling her hands away, Skye held the rim of the cup against her bottom lip and tipped her head back. “The healing spells have kept you from getting too dehydrated, but Aiden said we needed to get you to drink water as soon as you woke up. You’ll feel better. I promise. ”

The cool liquid easily slipped down her throat, extinguishing the burning pain, and though it made her stomach turn, she managed to keep it down.

When nothing but a faint tickle remained, Taly pushed the cup away. “What happened?” she asked weakly. Her eyes scanned the room, confirming her worst fears. They had brought her back to the manor. A familiar sense of dread stirred in the back of her mind, but it felt far away. Nothing but a vague, undefinable fear. “How did I get here?”

“Well, that’s a long story,” Skye muttered as he gently laid her back down. Setting the cup aside, he settled back into a chair beside the bed. “Let’s see… I guess it all started when this little blonde brat decided she had a death wish and tried to hobble off on her own, half-dead and full of harpy venom.”

“Hey now, Em. Don’t skip the beginning of this story,” Taly grumbled when she saw him smirk, clearly amused by his own joke. “Personally, I really love the part about the idiot that brought the twit along that put me in the situation with the harpy.”

His smile slipped. “You got really sick, Tink,” he said, all traces of playful rebuke melting away. “When you were on the road, you could barely stand, your words were slurring together... you couldn’t even tell us your name. Aiden said it was the fever, but… Shards, that was some scary shit. You started panicking, and he had to use a sleeping charm just to keep you from reopening your wounds.”

“I remember the road, I think.” Taly’s head lolled to the side, and she stared at the crack in her curtains. Her mind felt dull, and she was momentarily distracted by the way the dust caught the light as it hung in the air. “Didn’t Aiden say it was just an allergic reaction to the harpy venom? Or was it an infection? It’s all a little fuzzy.”

“We’re still not sure. My guess is both.”

Taly sighed as she twisted, trying to get comfortable. The pain in her back was becoming a problem.

“Hold on.” Rising from his place beside her, Skye retrieved a small, cloth-wrapped bundle from the worktable against the far wall. He lifted her, sliding it underneath the small of her back. The slightly elevated position and the delicious warmth radiating from the pack had her sighing in relief. “Fire crystals,” he said when she raised a brow in question.

“How long have I been out?” Taly mumbled. “A day?”

Skye grimaced. “Not quite.”

“Two days?” she asked, her eyes widening when he shook his head. “Longer?”

“Try eight.”

“What?!” Taly exclaimed shakily. “Eight days? How is that possible?”

Skye stuffed his hands in his pockets. “It took you almost a full day to wake up after Aiden removed the sleeping charm. And no matter what anyone did, your fever just kept getting worse. You were waking up less and less often, and half the time you didn’t even know we were there. We tried everything—Sarina even sent Ivain and me to Litor for blood wood. The medicine didn’t end up doing anything for you, but I wasn’t really expecting it to. I think the trip was mostly just to get Ivain out of the house. He wasn’t handling things very well.”

Sinking down on the bed beside her, Skye ran a hand along the stubble on his chin. “And then your temperature started to drop the night before last—just a few hours after we got back from Litor. You started shaking. Sarina was casting warming spells for a while, but Ivain and I eventually managed to rig something together to keep your temperature elevated. I think we bought every fire crystal in Ryme in the process. I really thought…” Skye’s voice caught, and he stopped. Reaching for her hand, his thumb grazed the pulse point on her wrist, lingering there. The gentle touch felt strange and slightly ticklish, but Taly made no move to push him away.

He stared at their intertwined hands for a moment before continuing. “And then Aiden gave you some sort of draught—he wouldn’t say what it was. He just told Ivain and me to keep feeding him aether. Whatever he did, whatever he gave you—it worked. You stabilized a few hours later, and you’ve been doing really well the past two days. You probably still feel like shit, but Aiden says you’re on the mend.”

Now that the pain in her back was under control, the aching soreness in her arms and legs was starting to make itself known. She whimpered slightly when Skye reached underneath the blanket and rearranged a small lump situated next to her hip. She heard the clacking of crystals, and then a small burst of heat had her murmuring a soft “thank you” as the pain receded.

