Page 75 of The Serpent’s Shadow

Going to my knees at the side of his bed, I put a hand on his body. He seemed frail. “Magnus, love?”

He blinked at me and shot me a smile that looked like it took all of his energy. “Hello, l-lass. Good to see you again.”

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong with you? Or what happened to Astrid? Dagny said I should come talk to—damn, you’re burning up.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me, bloodrender. What’s going on?”

“It’s a . . . sickness of the blood. Nothing to be alarmed about. And it’s, well . . . connected to Astrid Dahlmyrr, in a way.”

His words came out slow and slightly slurred, almost like he was drunk and recouping from a hangover.

I knew that wasn’t it. Magnus was too disciplined for that nonsense.

“Connected how?” I asked.

“It’s a long story.”

“Are you too tired to tell it?”

He blinked. “Not necessarily.”

I bit my lip, trying to calm my rampaging heart. I wished I had Grim here at a time like this, to rest another calming hand on my shoulder. To tell me what to do in this situation.

Well, if Grim can’t . . . then maybe Magnus can?

I was not a nurturer, at my core. Many women dreamed of becoming a princess, or a mother, or a helper. I had always envisioned myself a warrioress, an assassin, and a bringer of justice.

There wasn’t much nurturing to be done in those vocations.

Now, kneeling at Magnus’ bedside, worried he was going to expire right in front of me, a panic fell over me.

“Is there anything I can do, Magnus?” I eked out, fighting against the emotion in my voice. “Please?”

“No, no,” he answered, too quickly. Then he paused. His heavy, drooping eyelids blew wider. “Well . . .” he muttered, and I realized he was staring not at my face, but at my neck.

At the blood pumping like a river through my artery there, keeping my senses heightened and my body alert in this panicked moment.

“. . . There might beonething you can do to help, silvermoon.”

Chapter 23

Magnus

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