Liz wipes a sleeve across Darian’s face, then her own mouth. “Gross. Whose blood did you get all over me?” she teases.

  Darian gnces guiltily my way, and Liz follows the look. Her gaze quickly skips over all of us to rest on her brother.

  “Quill!” she cries, her expressihtening. She heads our way, dragging a relut Darian along with her. Seeing the fident, strict captain act self-scious is definitely a strange ge of pace. Probably more strange for her soldiers, though judging by their expressions, they mostly seem amused.

  “You escaped the attack,” Liz says, her shoulders sagging in relief. “And stance?”

  “He fought them off,” Quell says, still apparently in some state of shock.

  “Of course he did.” Liz chuckles bitterly. “You’re not telling me I’m the only one who got kidnapped?” Her face falls. “By the gods, I was! That’s embarrassing. You mean to tell me you escaped and I didn’t? No offense. But really!”

  “I was also rescued.” Quell gestures to me. “Nye saved me.” Then he blinks, as if ing out of a daze. “But—but you and Captain Darian?”

  Liz looks me up and down, her mouth quirking in a smile. “Oh, thank heavens. That makes me feel better. We both have hunky suitors, eh?”

  Warmth fshes through my cheeks. “Uh, no. No.”

  Quell also splutters. “What? No! That’s not—you’re dodging the question!”

  Liz waves a dismissive hand at him. “It’s very simple, Quill, Darian and I have been having a covert affair for nearly two years, now.”

  Darian shifts unfortably. “Perhaps we should not be so bse about this i pany.”

  “Why?” Liz demands. “The cat’s out of the bag. And I was just abducted by the enemy for heaven’s sake! If I’m allowed to kiss my lover anytime, it’s now, and I refuse to have that taken from me.”

  “But she’s not of noble blood,” Quell splutters. “If mother and father found out—”

  “Abyss take our parents!” Liz cries. “I’m not first in line for the throne anyway, so what does it matter?” She gnces around us, back toward the Coil. “Now are we going to stand here and argue until those guards arrest us, or do we have better pces to be?”

  The rest of us look back as well. A group of guards have mouwo-legged bird-like creatures and are heading our way. Glints from spear tips fsh in the sun.

  “We o put some distaween us and The Coil,” Darian says, her anding tourning. “We discuss matters further at a safe distance.” She points to two of the star drakes the Moonfall soldiers had been riding. “Divvy up among the mounts. No, Xamireb, you stay there, you’re clearly injured. Is it bad?”

  Xamireb had been in the process to push themself upright, but were clearly struggling. “It will need addressing,” they admit.

  “I staunch it for now,” Ear says. “That should buy us more time.”

  Darian nods. “Good. Then Nye, you will apany Quell to that drake . Princess Felicity and I will take the st. Everyone ready?”

  “Yes, Captain,” Ear and Xamireb reply.

  Liz snorts. “You better not start Princess Felicity-ing me now.”

  Darian grimaces. I ’t imagine her partmentalized lives colliding together like this is very fortable. But Liz is right; there’s time to discuss pns ter, once we’re somewhere safe.

  I look out across the inhospitable desert and the hot, packed cy that seems to stretch to every horizon, w where we make camp that will provide cover from Umbral Bdes, iant ivorous animals, or The Coil’s city guards.

  I guess safe is retive out here.

  I offer Quell a hand down from Poppy, and he g it before his face flushes darker. He climbs down with a mumbled excuse, and I step back, equally unfortable. We quickly and silently make for the star drake Dariaified. Quell swings himself up first, and I climb up behind. With only the two of us, there’s enough room for me to put ara seat between us. I clutch the grip at my seat’s pommel, staring down at my white-knuckled hands, as Quell spurs us into motion.

  I was just starting to feel fortable around the guy. Why did Liz have to go and make it weird?

  Darian and Liz take the lead, with Quell and I following, and Ear and Xamireb at the rear. I’m not sure how effective those two would be at ag as a rear guard, given Xamireb’s injuries, but The Coil guards stop their advance as soon as they realize we’re leaving. They probably just want us gone, and that makes two of us.

