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Daimis snaps his head up and I watch as his eyes widen.
I follow his gaze to the drained body of the Regent. A ball of blue light, followed by more smaller balls in varying colors leave his corpse and float in the air until they enter back into the massive Faestone. It glows with magic once again.
Daimis looks at me, his expression full of hope, mirroring my own thoughts. The Faestone is my chance at life. Without a word, he lifts me and runs for the stone.
His eyebrows crease and the corners of his mouth turn downward. “But we don’t have the dragon saliva.”
Another tear slips down my cheek. I think about that early morning, a lifetime ago when I felt compelled to touch a dragon.
“I don’t need it. I’m Dragon-touched.” I use the last of my strength and reach out to the Faestone. But try as I may, my muscles won’t respond properly, and my hand falls. Daimis gently takes my bony wrist and helps me. His golden-brown skin is a startling contrast to my sickly-pale flesh. He presses my hand to the stone—to my salvation.
As soon as my fingertips make contact, a surge of overwhelming power floods into me. The buzzing of a thousand bees echoes in my ears and my vision blurs. I squeeze my eyes shut against the onslaught of pain, and euphoria, of burning, and reshaping. Against the intense heat as my magic and the magic of all the people the Regent stole from spreads throughout my body. It’s as if every one of the shards I’d broken into reshapes, moves, and fuses back into its rightful place again. When I’m whole enough to feel the pain of my injury, spasms of agony consume my chest. My body must feel I’ve taken enough. As I fall into blissful darkness, the last thing I hear is Daimis, Elsie, and Tuuk’s panicked voices calling my name.
Chapter25
Back to the Blood Moon
The distant sound of a waterfall is the first thing I hear. It’s followed by the smell of spring blossoms. I open my eyes and slowly blink the blur of sleep away. White gauze curtains flow from an ornately carved ceiling to fall over the head of the circular bed I’m lying in. I stare at it for a moment without moving, trying to decide if I’m still dreaming. That’s when I realize I’m not alone. I turn my head to find Daimis sleeping in a cushioned chair next to the bed, his hand clasped in my own, rough callouses pressed against mine. Dark circles are prominent under his eyes, he has grown out stubble along his jaw and his hair is mussed, and yet he’s the most beautiful sight for my sore eyes.
“Daimis.” My voice is barely over a whisper and gravely with sleep.
His eyes open and as soon as they focus on me, he leans forward and clasps his other hand over the one holding mine. He puts his forehead on our hands and sighs in relief. He raises his head and looks at me, the corner of his lips turn up. “You…”
“What about me?”
He reaches out and moves a lock of my hair from my face. “Why don’t you take a look for yourself.”
I smile and throw the blankets off.
“Take it slow,” Daimis says. “You’re still recovering.”
“I’m fine,” I say, and swing my legs over the side of the bed, sitting upright in one motion. Instantly, a dizzy spell comes over me and my vision blurs.
“You have trouble listening,” Daimis scolds, and I feel his hand wrap around my upper arm, steadying me until my vision clears and the room stops spinning.
“Then don’t tell me what to do,” I say with a grin. “I just sat up too fast is all.”
“I know you’re a badass demon-slayer, but you’re not invincible. You nearly died.”
I take a deep breath and feel an ache in my chest. I look down to see I’m wearing a simple, sleeveless, white silk shift, and a thick bandage covers my chest on the left side, where my heart should be. I reach up and touch the bandage tenderly.
“I’m lucky it missed my heart,” I say.
He sighs and stands. “Actually, it didn’t.”
I look up and his brows are creased in concern.
I shake my head. “That makes no sense. If it hit my heart, you wouldn’t have been able to heal me even with my magic back. I can’t live without my heart.”
“Not unless you have two,” he holds his hand out to me and I take it, letting him help me to my feet. “Turns out you take after your fae side in that regard.”
I had two hearts? I move my hand to the right side of my chest and feel the subtle rhythmic beating of my heart there, mysecondheart.
“The physicians assured me that once you’re healed, you shouldn’t even notice a difference. To the fae, the second heart is just a backup, but the body can function normally with just one.”
I nod and make my way to the mirror in slow steps, Daimis staying right next to me in case I need help.
“Elsie and Tuuk?” I ask.
