“Here, sir, you need this.” The presence at my head stepped around, and I saw that it was Mr. Tom holding a plate. “You need to keep your strength up so you are nice and healthy when she wakes up.”
Austin’s eyes were glued to mine, and the look in them made me want to cry. I couldn’t explain it
with words, but I felt it in my heart.
This time I confronted the pain and shifted, things popping and cracking and creaking, agony lighting me up.
“No, Jess, careful,” he said, his voice scratchy, like he’d been screaming. Or crying.
I breathed heavily after the shift was done, things not quite right in my body. My leg felt all messed up, for one, and my arms were tingly in a way that said danger. Still, I had magic and energy.
I could heal this.
Getting to work, still so tired but no longer in as much pain, I struggled to swallow.
“Oh heavens.” Mr. Tom dropped the plate. It crashed on the floor, breaking. “Water. Wait there, miss, I’ll get you water. Get out of the way,” he yelled at someone. “She needs water!”
Austin’s smile was a thing of beauty. “He always did drop everything for you.”
The memories pieced themselves together—of what happened, of what we’d done.
“Nathanial?” I asked. It hurt a little to talk. My jaw still wasn’t right.
Austin put his hand on my shoulder. “He didn’t make it, Jess. He didn’t survive getting through that spell.”
Emotion welled up and sobs racked my body. “He sacrificed himself so that I would make it.” I labored to get it out.
“He’s a hero,” Austin said as Ulric walked to my right with Jasper in tow.
Ulric put his hand on the cot beside me. “He would’ve been relieved that you made it,” he said, his own eyes swimming in tears. “He would’ve been happy to know that his sacrifice saved you, and then you were able to save us all.”
“He was selfless,” Jasper said as Mr. Tom hurried back with a cup and straw. “He’s always been selfless. When you’re better, Jessie, we’ll honor him, okay? But you need to get better.”
“And the rest?” I asked, squeezing Austin’s hand tightly. “Did we do it? Did we lose anyone else?”
“Just rest now, okay?” Austin patted my hand. “Rest. We won, and Kingsley’s people are safe.”
WHEN I AWOKE NEXT, it was to darkness. I had a flashback of flying, of desperately seeking those mages, of shadowy figures holding blasters. I jolted, startled, my magic rising.
“Shh, shhhh. ” A familiar hand smoothed my hair from my face. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
I could barely make out Austin’s face in the darkness. His other hand still held mine. A loud bang sounded from somewhere in the house. A shape rose from the couch.
“I’m here!” Mr. Tom ran into the room in a sleeping gown and a matching hat with a little tassel at the end. “Candles. I’ll get candles!”
Flame danced above Cyra’s held-out palm, revealing her on the couch. She beamed at me.
“Jessie! It’s really good to see you.”
“What time is it?” I asked as Mr. Tom came back in with a lit candle, stopping by my feet and looking at me.
“Welcome back, miss. It’s just after midnight. How do you feel? You didn’t get a chance to drink any water last time—would you like some now?”
“You’ve been out for six days,” Cyra said. “I’ve been counting because that seems like a really long time for humans, and it was making me nervous.”
“Six days?” I asked.
“You had a lot of healing to do.” Austin’s thumb continued to move over my forehead, not any cleaner than before. He hadn’t changed his clothes, either. It was clear he hadn’t left my side for long enough to wash off the battle.
My heart ached for him. For what he must’ve gone through. For how much I loved him.
“You need to look after yourself, baby,” I told him, falling into his gaze. He shook his head, but I pushed. “I’m okay now. I feel a lot better. You need to shower and get some sleep, and then we’ll get up together, okay? Look after yourself, and before long we can continue our lives.”
Tears caught in my lashes. The thought of continuing our lives reminding me of Nathanial, of his last emotions through the bond—pride and honor.
“Okay,” Austin said, leaning forward to kiss me softly. “After you fall asleep, I’ll go shower, okay?”