On his feet again, Skye began checking on other small bundles of crystals carefully arranged around her body. “How’s that?” he asked, tucking the blanket back around her. “Are you warm enough?”

“No. It’s freezing in here,” Taly replied, involuntary shivers running up and down her spine.

“Okay. Uh…” Skye clicked his tongue as he looked around the room. “One second.” Taly watched him disappear into her washroom. Still feeling listless and drowsy, her thoughts began to drift as her eyes traced the polished, leafy tendrils etched into the dark wooden surface of the door, and she jumped when Skye reappeared carrying two large bundles. He smiled at her as he arranged what looked like lumpy pillowcases across her stomach and feet.

Taly sighed, curling her toes as the heat of the fire crystals seeped into her. The pain, the chill—it all began to fade. “Hey Skye?” she asked, watching as he continued to fuss over her. “There’s something I’ve been wondering.”

“Oh?” Retrieving two more quilts from the end of the bed, he spread them over her and smoothed out the wrinkles.

“Aiden,” she said with a yawn. “I had a question about Aiden.”

“What about him?” Skye asked, perching on the edge of the bed beside her.

“Did you…?” Taly paused. Like everything else, the memory felt fuzzy and indistinct. “Did you pick him up and sling him over your shoulder when you were running from the harpy, or did I dream that?”

Skye went still for a moment. It started as a stutter, a choked bark that grew in intensity until the laughter erupted from his throat. For the first time since she’d woken up, the tension in his shoulders melted away, and she couldn’t help but join in, albeit weakly.

“He was moving too slow,” Skye insisted. “I really didn’t have any other choice.”

“Uh-huh,” Taly said tiredly, her eyes starting to droop as her giggles subsided. “I’m not sure I believe you. Are you sure that didn’t have anything to do with your little pissing match? Because I think you might have just won. Aiden will never live down being carried around like some damsel in distress.”

“Was there ever any question that I would win in the end?” Skye asked. Even if he still looked haggard and pale, he was starting to sound more like his old self again. When Taly didn’t say anything immediately, he reached over and gently flicked her on the nose. “That was your cue, Tink.”

Taly smiled and swatted his hand away as best she could. She didn’t miss the way his fingers trailed across her cheek, discreetly checking her temperature. “Of course not. No doubt whatsoever,” she replied with a sleepy chuckle. A flicker of silence and then, “That was the answer you wanted, right?”

Skye laughed again as he tucked the blanket tighter around her before gracelessly falling back into the chair beside the bed. Nothing else was said for a while, and eventually, Taly felt herself drifting off to sleep. She could still sense Skye nearby, and a small sigh passed her lips as she snuggled down further into the blanketed cocoon of warmth. For as long as she could remember, he had always been just across the hall, always within reach. She had forgotten just how much she liked having him nearby.

It felt as though she had just nodded off when the sound of hushed whispering invaded her dreams. Feeling warm and lazy, she turned her face towards the noise, blearily opening her eyes.

Aiden and Skye stood over by her worktable, their backs turned.

“When was the last time you slept?” Aiden asked in a low voice, setting down a fresh bag of supplies on the already cluttered tabletop.

“I’m fine,” Skye insisted. He ran a hand through his hair. “Really.”

“Your general health aside, you’re no good to anyone if you deplete your aether,” Aiden replied, frowning. “Get some rest. Take a shower. Eat something. She’s in the next room, not the next town. If anything happens, you’ll be the first to know.”

Skye suppressed a yawn. “I know. And, I will. Now that she’s woken up, I’ll take a break. I promise. I’d just like to wait until you get a chance to examine her. She seemed lucid, but…” A shrug. “I’ll feel better once she’s awake and you’re able to talk to her.”

“I’m here,” Taly mumbled, her eyes squinting in the morning light. Someone had opened her curtains. “I’m up.”

Both Aiden and Skye turned at the sound of her voice.

