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He shrugs. “He can’t go anywhere, can he? It’s not like he has legs.”
I swallow past a knot in my throat. “Is he alive?”
Please be alive.
“He was, last I checked. He tried to crawl to the door. We put him back in his place. Hasn’t moved since.”
My heart is thumping too loudly in my ears. “You put those wounds on him?”
The guard chuckles. “Only a couple. Prince Iason put the rest. As for the wound in his tail, well… it was like that when they brought him in. Who knows what caused it.”
Step by step, I reach Adar. I’m shaking with fear. My knees buckle and I go down, the impact jarring me, traveling through my shins to my spine.
His chest is rising and falling, I can see it, but he looks half-dead. The bright blue scales of his tail have faded to pale gray. They are flaking off. The wound is so deep I’m not sure if the white I glimpse in it is bone.
“Dear Gods,” Lily whispers behind me. It jerks me to reality. I had forgotten there are other people with me.
I turn my head to find the guard staring at me. “Go out. I need to speak with him. Alone.”
“I doubt he can speak,” the guard says. “He seems to be dying.”
I draw a shaky breath. “You don’t know that. Get out.”
“That’s a weird game you’re playing,” he mutters as he walks out. “This creature is dangerous.”
“Close the door,” I tell Lily. “Healer, come here. Can you help him?”
Her wrinkled face has gone white. She throws her hood back and shakes her head. “That wound… My Gods, girl, he’s half-fish! I heard tales of the merfolk but never thought I’d lay eyes on one. It is said they can breathe underwater. Is it true?”
“His wound,” I say, my teeth gritting. “Can you heal it?”
“I can take a look. We should get the net off him. Is he… is he dangerous? Will he try to hurt us?”
“No. He wouldn’t. Unless his mind is addled with fever.” I start tugging at the net but it’s tight, digging into his tail. “Help me.”
Lily grabs the end of it and pulls, huffing, the old woman tries to drag it down his side. But it’s no use. We kneed knives to cut through it, otherwise we’re just opening new wounds into his flesh.
He groans, his lashes fluttering, and I lean over to stroke his hair.
“Adar. Wake up. It’s me, Selina.”
His mouth works without a sound. A gleam of blue shines under his lashes. Then his voice comes, rough and low. “Is this a dream?”
“I’m here. This is real.”
He’s still gazing at me. “They came. After you left.”
“I know. Iason had me followed.” I lick my dry lips. “I have a plan. We’re getting you out of here. I brought a healer for the wound.”
“Nothing she can do,” he rasps. His eyes shift, finding Lily and the healer. “It’s too late.”
“Don’t say that. Don’t ever say that. I…” My voice breaks. “We have a trunk outside. We will carry you out. I have a carriage waiting, and Iason is not at the palace.”
His eyes close. “You must leave me. Don’t throw away your life for me.”
“I’m not ever leaving you. Where you go, I will go.” On my knees, I bend over him, stroke his face, kiss his lips. “Please…”
His lips move against mine, but it’s not a kiss—he’s not kissing me, he’s whispering something.
