Page 65 of Heat of the Everflame

“Ignios border defense,” Alixe said darkly. “They put it in place after expelling all their mortals to ensure none of them came back.”

Nausea rose in my throat. The sound of the dead man’s screams were still echoing across the dunes. There wasn’t even an Ignios Descended around to claim their kill—just another mortal death added to the tally.

“At least we know the mortals won’t be coming after us here,” Alixe said. “We’re safe for now.”

Taran sunk back against the sand. He lolled his head to the side and stared at me, his eyes jumping around my face in search of the truth. “You really think I’ll survive this, Queenie?”

It was the lie of my life as I swallowed down my horror and plastered on a dazzling smile. I lifted a shoulder in a light, unbothered shrug. “Of course I do. We just need to keep the cuts clean. Think you can handle resting and giving them time to heal?”

His body sagged with a visceral sigh of relief. “Think you can stay out of trouble for a few days?”

I glanced over to the hateful brown eyes watching us from the darkness. “We’ll see.”

Chapter

Fifteen

When I rose with the dawn, Luther was already awake. He was in the same spot I’d last seen him, sitting out atop a large dune with his back to the rest of us.

While he stood watch, Alixe and I had taken Taran duty. We’d entertained him with laughter and teasing until he fell asleep, then curled into him on each side to keep his injured body warm through the frigid desert night.

I’d crept away to Luther once in the hopes of getting him to talk through what he was feeling, but he’d quickly brushed me off after forcing me to take his overcoat in lieu of my ruined shirt.

I’m fine, he’d insisted.Just worried. Get some rest.

Something in the tightness of his voice had warned me that he needed space, so I’d reluctantly agreed, though his shattered expression had stuck with me all night, haunting my troubled dreams.

“Did you get any sleep at all?” I asked as I plowed through the sand and knelt beside him.

“Some.”

I snorted. “Liar.”

“You’re one to talk. That was quite a show you put on last night.”

I raised an eyebrow at his curt tone. “Oh?”

“It was very convincing. I even believed it myself for a moment.” He gazed off into the trees, the muscles along his throat flexing. “But I know a bit about godstone, too. Years ago, I planned to use it to poison my father, so I researched its effects. I know how unsurvivable it really is.”

I steeled my face to disguise my shock. It was hardly a surprise that his relationship with his father was strained, but I hadn’t realized Luther’s hatred for Remis ran so deep—or so dark.

“If brewed into a poison, it is unsurvivable,” I agreed, “but cuts from a blade are different. The small ones can heal.”

“A quarter of them heal. The rest are fatal.”

Again, I clutched at indifference despite the sinking weight in my chest. My mother’s notes hadn’t been quite so specific on the grim odds. And with Taran having two wounds...

“A quarter is not none,” I chirped with false brightness. “Taran is strong and in good health, and he has his own personal healer to tend his wounds. His chances are surely better than most.”

For a very long time, Luther said nothing. His dark, unbound hair fluttered in the morning breeze, a light dusting of pale sand clinging to his ribs where Taran’s blood had soaked through the fine knit of his sweater the night before. His features gave away nothing, his walls too high for even me to see over.

“Is it right to lie to someone you love when you know death is coming?” he asked finally. “To let them believe the future might stretch on forever, when you know your time left together is far shorter? Or is that adding cruelty to tragedy?”

I shuffled closer to him until our shoulders touched. Though he made no move to embrace me, after a moment, I felt the faint press of him leaning into my side.

“There are many kinds of medicines,” I said gently. “Some of them are easier to understand, like herbs and salves, but others are unexplainable. Faith. Happiness and laughter. Confidence in a positive outcome. Skin contact with loved ones. I’ve seen these things make a difference in patients that I thought were lost forever.” I laid a palm on his arm. “I want to give Taran the best chance I can. If my lie could keep him alive, isn’t that worth it in the end?”

Luther let out a long sigh. “Yes. Of course.” He raked his hair back, then took my hand and pressed it to his lips. “You’re an incredible healer. If anyone can save him, it’s you.”

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