“Oh yes. And the moral to this story is Devlen is good people. I’m always leery around the so-called reformed, but I trusted Devlen with my life and my team’s lives and he came through.”
But not without paying a price. How high? Too high in my mind if he died, but I was sure Valek would see it as one life given in exchange for seven—or rather an entire clan’s lives—a bargain.
Devlen struggled to breathe. I hovered over him, not knowing what to do. Should I ask Kade and Heli? A shout cut through my panic. My name. I glanced up in time to see Janco running full out.
He skidded to a stop. “Is this what you’re looking for?” Opening his hand, he revealed a bottle of ink.
I punched him in the leg.
“Ow! That’s payback for letting us all believe you were dead.” He dropped a super messenger into my lap.
Magic flowed through me, energizing me.
Valek grabbed the sword’s hilt. “Ready?”
I nodded and he yanked. The injury was extensive, but I ignored the jagged flesh and broken bones. Concentrating on repairing the damage, I gathered magic and pretended I fixed a glass statue. I drained the messenger dry, healing him until nothing was left but a nasty purple scar along his torso.
Too tired to stand, I snuggled next to Devlen in the warm sand, letting the day’s heat soak into my bones. Truly happy for the first time in seasons.
The next few days ran together. We were moved to one of the cottages to recuperate. Valek poured endless amounts of Leif’s teas down our throats. Devlen had lost a lot of blood and needed to drink the one that tasted like dirty wash water.
“You can laugh. You don’t have to drink this stuff,” Devlen complained.
I grunted and pointed to my cup. My tea smelled like moldy mushrooms. I sipped. Compared to the slimy seaweed Mother forced on me, it was actually quite good. I glanced at my nightstand. Mother had visited, bringing me a single purple flower in a white vase and a dose of moon potion in a sealed vial. I had set both aside for now.
“Where did Valek get all these potions?” Devlen asked.
“From Leif,” Valek said from the doorway. “Are you feeling well enough to discuss what must be done with Galen?”
I picked up a tablet and wrote: No need to discuss. We drain him dry and kill him.
“I thought you couldn’t siphon his magic,” Devlen said.
I slid from the bed and reached under it. Pulling the orb and the two syringes out, I showed them to Devlen.
He understood. “Are they filled with your blood?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Are you sure?”
I tapped on the tablet, circling drain him dry and kill him.
“What’s going on?” Valek asked. Devlen explained.
Valek met my gaze. “Is this what you want?”
I wrote yes on the paper in big capital letters.
“Sounds like a plan,” Valek said.
Claiming prior experience, Devlen offered to inject my blood into Galen. He wobbled a bit when he stood, but he shooed away my efforts to help him change clothes. I handed him the syringes.
“Are you sure?” he asked for the tenth time.
I pushed him toward the door.
“Okay. I believe you.” He kissed me and followed Valek.
I changed, as well, and visited the small stable. Quartz’s happiness at seeing me almost knocked me over. I had been avoiding her since I was bound to Galen, trying to hide my shame and the taint of him.
Feeding her a handful of peppermints, I scratched behind her ears.
Fire Lady smell good.
Really?
Smell Changed Man.
Devlen’s image filled her mind.
Do you like him? I asked.
A series of her favorite things flashed, including Devlen.
Even before? When he was mean?
He needed herd. Our herd. Changed Man.
Interesting. I found a currycomb and groomed her. Just being with her helped me deal with those last days as Galen’s slave. I mulled over Quartz’s comments.
Who is in our herd? I asked.
Loving images floated one after another. Me, Devlen, Kade, Valek, Yelena, Irys, Ari, Janco, Nic, Eve, Leif, Mara, my parents, my brother, Heli, Ulrick, Fisk, Pazia, Quinn, Reema, Teegan and all the Sandseed horses.
Big herd, I said.
Good. She nudged my stomach with her nose. Make bigger. Plenty of room.
I laughed.
“I haven’t heard that sound in a long time,” Kade said from behind me.
Stormy Sea Man. Quartz turned to nuzzle his ear.
Stormy Sea? Who came up with that one?
Smell like rough sea. Offended, she flicked me with her tail.
Certain I would see anger and betrayal and pain all caused by me, I met Kade’s gaze with reluctance. His sad acceptance shot right to my heart and I bawled. Big racking sobs shook my entire body. A distant corner of my mind wondered, why now? I had stayed dry-eyed and stoic through the horrors of Galen, yet Kade’s understanding unhinged me.
He held me while I soaked his tunic. Eventually the sobs dwindled and the rock in my throat dissolved.
“I know I’m being unfair by coming here when you can’t talk,” Kade said.
I shook my head no. Pointing to my chest, I tried to tell him if anyone had been unfair it was me.
He held my hands so I couldn’t gesture. “Listen. Even before I found out about you and Devlen, I realized we couldn’t be together. Now brace yourself, I’m going to use a weather analogy.”
I groaned.
He quirked a smile. “You’re all energy and excitement and then you blow away. Being with you is like being on the coast, dancing in the storms. Breathless activity, followed by calm. I have that with my job.” He brushed my hair from my eyes. “After you sacrificed your magic I thought you would be content to stay uninvolved in Sitian affairs and be with me. But you rushed off, jumping right back into the maelstrom. I don’t have the energy to deal with storms on both fronts—pun intended. I need someone steadier.”
Tears ran down my face.
He hugged me. “And I’ll offer to render aid whenever needed because I know you wouldn’t ask. After all, I don’t want to miss out on all the fun.” He kissed my forehead and walked away.
Devlen hovered near the stable’s entrance and Kade paused next to him and said something. I held my breath, but Devlen nodded and Kade left.
When Devlen came closer, I raised my eyebrows, inviting him to explain. He peered at me in amazement. “I never dreamed you would forgive me. Would want to be with me.” He cupped my cheek, wiping away my tears with a thumb.
I covered his hand with mine, pressing it against my face.
“Kade asked me to be the voice of reason when you dash off into danger. Note he said when.”
Valek arrived to escort us to Galen. It had been a full day since Devlen injected my blood into him. They had chained him in one of the cottages. Quinn’s glass ball/null shield nearby. Valek had also gagged him so he couldn’t order me to free him.
A deep hatred consumed me when I saw him. I gripped the orb hard. Devlen stood behind me. He squeezed my shoulder in support. Quinn’s parents acted as witnesses. Since the revolt, Quinn’s father, Lane, had been unofficially voted as the new clan leader. According to Valek’s report, he planned for a more democratic society where everyone shared the work and the profits. Since Quinn was the only Bloodrose with magic, I had asked him to stay away from me just in case I accidentally grabbed his magic.
I started with Devlen, draining the blood magic from him. Then I nodded to Lane. He moved the null shield away from Galen. Without hesitation, I concentrated on the orb, siphoning our magic. Galen’s eyes widened in surprise. The steady ring of diamonds filling the orb sounded. Between the two of us, our power was considerable.