A small, pained grin lifted his lips. “You don’t...get that choice.”
“You’re going to live,” she ordered.
Vayden stepped closer. “Is thereanythingwe can do?” he asked through his tears.
Isla brushed a comforting hand along his arm, then turned to Brea. “The blood is soaking through on the right. You’ll have to apply the pressure more evenly,” she instructed.
Brea immediately straddled Thom, pushing down with all her might. She grinned teasingly at him, though Evylin could see a glimmer of tears in the woman’s eyes. “Not how you imagined this moment, eh,mi’caro?”
He wheezed with a laugh that turned into a cough. Red coated his chin as he hacked up more blood.
Brea’s face hardened. She muttered something fierce in Schonese, then glared at him and said, “I’m not letting you die.”
But Evylin could feel Thom’s pulse fading through his wrist. He began to choke, and her heart squeezed. “Thom,” she gasped, seeing the light fade quickly from his eyes.
Then Ilain was there, shoving Brea aside. Her face was soaked in tears, and her expression was hollow. But she worked quickly, flinging Brea’s bloodied coat aside and ripping open Thom’s shirt. The deep, horrid gash spurted more blood, gurgling grotesquely. Evylin fought a gag and held Thom’s gaze instead of staring at the open wound.
Reaching out to him, Ilain tugged Ethenn closer, then set one hand on the wound while the other gripped the Warrior’s hand like a vise. A burnt orange light pulsed under her hand, and hershoulders notably slumped while Ethenn drew in a sharp inhale, and he wilted as well. As the light continued to burn, Evylin realized that Ilain was using his energy—energy that he hardly owned at the moment.
Leaning forward, Evylin set her hand on Ilain’s shoulder to offer what little strength she had left as well. The orange light grew brighter as an immediate surge of power swept out of Evylin.
The magic burned across Thom’s skin, cauterizing the wound and causing him to groan in pain. But his eyes grew wide again, and he sucked in a desperate, lung-filling breath.
At Thom’s regeneration, Ilain immediately began to collapse, but Ethenn caught her. He pulled her close, keeping her upright. Though her lashes fluttered sleepily, she managed to retain consciousness.
Thom’s breathing steadied, his torso now whole, though still slick with blood. He stared at Ilain in awe and gratitude, then squeezed Evylin’s hand tighter, though the pressure was feeble.
“He’s alive!” Rafferty exclaimed.
Thom grimaced. “Not so loud, please,” he said, voice still weak. He met Ilain’s gaze again and whispered, “Thank you.”
Visibly drained and resting against Ethenn’s shoulder, she nodded. “It will take time to heal,” she murmured, tears still coursing down her cheeks. “I produced only enough blood to keep you alive. You’ll be weak for several days, and the wound will ache.”
Thom’s chin dipped. “I’m so sorry, Ilain.”
Ilain blinked but didn’t respond.
Ethenn tugged her closer. “Is anyone going to set that leg?” he asked.
They all avoided looking at his shattered leg, bent unnaturally at the knee.
“I don’t have the energy,” Ilain admitted.
“Even with help?” Brea asked, offering her hand.
Ilain glared at her. “You’ve done enough, don’t you think?”
Brea flinched.
“Ilain,” Isla said gently, “she didn’t mean—”
That furious jade green stare fell on her sister-in-law. “You dare to defend her?” she spat. “She killed Auden, if not by her own hand, then by her negligence. Herpreference.”
Isla tightened her jaw, and Vayden’s hand brushed comfortingly across her shoulder. He spoke calmly, though his voice was tight. “His death was an accident, Lainy,” he said, and the words were broken and strained. “No one is at fault.”
Rage seemed to fill Ilain with new life as she sat up, pulling out of Ethenn’s arms. Her posture was rigid, her features taut with sorrow, and her fists curled with fury. “She made achoice,” Ilain accused. “She abandoned Auden. She suggested this plan in the first place. If we had gone to Estshire first, if she had stayed at Auden’s side—”
“If I had Bonded with him, you mean?” Brea interrupted coldly.
