Page 130 of Vervain

“Truly, this is how I always look.” I swallow another fit of laughter that threatens to erupt. “You just aren’t remembering correctly.”

“Liar!” he spits, grabs the pillow, leans back against the wall, and hugs it. “So, are you going to tell me a story or not?”

“Which one?”

“You know which one.”

I dip my head. “The daywalker. Okay, get settled. I will go until you fall asleep.” Once Cole is lying down, with the pillow that was on his stomach now against the side of his head, I say, “There was once a daywalker who could walk in sunlight⁠—”

“Can you give her a cool weapon this time?”

I click my tongue. “Who is telling the story, me or you?”

“Okay, go on,” he whispers gleefully.

Rolling my eyes, I begin, “There once was a daywalker. She had a sword and could walk in sunlight. She felt alone, as if no one understood…”

I look to Serun. He positions himself in front of the tank where Cole hibernates. Then to the door, as another tremor shudders the very walls of this room. My heart speeds up, galloping, as I witness a man willing to risk his life to bring my brother back to me.

“Come, Lady—” Reyes reaches for me, but I sidestep him and move to Serun. His eyes widen as I come closer.

I grab his arm, saying, “It’s okay. It’s okay. We can get Cole another time. We can come back.”

“This is the only way, kamai.”

I shake my head, my fingers burrowing into his flesh. “It. Is. Okay. We will find another way, but you staying here will not help.”

“I will be fi⁠—”

I squeeze until my arms tremble. “It will not help me if something h-happens to you.” Every word I speak hitches, and the panic of being alone again sends an icy chill down my spine, turning my bones to crystal. They don’t want to kill Cole, but they will kill Serun and maybe even Cole if he stays. I’ve already lost so fucking much in weeks. “I don’t want to lose anyone else,” I breathe. “So…please,”—I pull him towards me—“stay with me, Serun.”

The door trembles again, a warning that we’ve spent too long here.

Serun cups my cheek, wiping away more tears. “If that is what you want.”

“Brother,” Reyes grumbles, landing on his knees. Releasing my hold on Serun, I crouch in front of him, wondering what’s happening when he convulses. My entire body stiffens as black blood sprays across my chest, tiny, wormy maggots coming out in chunks. Reyes doubles over, and as he rolls onto his back, he screams, “There is something inside me!”

I raise my hands, and they tremble as I stare at the black worms melting into the thick, sludgy blood. What the fuck?

“Reyes,” Serun growls, examining his brother as Reyes digs his claws into his own stomach. He seethes, and my heart panics as it moves. Something alive is inside him, ready to burst open. “I do not know how to help.”

“Get it out! Get it out! Get it out!” He peels at his skin, splitting it open.

“Pir avacen.”

My shaky breath deepens. Ignoring the worms. Ignoring the copious blood. I crawl across the tiles and grab Serun’s arm. “Pin him down. I can save him.”

The door trembles. Serun glances at it, then at Penumbra standing over us. They turn to smoke, and wailing cries come from outside as Penumbra tries to buy us some time.

Serun grabs his brother’s arms, pinning them down as I kneel beside him. I bite my bottom lip to suppress the tremble as Reyes convulses, blood frothing from his mouth and black worms squirming in the ink. Okay, okay, okay. My trembling hands rest on his stomach, and I cringe at the ripples as something moves inside him. “This may hurt.”

Serun’s crimson eyes lock onto mine as he keeps Reyes pinned beneath him. “Do it, my kamai.”

Sucking in a deep breath, I ignore the earth-shuddering sounds from outside. I ignore Reyes screaming from beneath me. I ignore everything but life. The streams of it, steady. A heart covered in moss and moonflowers, continuously growing, with no sign of wilting. A bed of vervain, and the dome of an illusion hiding the valley from the outside world.

Life breathes into me, and when I breathe out, I push it onto Reyes. “Sur bonur,” I whisper.

His back arches, and his eyes bulge, bright light beaming out of him. His abdomen convulses, shuddering as whatever the fuck is inside him blazes. I grit my teeth, pushing as much magik as I can out into the fold. Reyes’ skin burns, flaking away with ash, but I can still sense its presence inside him. Just a few more seconds. A few more seconds and it will be⁠—