“Well,” Aiden said as he crossed the room. He looked far more put-together than what she could recall from her hazy fever dream. Dressed in pinstriped slacks and a green damask waistcoat, the only trace of the obvious stress the healer had endured over the past week was written in the already fading bruises beneath his eyes. “Welcome back. Dare I ask how you’re feeling this morning?” He held a hand up to her forehead and then waved a glowing earth crystal over her body, revealing emerald web-like threads that crisscrossed her skin. Apparently, the earth mage saw something encouraging in the patterns, and he soon backed away with a nod of approval.

“Like I really hate harpies.” Grimacing, Taly wriggled as the ever-present pain started to come back into focus. She could still feel the sting of the harpy’s claws where the long gash across her shoulders had healed. “I mean, really hate them. In fact, I’ve decided to dedicate the rest of my life to ensuring the extinction of their species. It’s a noble cause, and I don’t think anybody will miss them.”

Aiden barked out a short laugh. “I’ll take that as better .”

“Is she going to be okay now?” Skye asked nervously, coming to stand beside the healer. In comparison to Aiden’s immaculate appearance, Skye looked rumpled and worn. His clothing was creased and stained after what must have been a harried trip to Litor and back, and there were lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there before. Stooping down, he rearranged the pillow underneath her head, and Taly rewarded him with a grateful sigh as she found a small amount of relief from the almost-constant discomfort.

“Her temperature still isn’t where I’d like it to be, but yes, I believe so,” Aiden replied, walking back over to the table set against the wall. Taly’s collection of mortal tech had all been cleared away, and an assortment of herbs, vials, and medical supplies now covered the oaken surface. “As long as the restoration spells have a steady supply of aether and she continues to take the draught, then I think she’ll make a full recovery. ”

Aiden reached into his bag and pulled out a small packet of black powder. Pouring it into a cup of water, he began to stir absentmindedly. “Skye, I think you should go get some rest now. I can take things from here.”

“Yes, you’ve made your point. I’ll take a break,” Skye grumbled as he stepped across the room and began checking the bundles of fire crystals laid across Taly’s feet. Glancing up at her, he said, “By the way, Sarina’s headed into town this afternoon. She wanted to know if there’s anything you need from your room at the tavern.”

They think I’m here to stay, she realized, guilt welling up inside her.

Taly stared down at her hands, the image of the harpy flashing in front of her eyes. No matter how much she wished it could be different, there was no coming home for her now. Because nothing had changed. If anything, her reasons for distancing herself from her adoptive family had only multiplied, and it was even more imperative that she leave and never come back.

That left her with only one option.

“Aiden?” Taly tried to push herself up, only to fall back against the pillows when her arms refused to support her weight. “How long until I’m back on my feet?”

Aiden glanced at her over his shoulder. “You’ll be hurting for a while yet, but I’d say you’ll probably be getting back some mobility by tomorrow morning. Maybe tonight if I give you something a little stronger for the pain.”

Taly jerked her head decisively. Then, taking a deep breath, she gathered up her courage and braced herself. “Skye, while I’m grateful for what you all have done for me this past week, I’m not staying. Tell Sarina to leave my things where they are. I’ll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning to go back to Ryme.”

With a growl, Skye tucked the edge of the quilt back under the mattress and stood. His eyes found hers, and he said, “Aiden, could you give us a minute?” He didn’t turn around as the earth mage quietly excused himself, nor did he say anything once the door clicked closed. He just stood there, quiet and unmoving, staring at her until she looked away.

Finally, he huffed out a cheerless laugh and hung his head. “So, let me get this straight. You can’t even sit up on your own, but you’re already planning to stagger your way back to Ryme? Let me guess—is it because you’re mortal and we’re not? Or is it something else now? C’mon. Let’s hear it. What lie have you come up with this time to avoid having to tell me the real reason you decided to leave home?”

Taly flinched at his harsh tone, but she steeled herself, forcing her lip not to tremble. What she was about to do… it was going to kill her, but she had to do it.

“Shards, Skye!” Taly exclaimed weakly. “Fine. You want to know the real reason I left? The reason I’m not coming back? Okay, here it is. I got tired of being treated like some mortal pet, so I went to where I could be around my own kind. I’m not like you. You can teach me to walk and talk like some highborn fey, dress me up all you want, but I’m always going to be shardless .”

