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He catches my eye. He smiles at me.

And I’m happy.

So happy, I could be on a desert island.

What a strange thought to think.

But it’s true.

CHAPTER 50

The Epilogue

Cosmer

Cosmer is locked in the infirmary.

The medic – her name is Meena – is helping him. She’s overly helpful. Exasperating with her helpfulness. But he’s trying his best to be kind to her. It’s what Ara wanted, after all.

And actually, Meena can be rather endearing. She reminds him of Riss.

Riss, who’s gone. Early this morning, when the withdrawal symptoms were starting to kick in and his temperature was rising, and he was wheezing, as if he could no longer breathe without the gas, he’d even seen her. She was standing over him. There was no accusation or judgement in her eyes. Only friendship.

It’s a crime to live in a world without her.

Or Ara.

But here he is.

Here. He. Is.

The ship has landed in Rhavna. He knows that. He’s not allowed to leave this room, though.

He’d rather not see this enemy country anyway. The quicker he can get out of here, the better.

But he needs to get clean. The magic on him won’t end until he is. And it’s what he wants, most of all. Ara’s words had moved him, even without the magic. He will chase sobriety the way some people chase dreams.

The withdrawal symptoms are not easy. He goes from sweating to freezing. His breaths are shallow. He’s bone-deep miserable. He knows the two things that would help him immediately, if he could only breathe them. They would remove it all.

But neither are his to have anymore.

The knock at the door he’s been waiting for comes at noon.

Meena lets Drake in. He’s pristine, dressed every bit the Rhavnan prince he is. Before, Cosmer would have been strongly considering garrotting him with that ridiculous silk scarf knotted at his neck.

Now, the thought almost doesn’t even cross his mind.

Almost.

Cosmer sits up in the bed.

“Well?” he asks, brusquely.

“She is happy,” Drake states. “Her brother is alive, and has been here, in Rhavna, all week.”

“Eric’s alive?” Cosmer grins crookedly. “That’s amazing.” He tilts his head, smile fading. “There’s a ‘but’ coming, isn’t there?”

Drake looks at him, hard. “She is wearing a ribbon in her hair,” he starts, in a remorseful tone. “A ribbon she only began wearing when⁠—”