Page 55 of The Ashborn

Kienna turned her head to look at him, her eyes focusing heavily on his jaw. He angled to get a better view, wondering if maybe she was looking at his lips.

“Thank you,” she said. “For everything you always do.”

Danek removed his gaze from her, taking hold of her hand and twirling the rings once. “I hope they help you heal the wounds that I can’t with my magic.”

She sat up, inching herself closer until she pressed her lips to his cheek, then settled her head on his shoulder. Finally, Kienna’s eyes grew heavy enough to drift.

Screams jolted them awake. Danek bolted to the other room where Tislin writhed in pain. Moira stood with her hand over him to calm him. His eyes were black, the wound in his abdomen coursing with dark veins. Shadows floated in the corners of the ceiling, trapped by whatever Connak left behind. They were restless, their wisps warping in shades of black along the edges of the walls. Danek lit the room further to keep them at bay, and then he ran to assess Tislin’s wound. Connak still hadn’t returned. Danek had no clue what he was dealing with as he stared into the pits of darkness in Tislin’s soul. This was nothing like the dark shadows he fought on the island. This was more sinister, something he couldn’t reach within himself to defeat.

“Tislin, it’s me, Moira.” She snatched his face, forcing him to look at her, though her voice trembled, hands shaking against Tislin’s jaw. He pushed her backward, sending her reeling to the floor.

Kienna entered the room. Her breath filled the shadows with glee as they swirled in frantic circles. They recognized her, and they wanted out of the corner. Tislin muttered in a language Danek couldn’t comprehend. Moira was upon him again, touching his skin and desperately urging him to return to his true self.

“The light’s not working,” Kienna said. “How do we heal that?” She pointed to the veins spiraling in his stab wound.

“Moira, back away from him,” Danek said, reaching for her. She wouldn’t allow it, pulling her body fiercely against his.

“See the sun,” she cried.

“Can you summon the sun?” Kienna asked.

Moira turned to her, brows knitting together. “No, I pull from it. I can’t summon it.”

Danek threw his healing magic at Tislin. It recoiled, burning his fingertips in sharp reprimand. It was as if he’d gotten frostbite in the snow, then dipped his hands directly into fire. He dropped to his knees, the pain overcoming the tiny nerves in his hands. It seeped into his wrist. He tried to heal, but his magic wouldn’t flow.

He would not be as helpful in this fight as he had planned.

—Kienna—

Ruva whined in Kienna’s mind. The room blared, and she could barely hear. She tried to call Connak. For once, a faint flicker of his mind coursed through her world. No answer. How desperate did she have to become for him to realize she needed him?

Fuck, Connak! She yelled it to him, but it manifested to no one. For once, get off your high horse!

I’m not on a horse, his voice echoed.

Relief draped over her shoulders. We need you.

Tislin’s wound grew blacker by the moment, his body writhing. Moira needed to get away fast before he did to her what he did to Danek.

Jeez, no welcome back? Connak laughed.

What the fuck—no—are you drunk? I don’t care. I need you⁠—

Oh, great, he groaned. What do you need this time? Another ship we can⁠—

Get the fuck back here, Connak!

Tislin stood from the bed. His ribs were still swollen, purple bruises forming around his skin. It had to hurt. If it did, Tislin indicated nothing. Kienna wasn’t even sure he was in there.

Danek pulled himself from the ground and lunged for Moira, grunting as his black fingers yanked her away. He pushed her over to Kienna, standing in front of them. “I need you both to leave. I’ll handle him.”

“We can’t leave him,” Moira said through tears.

I’m in Trinity. I’ll be back tomorrow.

WHAT? Tislin is⁠—

Going to be fine, Connak sighed. I set his wounds before going⁠—