Skye winced. He hated that word. Which was exactly why she’d chosen it. Already winded, her chest heaved from the exertion of these few clipped sentences, and she fell back against the pillow. Her eyes stung, but she viciously blinked back the tears.

Skye paused to take a deep breath and then gave her a tight-lipped smile. “Taly, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re full of shit. When are you going to stop lying to me and tell me why you’re pushing us away—why you’re pushing me away?”

“I just did.”

Skye stepped closer, turning the corner of the bed and coming to stand beside her. “Another lie.” Taly made to refute his claim, but he cut her off. “Just talk to me, Taly. Please .”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” she said, refusing to break eye contact. “You brought me back here when I clearly stated that I wanted to return to Ryme. What did you think was going to happen?”

Skye’s chest heaved. “You would’ve died if we’d tried to take you to Ryme. Aiden says we were lucky to get you back to the manor when we did. Another hour and you would’ve been too far gone. What was I supposed to do? Leave you on the side of the road knowing you’d end up in a ditch?”

“Yes.” Taly’s heart cracked at the hurt in his eyes. “That’s exactly what you should have done. I am not yours to protect. Not anymore.”

Skye regarded her, so still.

She knew the exact moment she’d won.

“That’s it,” he said. Broken. “I can’t do this anymore.”

Good , she thought even as something inside her began to wail. He was better off without her. They all were.

Sinking down onto the bed next to her, Skye reached out and took her hand in his. “I’m done fighting you on this.”

Good.

“I’m just… I’m done, Taly.”

Her eyes began to burn.

He went on, “If you’re telling me that you want to spend your life salvaging and barely making enough coin to keep yourself alive—I’ll respect that. If you say that you don’t want me in your life, then you don’t ever have to see me again. Even though I know you’re lying, even if I can see how much you want to come home, how much you’re hurting… I’ll back off.”

The hand that still gripped hers tightened. His eyes turned glassy. “You’re my best friend, Tink. For 15 years, you’ve been my best friend, and even though I’ve tried to be there for you… I can’t do this anymore. This fucked up back-and-forth, where one minute everything’s fine and you're you again, and then the next you’re telling me that you’re just some pet ?” He practically spat that last word. “It’s not fair. It’s not fair, and it hurts, and… I’m done.”

Taly bit her lip until she tasted blood, afraid that if she allowed herself one word, she might start begging for his forgiveness. She was silent as Skye wiped at his eyes. Silent as he slowly stood and left the room. Only when he was gone did she finally allow the tears to fall.

Aiden was waiting outside the door, but Skye pushed past him. Taly jumped when she heard the door to his quarters slam shut.

Aiden looked between the two rooms, his face impassive, before stepping inside. Closing the door behind him, his hand pressed against the carved surface. A crest of white light swept through the wood and the surrounding walls as the silencing wards engaged—a necessary precaution to preserve any semblance of privacy in a house full of shadow mages.

He didn’t look at her as he crossed the room, nor did he say anything as he retrieved the forgotten cup from her worktable and began mixing in an assortment of powders from various jars and vials.

His voice was low and even when he finally said, “You’ll need to drink this mixture three times a day until the soreness goes away.” He regarded the brew for a moment before adding another small pinch of white powder and handing it to her. “I’ll have to mix it up for you to take with you if you really do intend to leave.”

Taly took the cup and drank, wrinkling her nose at the taste. The strange prescription was slimy and bitter, more so than anything she had ever tasted.

“So, what are you two really fighting about?” Aiden’s tone was casual, but there was something sharp in his expression.

“You were eavesdropping?” Taly asked, her words mumbled into the cup.

Aiden snorted. “I didn’t need to eavesdrop. Skye looked like he’d just had his heart ripped out, and you’re crying. I’m no scholar, but I’m not stupid.”

“With all due respect, our fights are none of your concern.” Shuddering, Taly finished off the foul-tasting medicine and handed the cup back to him.

Aiden watched her closely. “Do you know what it is that you just drank?” he asked, shaking the cup for emphasis.

“No idea, but it’s disgusting,” Taly quipped, avoiding the healer’s eyes. The way he was looking at her—suspicion tinged with curiosity—had her shifting uncomfortably .

