Leliana led me straight to Manach’s room.

  Before we entered, she stopped.

  “Before we go in, I need to tell you something.”

  Her voice was tight. Concerned.

  I frowned. “What is it?”

  “You know how I said Manach was in urgent care?”

  She hesitated.

  “Yeah?”

  “Well… that’s partly true.” A pause. “He’s actually on life support.”

  She braced for my reaction.

  I didn’t give her one.

  Somehow, I already knew.

  “That’s fine.” My voice was steady.

  She looked shocked, like she expected me to lash out.

  I didn’t. Couldn’t. Not now.

  We stepped inside.

  The sight of Manach hit me like a blow.

  His whole body—wrapped in bandages, tubes snaking in and out, machines forcing life into him. A coldian was already pale, but this? This was beyond pale. This was white.

  “How bad is it?” I asked.

  Leliana swallowed.

  “His neck, arms, legs—almost all of his ribs are broken. He had internal bleeding in the abdomen and skull. He’s survived four seizures that I know of.” She took a breath. “Medically speaking, it’s a miracle he even made it here. And another miracle he’s still alive.”

  She motioned to the tubes.

  “These are the only things keeping him that way. His body is giving up. At this rate…” She trailed off.

  I clenched my jaw.

  This bastard. Manach was reckless, an idiot, a criminal, a hothead. But he was my partner. And he was strong.

  Would I have survived what he did?

  Probably not.

  “I’ll call for coldian healers,” I said.

  Leliana’s face darkened.

  “You can’t.”

  I turned to her. “Why not?”

  “I already tried.”

  Her hands clenched.

  “There’s a rule—no idea when it was made—that says all patients fall under the jurisdiction of the head doctor. In this case? That’s Doctor Arnell. He decides everything.”

  I felt something ugly stir in my gut.

  “He wants to pull the plug.”

  Leliana nodded, grim.

  “I begged him not to.”

  My fingers twitched.

  “That bastard is an alchemist. He could heal him.” My voice was cold.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Her silence was confirmation.

  “What’s his full name?”

  “Honas. Honas Arnell.”

  Figures.

  “He’s an alchemist, right?”

  She nodded again.

  “Then we take his potions.”

  There was an edge to my voice that even I could hear. I wasn’t furious. Not visibly. But inside? I wanted to get up and kill him.

  Leliana hesitated. “I don’t know where his lab is.”

  I exhaled.

  “Doesn’t matter.”

  I turned to her.

  “You’re with me now, right?”

  She studied me.

  Then she straightened.

  “Yes. We agreed on the terms.”

  “Then here’s what I need.”

  She nodded, waiting.

  “You take care of Manach and me. You try to find Leon Maldwse and Jorguh Rockut, if they’re still in town. Tell them the coldians need them.”

  “Alright,” she said. Then, “I just don’t know how long I can hold before Arnell pulls life support.”

  “Then buy time.”

  She looked at me, expectant.

  “What about you?”

  “I heal.”

  She blinked.

  “My blood’s already speeding up recovery,” I continued. “Give it a couple of weeks, and I’ll be ready.”

  I met her gaze.

  “Until then, we keep Manach alive. We get those potions—forcefully if needed.”

  Leliana took a breath.

  “Understood.”

  “Good. First thing in the morning, go find those two.”

  “I will.”

  She straightened.

  “I’ll sleep here. Just need to grab food and supplies. There’s a bathroom, rugs, blankets. We have everything we need.”

  She turned toward the door, then stopped.

  “Oh, and I’ll get your gear.”

  Then she hurried out.

  Excited.

  I watched Manach. Just sat there. Waiting.

  “If you die, I’ll bury you in shit,” I whispered.

  Did he hear me? No way to tell. But in my mind, I could feel him laughing.

  I hoped he was.

  Leliana returned quicker than expected. True to her word, she had everything—food, supplies, even my gear. What was left of it, anyway.

  Armor? Cracked.

  Helmet? Untouched.

  Blade? Untouched.

  The armor could be fixed outside Lampis. The helmet and blade? That was all I really needed.

  She locked the doors from the inside, checked on Manach, then checked on me. Gave me some medicine. It tasted like a bird had shit straight into my mouth.

  Worked like a charm, though.

  Leliana changed into something comfortable—soft, expensive-looking pajamas. Said good night. Went to sleep.

  I sat there, watching Manach from my wheelchair. Eventually, I drifted off.

  Morning came.

  Leliana shook me awake.

  “Food and tea,” she said. “Manach’s still the same. I’m heading out. Please be careful.”

  She was already dressed, ready.

  I just nodded.

  She left.

  An hour passed. I sat alone, eating. Drinking. Thinking.

  Leon had said he knew some healing magic. Had he already used everything he had? Or had he not even tried?

  I needed answers. If he came. If he actually came.

  Then the door opened.

  A man in medical garments. Not Arnell. Some random guy.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  I looked at him.

  Stayed polite.

  “I’m here with my friend. And I’m not leaving.”

  He folded his arms.

  “The Doctor said this place is off-limits to anyone but him from today.” A smirk bled into his voice. “You should leave.”

  “I’d love to see who’ll force me out.”

  I kept my voice even.

  That scared him.

  He left.

  Twenty minutes later, the door opened again.

  Honas Arnell.

  His face twisted with disdain.

  “First, we save your lives, and now you make trouble? You coldians are all the same—filthy trash.”

  That was his hello.

  I inhaled.

  “I mean no harm to you or your staff,” I said, keeping my tone steady. “But I won’t allow you to do anything to Manach while I’m here.”

  He tilted his head.

  “Manach? So that’s the name of this vegetable.” A slow, cruel smirk. “He’s dying. And he’s in pain. I was actually going to be merciful, pull the plug. But, you know what? I don’t care. He can writhe.”

  I wanted to lash out. Get up. Drive my blade through his eye.

  Instead, I clenched my fists.

  “You’re an alchemist,” I said. “Why don’t you help him?”

  Arnell chuckled.

  “Help a coldian?” He shook his head. “Sorry. My skills are meant for people. Not animals.”

  Another smirk. He wanted me to react.

  I didn’t.

  I wouldn’t give him that.

  “Fine,” I said. “Then leave. If you don’t care, I’d at least appreciate being left alone to watch my brother die.”

  Arnell’s eyes gleamed.

  “This is my facility,” he said. “Both you and your pet are under my jurisdiction. I could throw you out, pull the plug, and dump his corpse to the rats if I wanted to.”

  I held his gaze.

  “What’s stopping you?”

  He sneered.

  “You think you could run to the Parliament? Say I mistreated you?” He scoffed. “Doesn’t apply to me. My word against yours. And you? You’re nothing.”

  I exhaled slowly.

  “Then why haven’t you done it?”

  His smirk widened.

  “I don’t want to touch filth like you. Would stain me for life.”

  I leaned forward, voice low.

  “You know, even in this state, I could cut—”

  He laughed.

  “Pathetic.”

  Then he turned.

  And slammed the door behind him.

  The rage inside me boiled. Seethed.

  I growled. That was all I could do.

  For now.

  But I knew one thing.

  I would end this man.

  Didn’t matter what happened after. Didn’t matter who came for me.

  I would have his head.

  And I would make it hurt.

  Another hour passed.

  Then—a knock.

  The door swung open.

  Leliana.

  Leon.

  Jorguh.

  Finally.