Page 153 of By the Flames of Her Fury

“You’re freaking me out, Vera,” Tessa said. “What’s this about?”

Instead of answering, I silently twisted Everett around so his wounded shoulder was exposed.

“No,” Tessa gasped.

Dom inhaled sharply. “What caused this?”

“A shadow wraith,” Everett grunted. “Who was guarding the original demithes mausoleum.”

“How long ago did it happen?” Dom asked urgently.

“Two days,” I answered. Forty-eight hours.

Tessa’s eyes widened. “Fates. That’s how long the Elders said it usually took for the infection to run its course.”

Dom frowned. “I don’t understand. He appears barely marked, but he should be exhibiting severe signs by now.”

I spun to Everett. “He’s right. It should be worse. But do you remember, I—I healed you. That night in your room.”

“You did,” he said, “but only my shoulder joint and my burned hand. We didn’t know about this wound.”

A spark of hope blossomed. “Maybe my spell stopped it from progressing. Maybe I healed this too, without even knowing, and you—you’ll be fine.”

“No magic can heal an infected wound. Many of us mages tried it with our friend. But,” Dom added, “your Lightbringer magic is different. Perhaps you slowed it down and bought a couple more days.”

“Then I’ll keep doing it,” I insisted. I hovered my hands over the scratch, whispering the healing spell and waiting for the black lines to recede, for the gash to close itself.

Nothing happened. I said the spell again, palms heating with my desperation. “Why isn’t it working?”

Everett gently took my hand. “He said your magic can’t heal me, Vera. We’ll have to find another way.”

“Then let’s find one!” Fear swirled inside me like a vicious whirlpool. “I’ll do whatever it takes. I—I’ll put you under that stasis if I have to.” My shoulders slumped, and I choked back a sob. “I just got you back. I can’t do this again.”

He cupped my neck. “I’m not gone yet, sweetheart. We won’t give up so easily.”

I smacked his chest. “Why are you so calm?” It was infuriating. He was comforting me, when he was the one who could turn into a shadow wraith any second.

“Because one of us needs to be,” he said. I scowled, and his lips tugged into a sad smile. “We still have a mission, and we need to focus on that.”

“The mission? How can I think about that when—” I stopped myself. The mission. Raising the kingdom. “Wait, that’s it,” I rushed out. “The Elders said if I raise Pyraeth, it would cure Odessa’s infection. It’ll cure you.”

Tessa clapped her hands. “Whatever you want to do, I’m in.”

“Vera, this is what the Elders want,” Dom interjected. “They want you to break the enchantment so they'll be able to leave. You can’t unleash that kind of darkness.”

“Fine.” I crossed my arms. “Then I’ll kill them first.”

“That’s my girl,” Tessa called.

“You still have to find the third amulet,” Everett pointed out. “The Sacred Three, remember?”

“I know, I know.” I thought back to the search, before everything turned upside down. It was hard to concentrate with Everett’s fate pressing in, the ticking clock of his life like a noose around my throat. I took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I need some time to think.”

75

Everett

Ifollowed Vera. She didn’t ask me to, but I saw her tight shoulders, her churning eyes. My Vera was a force to be reckoned with, but she often kept everything bottled up inside. Someone as powerful as her needed something to ground her, to keep her from burning herself out.