He set the cup down on her bedside table with a thud. “It’s faeflower.”

Taly’s hands flew to her throat. Faeflower was a common antidote for everything from aether depletion to virago venom—for the fey, that is. The plant was highly poisonous to mortals. In fact, it could kill them almost instantly if the dosage was large enough. “What have you done?” she breathed.

“I saved your life,” Aiden stated tersely. “Over the last two days, I’ve given you enough faeflower to kill a human three times your size three times over. And yet here you are—back from the brink of death. So tell me, Taly—and you better answer this next question honestly… What exactly are you?”

Ignoring the sudden tremble in her hands, Taly pushed her hair back. “What do you see?”

“A human ear.” Aiden ran a gentle finger along the rim of her ear.

“That must mean I’m human then.” Taly raised her eyes to meet his. “You must’ve been mistaken about the faeflower. Lucky for me, I guess.”

Aiden sat next to her on the bed, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Taly, I treated you with mortal medicine, and you got worse. In fact, over the last eight days, you’ve presented with all of the symptoms I would expect to see in a fey woman of your size that had been exposed to harpy venom. The progression, the timeline—everything was completely textbook, right down to what would’ve been the time of death. And then, wonder of wonders, when I treated you with fey medicine, you got better.”

He held up a hand when he saw her open her mouth to protest. “Also, I was watching your match with Skye the other day before we left for the Aion Gate. He’s fey , Taly, and highborn. Even without engaging his magic—his instincts, his reaction time, his speed… I know you’ve been sparring with Skye your whole life, but there’s still no way a human could dodge a fey’s attacks like that. And after hearing about your bet, I can tell you with complete certainty that Skye wasn’t trying to let you win that day. If you were truly human, you never would’ve gotten to two hits. I think you were using magic.”

“Stop it,” Taly croaked.

“No,” he replied harshly. “You stop it. You better level with me right now. If you don’t, then it’s my duty to tell the Marquess what I know. He needs to know that the girl that he raised as his own, that he allowed to live in his home, isn’t who she says she is.”

Aiden turned away, hesitating. “Truthfully, the only reason I’m giving you an opportunity to explain is because I’ve known you for so many years. I didn’t want to believe that…” A tired pause. His eyes found hers. “You have to realize what this looks like. Are you a plant? A spy from one of the other noble houses?” Sighing in frustration, Aiden moved to stand. “I’m sorry, Taly, but I have to tell Ivain.”

“No! Just wait.” Taly reached out and grabbed his sleeve, whimpering when her muscles protested the sudden movement. “Please don’t tell anyone. I’m not a spy. I don’t know what I am. I really don’t. If you look mortal, then you’re not supposed to have magic. That’s how it’s supposed to work, right? This isn’t supposed to be happening.”

“What isn’t supposed to be happening?”

Taly took a breath. Then another. She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come.

Could she really do this? Could she really reveal her secret? Even if he didn’t go to the Sanctorum, if he kept this knowledge to himself—he would still become a target. The Sanctorum punished sympathizers just as harshly as time mages. He had no idea what he was asking her to do.

Looking up, she saw the dogged determination in Aiden’s eyes. He had meant what he said. If she didn’t tell him, he would go straight to Ivain. They would figure her out, and then they would become targets too.

Taly hung her head. There was no way out. Her stomach turned as she whispered the words she hadn’t dared utter out loud. “I have time magic, Aiden.”

Aiden’s eyes went wide. She wasn’t sure if he was still breathing, he was so still. Then, without warning, he pushed himself off the bed in one explosive movement and started pacing. He was swearing under his breath, raking his fingers through what was left of his hair. He looked ready to run. Like he wanted to be anywhere but here with her and the knowledge of this curse.

“That was my reaction too,” Taly said quietly, not quite able to lift her eyes to his.

Aiden rushed back over to the bed and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. His grip loosened when he saw her wince. “Are you sure?” he asked harshly. “Are you absolutely certain? What even makes you think…?” He shook his head. “Start at the beginning.”