  We ride for several hours as the sun climbs past midday. Weariness is growing heavy in my limbs like a weight draggio my seat. I suppose that means I’ve fully adapted to a noal schedule now. Even with my shade cloak pulled tight arouhe sun cws at my skin anytime a jostle casts light over my exposed hands or forearms. I ’t tell if I’m burning, from the dark gray tone of my skin, but it hurts like hell. I hunch forward, trying to keep as muyself covered as possible.

  Finally, a small sandstone formation rises from the desert’s monotony, and Darian directs us over to the cluster of rocks and arches. Sleep rings the humans’ eyes and slumps their shoulders as we finally climb down from the star drakes, hidden within the rocky alcove. I wearily head over to Poppy and pull the tents and bedrolls from her saddle, starting to set up camp. Ear and Darian also help, and as soon as there’s a vas stretched across the burning ground, we heave Xamireb onto it and begin to pitch a tent around them. Liz and Quell settle down with them to examiheir wound as the rest of us tio set up the camp.

  “It doesn’t look so bad,” Liz says. “I would have expected a lot more blood given the size of the injury.”

  “Ear’s adapted water spell is holding it back,” Xamireb says. Their voice is calm, but there’s a tremor present that wasn’t there before. “It will wear off in a few hours, and we’ll o seal the wound before then.”

  “You ’t do that yourself?” Quell asks. “Your affinity is fauna, right? That falls within the school of Life arum. It should allow you some level of healing abilities.”

  “It’s actually a mind affinity rather tha,” Xamireb admits. “Such a low grade of mind magi fact, that it’s only noticeably effective on animals. I’ve no healing spells of my own. However, there’s sutures in the medical supplies on Poppy that should help. It… may be a messy procedure.”

  I grimace, struggling with a tent pole. Quell had mentioned before that blood affinities were also in the field of Life arum. Does that mean I might be able to develop healing abilities? Maybe Coagute could help seal up Xamireb’s wound.

  Is that something I do with Coagute? I ask Echo.

  [ive,] she says. [Coagute may only be used on blood that is Attuo the user.]

  Damn. But if Ear has water spells that slow bleeding, then there’s got to be blood ohat could do the same. I learn spells to stop someone else’s bleeding? I ask.

  [Affirmative.]

  Aha! I thought so. I wait a beat, but Echo doesn’t tinue.

  you teach me those spells? I ask.

  [ive,] Echo says. [Excluding innately known spells, a user may learn spells through study, practice, and/or experimentation.]

  Well there’s no books out here to teach me blood magic. But experimentation sounds promising. You mean I could just try to do some kind of magid see if it works?

  [Affirmative.]

  That’s good to know. But is this the time and pce to try experimental magid if it requires a spell circle, like I’ve seen others use, I’d have no idea where to start. I guess it ’t hurt to ask; these people uand how this magic stuff works way better than I do.

  As Darian and Ear finish with the camp, I duto Xamireb’s tent. The araoid is leaning on their side to give better access to their wound while Quell and Liz spread out the medical kit on the floor before them. They both look up as I erying not to squirm beh their questioning looks, I focus on Xamireb’s injury. The gash in their abdomen is about twenty-five timeters wide, with bck ichor, now dried, c the surrounding carapace. Would blood magic even work on a substance like that?

  “Hey,” I say, after a moment of silence. “Uh, I just wao see if I could be useful at all. Given my magic.”

  Quell’s eyebrows raise. “Oh. Yes! That’s a good question. You might be able to help after all. e, let’s take a look.”

  Liz tips her head at me as I take a seat between Quell and Xamireb. “Healing magic?”

  “Uh, ly,” I say.

  “But it is within the Life arum field,” Quell says, clearly attempting to soften the blow.

  “It’s blood,” I say bluntly.

  Liz frowns. “Do you have much experience using it this way?”

  “Literally none.”

