Page 72 of The Prison Healer

It was suicide, breaking into Zalindov. If they’d already doubled the guards ... Kiva knew the truth, even if she wanted to deny it, to ignore it.

The rebels weren’t coming. Her family wasn’t coming.

They had tried, and they had failed.

Perhaps they would try again, when things calmed down, when the guards’ vigilance faded. But that would take time—and Kiva didn’t have time. She had an Ordealtoday.

Hope was a drug, and Kiva an addict. She couldn’t keep believing, couldn’t keep trusting, couldn’t keephoping.

We will come.

Ten years. Her family had waitedten years.

We are coming.

They should have already come. Before now—before Tilda. But they hadn’t.

Hurt rose in Kiva’s chest, blinding in its intensity, but she pushed it away, shoving it deep within her, just as she had for years.

It was up to her now.

Up to Kiva to survive.

First, the Trial by Fire.

And then, whatever came next.

Regardless of what her father had tried to make her promise, she couldn’t keep waiting for help to come.

Instead, Kiva would save herself.

Just as she had for the last ten years.

She was a survivor—and she would survive this.

“Kiva?”

Jolting at Naari’s prompt, Kiva realized she’d remained silent for too long, and she scrambled to cement her new resolve while considering one of the many questions that lingered in her mind, settling on the newest addition: “Why didn’t you punish Jaren for not being in the tunnels today?”

Naari cocked her head. “That’s twice this week you’ve asked why I haven’t punished another prisoner.”

Kiva scratched her nose, uncertain how to respond. “Uh ...”

“Here’s the thing,” Naari said, unfolding her arms and stepping closer. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re already punished enough just by being imprisoned here. You don’t need trigger-happy guards making things worse for the sake of a power trip. Should Jaren have snuck out of the tunnels? No, of course not. Did he take a stupid risk by coming here to see you? Absolutely. But I figure if the tunnel guards didn’t catch him, then that’s on them, not me. For all I know, he could have been allowed to come here because he’s sick or injured, so if anyone asks, that’s the story we’re going with, agreed?”

Kiva’s mouth hitched up at the corner. “Got it.” She paused. “And thank you.”

“For what?”

Holding her gaze, Kiva remembered what the guard had said last night, and answered, “For not being like the rest of them.”

Naari’s amber eyes softened. She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could utter anything, Bones arrived at the doorway to the infirmary.

Kiva’s heart leapt into her throat at the sight of him, but she reminded herself of her decision to let go of what had happened and move on. She was going to see Bones around the prison; it was unavoidable. If he thought she was afraid of him, he would only make her suffer. She would not be cowed.

“They’re ready for you,” he said in a gruff voice, wincing slightly as he looked into the brightly lit room with the sun streaming in from the windows.

Kiva might have felt some delight at his evident hangover if his words hadn’t been ringing in her ears. Even though she’d only moments ago resolved to save herself, to survive, that didn’t mean her fear wasn’t nearly crippling now that the time was upon her.

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