“The visions started about a year ago,” Taly began. “Skye and I were sparring in the yard, and I’m still not sure what happened exactly. Right after he discharged the dagger in my hand, this gold haze, almost like dust, clouded my vision. It wasn’t very distinct—not like now—but I could still see enough to know what he was going to do a few seconds before he did it.”

Taly picked at the sleeve of her nightdress. “Needless to say, I panicked. As soon as I realized what I was seeing, I ran. Away from Skye. Away from the manor. I ran, and I kept running. I kept trying to convince myself that I was just sick. Even as the visions got more frequent and more accurate. Even though there were days when I couldn’t see for all the dust. I wanted so badly to believe that I was just crazy because the alternative shouldn’t even have been possible.”

“If there was something wrong with your mind, I would’ve seen it during my examination,” Aiden said. “Everything seemed normal, but based on what you’ve described, that would still be more plausible than… but then the faeflower…"

“There’s more.” Aiden’s eyes found hers, and Taly hesitated, recalling the events at the Aion Gate. “What happened a few days ago was different—it wasn’t just visions. That harpy was about to kill me. I was dead. There was no way I was getting out of there alive,” she said, looking at the healer with a pleading expression. “Then it froze. The harpy just… froze. I told it to stop, and it did.” Her face screwed up, and she wiped at her cheeks as Aiden finally released her and sank to the floor.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me, Aiden. I don’t how it’s possible. The only thing I know for sure is that the Sanctorum would kill me without a second thought, and Skye and Sarina and Ivain… if they tried to protect me, they’d die too.”

“I think I understand,” Aiden murmured. “Because Ivain, Sarina, and Skye—they would try to protect you. They hate the Sanctorum. They love you. There would be no question.”

“ Please don’t tell them,” Taly begged. “Please, Aiden. The less they know, the less contact they have with me, the harder it will be for the Sanctorum to go after them if I’m found out.”

“What’s your plan then?”

“What?” Taly asked, a hitch in her voice.

“Your plan?” Aiden pulled himself up and sat on the edge of the bed. “You ran away to protect them—I get that. But what do you plan to do next? To survive?”

Taly shrugged, fidgeting with the edge of the quilt. “I don’t know. Stay out of sight until the Aion Gate opens? Sarina taught us a little bit about the mortal world. I thought I might be able to travel to one of the human cities. Even if I’m not completely mortal, I still look human. I was hoping I could just… disappear.”

Aiden stood and began pacing again.

“I’m not your responsibility, Aiden.” Taly’s eyes followed him as he traversed the length of the room. “You’ve already done more than you needed to just by healing me.”

“Except that’s where you’re wrong.” Turning and leaning against the table, Aiden sighed. “If you have time magic, then it’s my duty as a member of the Crystal Guard to protect you.” He stopped and ran a hand over his head, scratching the fuzz at the back of his neck. “Whatever you might be—mortal, fey, or something else entirely—the fact is that you’re the first indication we’ve seen in almost 200 years that the Time Shard might be trying to reappear. New mages can’t attune to a school of magic unless a Shard calls to them. At least, that’s the theory.”

Aiden cocked his head to the side. “We have the Attunement Ceremony to force a child’s magic to manifest,” he said, mostly to himself, “but I wonder what would happen if a mage was never taken to the temple. Since you looked human, no one would’ve thought to give you a ceremony, but what if the Time Shard still made the call? Maybe it just took your magic longer to manifest itself.”

“I’m not a mage,” Taly argued stubbornly. “I’m human.”

Aiden snorted. “Not from where I’m standing. The faeflower aside, do you know why harpy venom is so deadly to the fey? It’s because it binds to the aether in our blood. If the venom affected you, that means it found something to bind. Something you needed to survive. You’re a mage.”

“But I don’t look fey,” Taly countered. “Even if I’m not completely mortal, I still don’t look fey. That would make me a… I don’t even know. Something that looks human but has magic? That’s unheard of. There are people who would kill me just for that!”