  Xamireb chuckles. “I see I’m in good hands.”

  “No, no,” Quell says. “Theoretically, it’s the same principle.”

  “Now’s not the time for testing book theories, little Quill,” Liz says.

  I thought I’d misheard before, but that’s at least the third time I’ve heard her call him that. “Quill?” I ask.

  Liz grins, squiggling her fihrough the air. “Because he’s always buried in papers and ink.”

  Quell looks very annoyed by this.

  I think I’m going to start using it.

  Quell turns to me, ign his sister. “Those with Life affinities el their mana into other living things. You should be able to do the same.”

  “I don’t know how to do those magic circles,” I say.

  He shakes his head. “You shouldn’t o for something this basic. Here, I’ll show you.”

  He takes my hands and holds them up to Xamireb’s wound. I resist, h a few inches away, worried about pressing against the injury and making it worse.

  “Yoing to have to touch the wound if you want to try to heal it,” Quell admonishes me. “Especially since you’re inexperienced and your affinity is blood; it won’t be as effective as someoh a pure life or healing affinity, and your ck of practice will also tribute to the loss in efficy. You o get as close as you to reduce the mana waste.”

  I gnce up at Xamireb, and they smile softly. “It’s quite alright. I don’t mind.”

  Hesitantly, I let Quell guide my hands against Xamireb’s abdomen. I try not to squirm in disfort as Quell’s hands stay pressed over my own.

  “Now what?” I ask.

  “Focus on what you want to do,” Quell says. “Picture it, and will yic to fulfill that i.”

  I frown. I wish there was just a magic word Echo could give me like Heal and just be doh it. But I follow Quell’s instrus, furrowing my brows as I trate on the wouh my hands.

  Heal, I think anyway, willing my magic to do just that. My fingers start to tihen red light glows from beh my hands. I su a breath. This isn’t eling attacks through the shield. This isn’t invisible, like Attuning my blood. This is real, actual, visible magic. A dumb, giddy smile spreads over my face.

  After about thirty seds, the light snuffs out.

  [Maed,] Echo reports. [New spell obtained! Heal: Level 1.]

  Hey, what do you know, it is called Heal.

  “That’s all I’ve got,” I say. Quell removes his hands from mine, and I pull away from Xamireb. We all lean in to look.

  Well it’s not pletely healed, that’s for sure. There’s still a bck gash in Xamireb’s tan hide. (Skin? Shell? I don’t know what to call this for spider people.) But it’s no longer open: a dull, bck substance has hardened within the wound.

  All my mana, and I could only make a scab.

  “Wow!” Quell cries, shaking my shoulder. “I ’t believe it worked. Way to go!”

  “o hear you have so much faith in me,” I deadpae appearances, however, I’m actually pretty stoked. Even if all I manage is a scab, I summon magid heal people. That’s something else.

  Liz smiles faintly at the two of us.

  “What worked?” Ear ducks through the fp. “What’s happened?”

  “Your buddy here just closed up Xamireb’s wound,” Liz says.

  “Just a scab,” I object.

  “It will more than suffice for now,” Xamireb says. “You have my thanks.”

  Ear crouches near his twin, examining the injury. His shoulders slump. “Talor’s blessings. Thank you, Nye.” He looks at me, and he might as well be baring his soul. A weary relief is carved into his expression, though the hints of worry still areirely gone. “I thought I’d have to stay up all day to keep that staung spell renewed. Even then I wasn’t sure it would be enough until we could find a real healer.”

  “I don’t think I’m really a healer,” I mumble, unsure how to handle all the sudden praise. Liz gleefully nips that in the bud.

  “You’re not,” she says. “But for a novice, that wasn’t the worst.” She stands up, dusting her hands off. “Well, e on, everyone. Best to let these guys get some rest.”

  I start to push myself up as well, but Quell catches my wrist.

  “Ah, might want to be careful with what you touch,” he says, turning my hand over. A tacky bck substance is smeared ay palm. “You should get that ed off.”

