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Aunt Patience shoved her needlework unceremoniously into her bag. “May we see him now? Just for a moment?”

The nurse hesitated for a second before she nodded. “Very well. Come with me. But we can only stay a moment.”

Adry hopped to her feet so quickly that she bashed the fronts of her thighs on the edge of the table. Biting back her hiss of pain, she shuffled out of her seat.

Aunt Patience glided to her feet much more gracefully, as if she were the half-elf instead of fully human. She fell into step behind the nurse while Adry trailed behind the two of them.

When the double doors opened, she was hit with the stench of blood and body, the scent so visceral it nearly sent her staggering back a step.

She forced her feet to keep moving forward to where Merrik lay on the table. His face had gone gray, tense lines etched around his mouth and eyes. He might have slept through the whole procedure, but his body still felt the toll.

While most of the healers had taken a step back, the nurses were still bustling around Merrik, bandaging his legs, picking up bloody rags, cleaning the instruments.

Aunt Patience halted beside Merrik, pressing a hand over her mouth as she made a noise in the back of her throat. Probably a suppressed sob, given the way her eyes filled.

Adry halted beside her and wrapped an arm around her in a side hug. It was either that, or she was going to reach out to brush a strand of Merrik’s chestnut hair from where it straggled across his face. That would really make Aunt Patience suspicious.

Aunt Rheva joined Aunt Patience. “The surgery went very well. I expect he will be able to put weight on his left leg in two or three days.”

That was good. The sooner Merrik could begin using that leg again, the less time his muscles would have to atrophy and the easier it would be to learn to walk again.

“Now, come. Let us leave them to finish up.” Aunt Rheva steered the two of them from the surgical suite once again.

After a short wait in the nook once again, an orderly came to lead Adry and Aunt Patience down the winding halls until they reached one of the hospital rooms.

Merrik had already been dressed in a fresh hospital gown and tucked into the bed. He remained fast asleep, his head tipped to the side, his breathing soft and even.

Thankfully, two chairs had been set near the bed, so Adry sank into one while Aunt Patience claimed the other. When Aunt Patience took out her needlework once again, Adry sighed and paged through the book to try to find her spot. She had forgotten a bookmark, and she didn’t dare dogear a page of Ellie’s book.

More waiting. Adry suppressed another sigh.

But she’d do this and more for Merrik. Whatever he needed. Even if she broke her own heart in the process.

Adry sat with her feet propped up on the edge of Merrik’s bed, her knee bouncing, the book in her lap.

Aunt Patience had stepped out to use the facilities, leaving Adry alone with Merrik.

Merrik’s breathing hitched, and he shifted on the bed.

“Merrik?” Adry leaned closer, setting aside the book, swinging her feet to the floor, and clenching her fists to stop herself from reaching for his hand.

His head turned to her, and his eyes flickered open. Blinking blearily, he gave her a soft, still sleepy smile. “Adry.”

Flutters filled her stomach at the sight of him, sleepy and smiling. It made her long for things that she could never have, considering he saw her as just a sister.

He blinked, a little furrow puckering his brow, as he shifted again. He glanced down, and the sleepy peacefulness on his face vanished into a twisting despair. He slumped back onto the pillow, squeezing his eyes shut.

Adry leaned forward and rested a hand on his shoulder. “This is your new beginning, Merrik. I know things will still be hard—incredibly hard. But today is the day things start to get better.”

He gave a little nod, his eyes still squeezed closed as if he was gathering himself.

Yet when he opened his eyes and met her gaze, she saw the faintest spark of hope for the first time since he’d returned from the war.

Chapter

Nine

Merrik was a heartbeat away from reaching for Adry’s hand when the curtain shifted, and Mama stepped inside. Her gaze darted straight to him, a smile accompanying the rise and fall of her shoulders, as if she’d sighed in relief. “Merrik. You’re awake. How are you feeling?”