Page 89 of Joined By Magic

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The soldiers spread out, issuing orders into devices as Leo rushed over to me. He ripped the patch from the back of my neck and cut my bonds with a swipe of magic.

A tormented yell rang out. Adante knelt beside Talia’s crumpled body. He was bloody and disheveled, one eye swollen shut, but agony twisted his features. With a gentleness that was hard to watch, he slid his hands underneath her and cradled her to his chest.

I shared a glance with Leo, frozen for a moment. Adante still terrified me. He’d filled my nightmares for so long. But the brokenhearted, lost look on his face banished everything else. Leo helped me to my feet, and we rushed over.

Talia’s face was blanched white, her eyes closed. She hung limp in Adante’s arms. He turned wild, terrified eyes on Leo, his voice cracked and desperate. “Help her. Please, there must be a way. The healers.”

Leo nodded. “I’ll be fast.” He disappeared.

I touched Talia’s wrist without much hope. “Can I check her for a pulse?”

Adante looked at me blankly, then nodded. I shifted my fingers, searching for the telltale beat of a heart. Had I felt something? A slight vibration? Hard to tell when my hand trembled. Again. There was something. Weak and unsteady. “I think there’s something.”

“You think? Do you think or do you know?” Adante snapped the words out, biting them off. A terrible hope played across his features.

“I can feel it. Very faint.”

Leo reappeared, a shaken-looking middle-aged woman with him. Her violet eyes stared around the scorched clearing.

“You. This is your patient.” Adante glared up at the woman. Her face lost its panicked look as she took in Talia. She settled beside us.

“Lie her on the ground please.” The healer spoke in a soothing, melodic tone. Adante laid Talia down. The woman placed her hands on Talia’s chest, and soft, white light radiated over her.

She’d saved my life, and Leo’s. She couldn’t die. It wasn’t fair. My chest grew tight, and a tear slipped down my cheek.

Leo touched my shoulder. “Come on, let her work. I need to collect more healers for the rest of the wounded.”

I nodded and stood, sparing one last glance for Adante, who ignored all the mayhem around him, his gaze fixed on Talia’s face.

“Do the healers know how close they came to being captured? Does the Assembly know what happened?” I couldn’t help peppering Leo with questions when he reappeared. He’d been gone for a while, collecting healers and speaking with the generals of the Dexian army. I’d helped the healers, recording names and medical details of wounded from both sides of the skirmish. Keeping busy was better than thinking.

Leo sent a team back to the safe house, and they’d sent word that Peter, Andrew, Atalie, and Hex were unharmed. The soldiers guarding them surrendered when they learned of the king’s death. Trackers, sewn into the seams of mine and Leo’s clothing, had led them to us.

Damien’s and Helen’s bodies were being transported to the main Ataran palace. Every time I tried to process the deaths, my brain skittered over the enormity of it, and I focused on a mundane task instead. It hurt too much. We’d become such a tight little team. I couldn’t imagine life without Damien’s easy grin and open-hearted honesty. Without Helen’s solid, kind presence. We never even had the chance to reconcile properly. Guilt sluiced over me whenever I replayed my outburst at the safe house.

I’d grieve later, once Leo and I were somewhere quiet. Somewhere we could think.

“The healers don’t know yet. I’ll arrange to meet their leaders and explain. If the king told anyone else at all about this, they’re in grave danger. I’m sure he’s not the only one who’d want to use them.” His face grew tight. “And as for the Assembly, half the Dexian army had been wiped out by the time we arrived. They ignored my warning and threw non-mage troops against the king. His soldiers mowed them down like grass.”

I shuddered.

“General Aristov is reporting to the Assembly right now. They were moments away from surrender when we turned up.”

“What about Ellory?” I spat the name. I wouldn’t give him the title of Lord Commander.

“The General tells me he hid in the bunker and refused to approach the battlefield, the fucking coward.” He shook his head. “I’m looking forward to a conversation with him soon.”

My eyes wandered to the blue tent, surrounded by six black-clad soldiers. They stood at attention, expressions wary. “I’m going to check on Talia.”

Leo nodded. The guards tensed as I approached, then seemed to realize who I was. They waved me in.

Talia lay on the ground, her head pillowed on someone’s jacket. She wasn’t moving, and her face was waxy, eyes still closed. I could see the faintest rise and fall of her chest. Alive, at least.

Two healers leaned over her, the older woman whispering occasional instruction to the younger man. They worked together, directing beams of soft white magic into her. Both their faces looked grim.

Adante knelt at her head. Blood still streaked his face and trickled from a large gash above his right eye. The eye itself was open now, and he fixed me with a glare. “Where’s Leopold? Did he bring more of these healers?”

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