Page 101 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

“That was only the beginning.”

He laid a hand on her forehead and closed his eyes before he opened them again.

“Now… the real work begins.”

THIRTY-ONE

“What’s happening to him?” Yasen demanded as he paced along the foot of Vikram’s bed. “Why is he like that?”

After Vikram had passed out during dinner, Row returned immediately to Ishaan to retrieve Koura. Now the healer sat at Vikram’s bedside, examining the black veins running over his chest, arms, and shoulders. They’d faded somewhat, but he still hadn’t woken up.

“I’m not sure,” Row answered. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Gopal also stood in the room, his arms folded and his brow creased, observing the scene. Yasen wanted to wrap his hands around his neck and squeeze.

“This happened before?” Yasen demanded, no longer caring what Gopal Ravana might do to him. “How are you helping him?”

Gopal sneered. “How should I help him? He’s infected.” The nawab shook his head and glared at his younger son like he’d brought this on himself. The rage in Yasen’s chest swelled to dangerous proportions. He teetered on the very edge of pulling out a sword and lopping off this bastard’s head.

Row snatched him around the arm and pulled him back. “He’s not worth it,” Row said in a low voice. “Don’t let him get to you.”

Yasen inhaled deeply, trying to calm his temper. Row was right, and Gopal Ravana deserved nothing from him. One day, he’d make him pay for allowing Vikram to waste away. And for so many other things.

“Let’s focus on Vikram,” Row said softly. “He needs you right now.”

Yasen nodded and turned to watch Koura run gentle fingers over Vikram’s arms, chest, and throat, tracing the ominous black lines. Koura closed his eyes as soft yellow light filtered out from his palms and hummed softly as he swayed over Vikram’s lifeless body.

Row and Yasen exchanged worried looks while waiting for answers to this mystery.

A minute later, Koura opened his eyes. “I agree that he appears to be infected with a virus or a plague of some kind.”

“Infected with what?” Yasen asked.

Koura shook his head. “I’m not entirely sure, but it isn’t something of this plane.”

When his eyes met Yasen’s, he read the wariness in their golden depths and the things he couldn’t bring himself to say.

“What do you mean, not of this plane?” Yasen croaked.

Koura shook his head and ran a hand over his tense jaw. “I’ve lived many centuries on this continent and have always believed the darkness was banished. Then the blight proved me wrong.” He stopped and inhaled a deep breath. “In Ishaan, I was proven wrong, yet again when Zarya and the Taara Aazheri revealed their nature. The darkness was never truly banished, and it’s clear now that after a thousand years, it is returning. Or rather, it has already returned.”

Yasen felt his stomach drop to his feet.

“Vikram is infected with the darkness,” Yasen said, his voice hollow.

“As is Amrita,” he added. “Whatever plagues her, affects her steward as well.”

“Did this happen to Tarin?” Yasen asked. “Can we talk to him?”

“It didn’t,” Row said. “He researched ways to stop the blight many times. He would have said something.”

“We should still talk to him,” Yasen said.

“I think we need to speak with Amrita,” Koura said. “I suspect only she can tell us more about what is happening to both of them.”

“Or Vikram when he wakes up, right?” Yasen said.

“Possibly,” Koura said. “Based on what I’ve learned from his caregivers, he is no longer of sound mind. It’s possible that whatever he tells us is the truth, but it may also be a fabrication.”