“What is going on?” Myrtha entered the room, her lips parting when she saw Irene. “Oh no.” She rushed to her side and held her face. “She’s fading.”
“Darius stopped the bleeding. He’s preparing a potion to help regain her energy.”
She checked Irene’s pulse. “Even if she recovers, she won’t be able to hunt. How can she kill if she can barely stand?”
“I’ll think of a solution.”
She straightened, her radiance growing. “You’ll have to give me an answer more satisfactory than that becauseyouinsisted on being responsible for her. If she’d stayed with me, she wouldn’t be half dead now.”
“If you had been stronger, Irene would have been stronger, too.”
“Don’t you dare blame me!” She pointed a finger at me. “You’re her master.”
That was true, and I couldn’t defend myself, claiming it’d been an accident. When I’d taken Irene under my protection, I should have considered how risky my fear was. I’d put Irene in danger, and I was to blame.
She caressed Irene’s head. “If she dies, I’ll stab your dark heart.”
If Irene died, I would let Myrtha stab me.
33
FADING
Alex
I’d spent the night and the day next to Irene.
I’d left her side only when Myrtha and a couple of maids had washed and changed her into a fresh nightgown. Darius had given her an entire bottle of a purple potion that smelt of chickweed. I’d just watched her.
Her heart beat steadily, but as Myrtha had said, she wouldn’t be able to do much. She would fade unless she killed a man. Not even Darius’s magic could prevent that.
I placed my hand an inch over hers and sighed when her warmth touched my skin. Her lips had regained some colour, but her radiance burnt like candlelight.
Darius slid into the room, carrying another bottle of purple liquid. “I have news. Not good, I’m afraid.”
“How can things go worse?”
He set the bottle on the nightstand. “Irene’s house brims with magic. The green powder on the wall comes from a magical blast and is the same as the one I found in our flat after Rileyhad attacked you. At that time, I hadn’t realised Riley possessed magical powers, but now I have no doubts. That means that…”
“Sean and Riley are the same person. And he’s a wizard?” I ran a hand through my hair.
“That’s what I think.” He gently caressed Irene’s forehead. “I don’t believe in coincidences.”
Anger made me speechless. I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to kill Riley.
Darius tucked the cover around Irene. “At least we know why we haven’t caught him yet.”
“It’s a very small comfort.”
“Still a comfort.” He smiled sadly. “We aren’t two street thieves just arrived at the court. We’ve learnt a lot in the past years. We can beat him.”
“That’s a bigger comfort.”
“Try to sleep.” He patted his shoulder, signalling he wished to pat mine.
I boiled in my own wrath, listening to Irene’s heartbeat. My presence had only brought misfortune to her.
When she woke up, she tilted her head towards me.
