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I’d rather not. I’m in enough trouble as it is. The last thing I need is Daniel getting his panties in a bunch that I’m lingering around his wife. As much as we all know they’ll never truly be bonded, not in the way Others should be, Nina loves him. If only that were enough.

“I’ll make sure to see her,” I lie. Kaya still seems worried, her big brown eyes bouncing from my arm to my face. “I need to go in now. Stay out of trouble, yeah?”

“Fine. Give the bad man my rock, please.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Of course.”

She beams and gives me a quick hug.

I watch her trot away before standing. She should be safe. I stopped her in time. If anything happens to that little girl, I can’t even begin to imagine the wrath that’ll fall on me. Blowing out a breath, I scrub at my face. Time to face the man. Better late than never, right? Bracing, I enter Salem’s tent.

The pain is instant.

Like a blow straight to my heart.

It feels like only a few months ago he saved me from the leeches, took me in, nursed my battered body and heart, and gave me my purpose. Salem Winchester used to feel like a god. Now… I can barely stand seeing him like this. The change is nearly complete, and when he goes, I don’t know what will happen to us.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he says, voice distorted and hollow.

I tuck my hands behind my back so he can’t see my spasming fingers. “I’ve been busy.”

“With another prisoner.” A wet cough follows as he presses a soiled rag against his lips.

The flinch is involuntary. I can’t fucking stand to see him like this.

His black hair is almost all gone now. Only thin patches remain. His veins are so dark there’s a perpetual sickly blue hue to his skin. And his ears are too long…too…other. I need to find him a better coat. Thicker blankets. He’s freezing in this place.

“We both knew this was coming, Aryx. Don’t look so put out.”

“Let me help you,” I beg, taking a step closer. “It’ll give you more time.”

He shakes his head and gestures for me to sit.

Salem Winchester deserves a home. A real bed. Fresh food that hasn’t been salted and dried. He needs a fucking cure. We both know one doesn’t exist—not yet. If there’s any chance at all of one being discovered, it’s locked away in New Grove.

As much as I’d rather stand so I can flee quicker, I do as he asks and sit down.

“Daniel tells me that you’ve captured a Maven.” His dark eyes search my face. “Is it your Maven? Saren Ashford?”

I nod.

“Wonder how he found himself all the way out here,” he muses before coughing once more.

“He hasn’t told me yet,” I say, unable to hold his stare. Balling my fists in my lap, I keep my eyes on the ground. “But I’ll get him talking.”

“How come you didn’t come sooner? There was a Nightpulse.”

Swallowing hard, I squeeze my fists tighter. The digits want to twitch and contort. “I killed it. There wasn’t…I didn’t want you to worry.”

He sighs and places his hand over mine. His nails are black. Sharp. Thick ridges make up his knuckles, but his fingers are so thin. He’s dying right before my eyes, and instead of letting me do what I need to, he wants to talk. “The toll is getting to you. Taking down that creature only worsened your symptoms. Have you slept?”

The toll… he says it like I’m not aware. “I will once I’m finished.”

“You’re strong, boy, but you’re not immortal. Sleep. Let Nina tend to your prisoner.”

I glance at him. “You’d put your daughter in the same room as a leech?”

“What’s the difference between you and her?”