Page 211 of Heat of the Everflame

Though Maura hesitated for only the briefest moment as she took him in, that split second—a tic downward of her lips, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it bulge of her eyes—sent my heart spiraling.

I rattled off every detail I knew of his injury and treatment, then I found his satchel and dumped its contents across the floor. I snatched up the herbs he’d bought in Umbros and painstakingly recreated the poultice I’d used successfully on Taran.

Maura listened, asking the occasional question but otherwise saying nothing. She examined Luther’s wound, his pulse, his eyes, his breathing. Through it all, I hovered an inch away, flinching each time she touched him.

Her eyes darted to me. “You said he’s seen a Fortos healer already?”

“Yes. Yesterday, in Umbros. And...” I paused. “Here. Just a moment ago.”

The others exchanged confused looks, though Taran, who’d been close enough to hear Luther’s revelation about my magic, met my eyes with a glint of understanding.

“And they weren’t able to help?” Maura asked.

“The toxin doesn’t respond to magical healing. It needs to be drawn out some other way.”

She examined the herbs I’d used, still offering only vague hums and thoughtful, drawn-out stares.

“The poultice that worked—I used water from a spring in Ignios. Perhaps the spring had some healing quality. I can go back and get more—”

“No,” Taran and Alixe said in unison.

I glanced to Sorae, wrestling over whether she could make another long journey—and who we might encounter on the way.

“Your Majesty,” Alixe said gently, “Luther wouldn’t want you to do that.”

“We barely made it out of there alive the first time,” Taran said.

“I don’t care,” I muttered.

He stepped toward me and growled. “Lutherwould care. If something happened to you... you know he’d rather die than live with that.”

I echoed his movement, meeting his challenge with a glare. “When he wakes up and tells me that himself, I’ll take it into consideration. Until then, it’smylife to risk.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Maura rushed out. She placed a hand on my back and nudged me toward the door. “You must be tired from your journey. Why don’t you rest while I tend to the Prince?”

My bones went rod-straight. “I’m not tired.”

“Then why don’t you tidy yourself up? Perhaps a nice warm bath?”

“Maura, I’m not leaving.”

“Diem.”

For a moment, it was my mother standing in front of me. Not in the kind, parental manner Maura had taken to treating me with since my mother’s disappearance, but in a real, all-too-visceral way.

My mother’s unyielding tone, leaving no room for argument. Her age-worn face, her stern yet patient stare. Those golden-brown eyes that felt like the warmest hug when they crinkled.

And I missed her.Gods, did I miss her.

“Please,” I whispered. “I can’t lose him, too.”

Deep lines carved across her forehead as understanding dawned. Long ago, she’d teased me over the apparent interest of a brooding Prince. My despair was proof there was a great deal more between us now thaninterest.

Eleanor took my arm. “Why don’t you sit with me? We’ll pull up some chairs in here by the fire.”

I took up her offer before Maura could object. Eleanor carefully eased me into a chair—facing away from Luther.Zalaric and Alixe joined us while Taran stayed back to help Maura maneuver Luther’s unconscious body.

Eleanor peppered me with questions about our journey to keep me distracted. I couldn’t muster more than a handful of words to each, and the others eventually chimed in to fill in the details.

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