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“Not for long from the look of you,” Amara said. “You need to get some sleep before I’m allowing you to use another speck of your power. Otherwise we’ll have you comatose for days again.”
I grimaced, embarrassed at the reminder.
“I was careful this time,” I said meekly, and her face softened.
“I’m sure you were. But you’re also a single healer suddenly faced with an epidemic. I have no doubt you pushed yourself as far as you dared.”
I bit my lip, unable to deny the truth of her words.
“Where have you been living?” she asked. “Is there room for us as well?”
“More than enough room.” I glanced at Costas. “That is, if Costas doesn’t mind.”
“You’re up at the manor?” He sounded a little surprised.
I shrugged. “It seemed the most practical place to stay while I was trying to sort everything out. But if it bothers you, I can—”
“No, no, it’s a large house and the only place where we won’t put anyone else out. It makes sense for us to stay there, especially if there’s an epidemic underway.”
I smiled, relieved I didn’t have to come up with another living arrangement when I could hardly think straight.
“Delphine isn’t the only one who’s exhausted.” Hayes gave Amara a stern look. “You and Costas need to get to bed as soon as possible as well. I’ll find out what’s happening in the town, and we can talk up at the manor once I get back. But only after you’ve had some rest! You’ve been holding on for days. You can safely hand over to me now.”
She smiled, a softness in her eyes I’d never seen before.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “This is your area of expertise anyway. But I’ll try not to sleep too long.”
“Take as long as you need.” He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something further, but after a shake of his head he took off after Lumi, with Clay and Luna at his heels.
The two guards hesitated, looking from Amara to the retreating mages.
“Go with them,” Amara said. “They may have need of assistance, whereas we’ll all be sleeping. Nik, you too.”
Nik also hesitated, although his eyes were on me. I gestured for him to go, sending him off with a reminder to try to find Ida while he was in town. We’d had to hurry off before her return, and she had to be worried.
Nik agreed and finally left to follow the others, sending one lingering look over his shoulder.
“There are several conversations still to be had,” Amara said dryly, watching him go. “But they’ll have to wait until we’ve all had some sleep.”
“Yes, please,” Costas said fervently.
More guilt picked at me as Costas led us through the streets toward the manor. The town was too quiet, and now that I knew the reason, the empty streets haunted me.
“I assume you came in the boat Costas took?” I asked, desperate for something to fill the unnatural silence.
Amara blinked, clearly distracted by other thoughts.
“Yes,” she said at last. “We brought as many as could be crammed into it.”
“And the rest of your group?” I asked. “You sent them back to the king?”
She nodded. “I wrote down everything Costas told us and instructed the guards to deliver it straight to the capital and directly into the king’s hands. They had to return to Eldrida on foot, but they will have taken horses from there. They may even be in the capital by now.”
“So Tartora has warning about Grey, at least,” I murmured.
Amara nodded. “If King Marius and the Triumvirate believe it. I’ll admit it’s a hard tale to swallow.”
I remembered my own astonishment on first learning that healers could mesmerize—and I had been offered firsthand demonstrations.
