Page 56 of The Ashborn

Shut up. SHUT UP! Tislin is…fuck, what is he? I don’t know. His eyes are black. His skin is turning black. He’s…he hurt Danek.

Shit.

“Connak’s of no use,” Kienna said to everyone. Danek remained in front of them, despite his hands looking as charred as Tislin’s abdomen.

“So, we improvise,” Danek said.

“Your magic is burnt, isn’t it?” Moira asked. Danek glanced at them over his shoulder as Tislin took a step closer. “And Kienna is blocked. And mine…”

She trailed off. Kienna didn’t think anyone knew what Moira could do without the sun’s presence. Unless Kienna wanted to burn the entire apartment to the ground, Moira had to be their light. Magic flowed in its true strength when Kienna experienced strong emotion. Moira should have already been there. She just had to be ignited. The only way Kienna knew how to do that was the same way she was ignited. She had to throw Moira directly into the fire, despite her gut ripping her to shreds for it.

“Moira,” Kienna turned to her. “You’re the sun.”

“No, I need the sun.”

“You. Are. The. Sun.”

Kienna pushed her forward. Danek tried to reach for her, but Kienna pulled him back. Moira’s body trembled at first as she took a step toward Tislin. She saw the way they both looked at each other. Tislin, cursed by shadows or not, wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her. At least she hoped he wouldn’t.

Moira inched closer as Kienna repeated for Moira to light herself. Nothing happened. Tislin set his dark, dead eyes on them. The shadows screeched, and Danek’s light completely disappeared. Connak’s faded. With newfound darkness, the shadows crept closer.

Kienna took a step back. “Now, Moira!” she begged.

The light died completely, and Danek pushed Kienna out of the room. He went to shut the door but missed, his fingers grazing the knob. He grunted in pain. Nothing was happening with Moira; the shadows seeped out into the common area. Danek gripped Kienna. His fingers brushed against her charm, and Kienna glanced up, searching Danek. He pulled her back in close. “You’re our only shot now.”

Before he could rip it off, the entire apartment lit up with a flaming orange light. A cascading warmth overcame the room, filling Kienna with life despite the death trailing after them. The shadows continued through it, but over Danek’s shoulder, Kienna saw Tislin’s eyes return to normal. Moira beamed so brightly that she was but a speck in the rays. Tislin stumbled in pain through it as he followed the shadows. Moira stayed by his side while he cast his hand up and pulled the shadows back. One by one, they screeched and disappeared into Tislin.

Kienna slumped to the ground. Moira slowly let go of her own light and sat, too, visibly shaken and worn from whatever she had to do to get the sun to appear. Tislin and Danek stared at each other. Tislin’s cut dripped blood, pools of red staining his body. He needed extensive healing, and their only healer present needed his own recovery.

Kienna’s shoulder ached. She ran her good hand over her face, forcing the tears away. Crying wouldn’t fix this. She stood. “Moira, go get Elowen. At the very least, we need an adult to help us.”

“We are adults,” she said, voice low and distant.

Kienna extended her hand to help her up. “More competent adults. We aren’t equipped for this. Please. Ruva’s outside. She’ll walk with you.”

Moira glanced at Tislin as he shook to hold himself upright. Kienna put her arm around Tislin and wrapped him over her shoulder until he held on. She escorted him to the bed, nudging her head at Moira to indicate she meant business.

“Danek, go lie down,” Kienna said once Moira left.

He barely made it to the couch before crumbling into the cushions. Kienna helped Tislin settle, trying with all her might not to bring him further pain as blood continued pouring down his side. Kienna retrieved a wet cloth and pressed it against his side. He flinched before easing into a calmer state.

As she wiped the blood, Tislin touched her wrist. “Next time, let me die.”

“Not a chance,” she said, darting her eyes up only once to make sure his were still normal. The black veins coursed around his wound, fainter now, but still there. Kienna closed her eyes, sending her mind back out. Are you at least coming back?

Of course, I am. Connak’s voice was laced with exhaustion, urgency, and a twinge of hurt that she would have thought otherwise.

Kienna was tired of fighting with Connak. She wanted to know he was there when things went sideways. Despite their history, he was a part of her, and the void hurt more than any of it.

I’m on my way with Tristian.

Tislin won’t like that. If he survives, I mean.

He needs to be there, Kienna. It’s his brother, Connak said. No one deserves to receive this kind of news when it’s over. What’s the report?

He’s bleeding again. I don’t know how much you healed, but he looks worse than when he got here. The black veins⁠—

Was he stabbed with a weapon made in Alverton?