“I’m aware,” Aiden replied grimly. He stared out the window, a faraway look in his eyes. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll help you. I’ll keep your secret, and I’ll accompany you to Faro. That’s where my regiment is stationed. The High Lord of Water has declared all fey cities in the mortal realm a sanctuary for time mages and their sympathizers. The Crystal Guard will be able to protect you there. We don’t answer to the Dawn Court or their Sanctifiers. Our duty is to serve and protect the Shards— all of the Shards.”

Taly opened her mouth to respond, but Aiden held up a finger. “In return” —he paused, making sure he had her attention— “you have to stay here, at the manor, until the Aion Gate opens.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Yes,” Aiden shot back, “you will. My obligation is to keep you safe. You’re either going to agree to my terms, or I’m going to tell Skye and the Castaros what you just told me. Either way, you’re staying right where you are.”

When Taly looked away, Aiden came to sit beside her on the bed. “The harpy venom isn’t completely out of your system, and I’m just assuming from this point on that I need to treat you the way I would a fey patient. That means you’re still in danger of relapsing. If you go somewhere where the aether is thin, like Ryme, you will die. You need to stay close to an aether core, and Harbor Manor just so happens to have its own private system.

“On top of that, you’re not going to be able to get by on your own—not anymore. If you have enough aether in your blood that a harpy would go after you with a water mage casting right next to it, you’re going to have a very hard time going out to the gates to salvage. The magical beasts are rabid right now and drawn to the same places you would need to go to make your living.”

Taly remained silent, stubborn pride still shining in her eyes.

Aiden threw up his hands. “Okay—still not convinced? How about this? The High Lord of Earth’s brother has been spreading all kinds of inflammatory rhetoric about humans and Feseraa at the Dawn Court. Tempris is generally pretty isolated, but the effects of that are going to come here eventually. Mortals already have a tendency to go missing when the Aion Gate is charging, but this year is going to be worse. Ivain and Sarina and especially Skye can insulate you from that. Believe me when I say that no fey—highborn or otherwise—is going to piss off the heir to Ghislain. His family has too much power.”

“I’m not going to endanger Skye and the Castaros so that I can hide behind their noble rank,” Taly snapped.

Aiden sighed, adopting a more placating tone, “Look—you don’t have a choice right now. You need the Castaros’ help and the protection that being close to Skye will grant you. And it’s like you said—if they don’t know what you are, it will be much more difficult for the Sanctorum to go after them if you’re discovered. Not impossible—granted. But few things in life are ever guaranteed.”

Taly reached for her necklace, running a finger over the pendant, feeling the small divot in the center. “You’re assuming that Skye will even want me around at this point. I don’t think he’s going to forgive me this time. I went too far.”

Aiden huffed as he pushed himself off the bed. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Just talk to him. Be as honest as you can. That’s all he wants.”

Taly chewed on her lip as she considered Aiden’s proposal. It was a good plan—better than any she had come up with so far—and a part of her was desperate to embrace this unexpected ally. After a year of harboring this secret on her own, she couldn’t deny that it would feel good not to be alone in this anymore.

I’d get to come home , she thought, fighting back a fresh wave of tears. There would be no more nights spent in a shitty room with a roof that leaked, shivering underneath a threadbare blanket because the heating element in her stove hadn’t been replaced since before she was born; no more days where she was so hungry that even Jay’s “leftovers” started to look appetizing.

And… she’d get her family back.

She would no longer have to pretend that she hadn’t missed Skye, Ivain, and Sarina every single moment of every single day since she’d made the decision to leave.

True, it was still dangerous. Just being near her was a risk. But if they didn’t know they were harboring a time mage, then they weren’t breaking any laws. With Aiden’s help, she could still give them that small protection.

Taly’s voice was shaky and uneven when she finally said, “Okay, Aiden. You win. But if anything happens… anything at all—"

“If the variables change, we’ll reassess the plan.” Aiden gave her a knowing smile as he moved towards the door. “Now get some rest, and don’t worry about Skye. I’m sure everything will work itself out.”

Taly leaned back against the mountain of pillows stacked behind her, staring at the closed door long after Aiden had gone. Wiping at her eyes, a slow smile began to emerge, and she couldn’t stop the weak peal of laughter that bubbled up out of her chest.

She was home. She wasn’t alone anymore, and she was finally home .