Page 91 of A Lord of Snow and Greed

“Please,Vale. Let’s go,” I urged him. “Help Sayyida carry Vidar.”

This time, his friend’s name worked like a spell. He blinked, turned to the Virtoris siblings, and marched over.

“They got his belly,” Sayyida croaked from where she knelt over her brother. “I don’t know how to move him without ripping it more.”

“There’s no way to know, but we have to move fast. Help me lift him into my arms.” Vale motioned to Sayyida, covered in her brother’s blood. He set his sword on the ground. “As gently as we can. I’ll carry him.”

She nodded, clearly relieved that someone with experience was there to help.

Vale had once carried me in his arms. On yet another day, when the rebels had attacked. He had made it look easy, carrying me and running from the terror of the attack, but Vidar was much larger and taller than me. Together, carefully, Sayyida and Vale lifted the Virtoris heir until he was in Vale’s arms. After examining the wound the best he could, Vale exhaled. “I don’t think we made it worse. Now, Sayyida and Neve, watch my back as we run for the palace. Saga, you take Neve’s dagger.”

Vale motioned down to the sword. “Neve, this is for you.”

I understood how momentous this moment was. Vale was asking me to protect him, to protect his friend.

I would not fail him. I picked up the sword. Sayyida and Saga were already in position, one on each side of Vale. I positioned myself behind him, sword at the ready. “Run like the wind. Let’s get Vidar to safety.”

Chapter 23

NEVE

We’d eased Vidar into one of the last sanctuary beds before complete and utter chaos descended. One after the other, soldiers were assisting fae victims of the rebel attack into the sanctuary.

Vidar’s wounds were more serious than most, so the healers set to enchanting his injury. The moment they were sure he was stable, the ancient Master Healer on duty relayed that to the group and suggested we leave the overcrowded sanctuary. As she did so, I couldn’t help but notice the long necklace she wore outside her tunic. The same eight-spoked wheel beneath four stars in the shape of the goddess of healing’s constellation. The symbol I’d seen outside the sanctuary. It clicked then that the symbol must be that of the healing profession.

“Let me know if he needs anything. Or if something changes,” Vale said to Sayyida, who was not about to leave her brother’s side, despite the Master Healer’s urgings. Saga, too, was remaining to support the Virtoris siblings.

“I will. Thank you, Vale. I”—Sayyida swallowed—“I couldn’t have held off so many if you hadn’t come.”

He nodded. “You were doing well, but there were too many.”

“I need to double down on my training.” Sayyida’s face hardened. “They almost took Vidar and, well, he’ll be an amazing Lord of Virtoris Island one day, and he has powerful magic, but . . .”

“He could do with some additional lessons too,” Vale said kindly. “Your brother was always better at captaining a ship and diplomacy than sword work.”

“Stars, I’vealwaystold him that.” Sayyida gave a soft smile. It was so far from the sassy one I’d seen spread across her face the day she’d taunted Vidar over being a better swordsfae. At yet another event destroyed by the rebels.

“We’ll go. Have you sent word to your mother, Sayyida?” I looped my arm through Vale’s, only to find his sleeve drenched in blood. Vidar’s blood. That should have repulsed me, but I seemed to have become desensitized. Probably because I, too, was covered in rebel blood.

“A few minutes ago. I’m sure she’ll be here as soon as she receives it.”

“Good.” I angled Vale toward the door. “We’ll check on him later.”

“Thank you. Truly.” Sayyida turned to her brother and Saga, watching her betrothed on the bed with red-rimmed eyes.

My heart gave a hard squeeze for the princess. I was certain that Saga preferred Sayyida to Vidar, but as she was royal and such a match could not create heirs, the king would not make it. Despite that complication of the heart, Saga did care for Vidar.

As Vale and I exited the healer’s sanctuary, I heaved a heavy breath. “I hope he heals quickly.”

“He will,” Vale said, his voice tight. “The healers won’t let him down.”

“It must be difficult having two close friends in there.”

“More than you know.”

Silence fell over us as we walked down the hallway, arm in arm, our pace slower than usual.

“Is that common?” I asked.

---