  My stomach flutters at the implication. Would partially-dried araoid blood cause a Bloodlust the same as fresh blood from a human? Based on Quell’s overabundance of caution, my guess is ‘yes.’

  Carefully holding my hands to the side so they don’t touything or anyone, I follow Liz and Quell out of the tent.

  Darian is preparing a meal by a small fire. There are dark bags under her eyes, and it looks like she’s tried to scrub all the blood off of her as well, despite the stains that still remain on her clothes. She looks up when we emerge from the tent, and smiles wearily at Liz.

  “How are you doing?” she asks as the princess plops dowo her.

  “I should be asking you that.” She closes her eyes, resting her head on Darian’s shoulder. Now that I have a good ce to look at her, Liz looks more beat up than her chipper demeanor would have me think. She’s covered in dust, her clothes are nearly torn to shreds, and I think I notice bruises on her wrists before her sleeves flutter back over them with a faint breeze.

  “You shouldn’t have dohat just for me,” she murmurs.

  Quell and I sit opposite. He passes me a water skin to rinse my hands, and I grab it with my wrists and pull the cork out with my teeth, then spsh some of the water over my hands. Quell tio stare across at the couple as if he still ’t quite believe it.

  “It’s fine,” Darian tells her. “I had it under trol.” But she looks up at me with a grimace. “I’m sorry I put you through that. I would have asked if there had been more time.”

  “What?” I follow her gaze to my hands, where I’ve begun to scrub them down. They’re brown from where the water has mixed with dust and blood. There’s more dried blood on my arm—red, not bck.

  “Oh,” I say. It’s where Darian bit me. I’d closed the puncture wounds ho while we were riding. Sihen, my HP naturally recovered, and now there’s not even a scar. “I don’t mind. I know why you did it. I was just… surprised.”

  Darian huffs out a ugh. “I imagine. Sorry I didn’t tell you. The Bloodlust is a secret I try to keep close to my chest.”

  “Why?” I ask. “You said around one in a hundred dhampyrs have it. That’s not on, but not particurly rare, either.”

  “on enough,” she says. “Though not for batants. Those with the Bloodlust are disced from serving. And those who join anyway are often shunned. No one wants to fight alongside an ally who might turn on you without warning. It’s difficult to rise in the ranks with that kind of stigma pio your back.”

  “What?” Quell says. “I didn’t know about that. Who’s preventing Bloodlust afflicted dhampyrs from being promoted? That should be stopped.”

  She looks at him, pityingly. I rete.

  “I doubt it’s one person,” I tell him. “And they’re probably not even being actively malicious. But gather enough people with an unscious bias together, and a pattern will emerge.”

  Darian nods along to my words. “I don’t fault them, for what it’s worth. It is dangerous. You have to train for years to be able to dis ally from enemy while in that state. An untrained dhampyr with the Bloodlust is dangerous to field.”

  Untrained like me, she means. I dry off my hands and pass the waterskin back to Quell.

  Darialy props Liz up as she leans forward to pass out the meal. Rare meat for Darian aandard rations for Quell and Liz. We eat in a sort of half-dazed silence.

  Liz sighs as she chews on a piece of jerky. “This is the best meal I’ve had in weeks.”

  Quell stops eating as he stares at his sister. “I’m sorry.”

  “Why?” She pops the st pie her mouth, chewiily. “That was a pliment.”

  “What did they give you to eat?” Quell asks. “Was it even enough?”

  Liz hesitates. I know that look. I’ve used it with my own little brother. She doesn’t want him to worry, but she doesn’t know what to say.

  “All this time, I’ve had a full stomach while you…” Quell looks down, blinking rapidly as he sets his meal asside. He shakes his head, swiping his sleeve at his cheek. “I was just so worried. I wasn’t sure if—I wanted you to be okay. I was so terrified you wouldn’t be okay—” His voice cracks.

  Liz jumps up and rushes to him, throwing her arms around her brother. Quell sobs, digging his hands into the clothes on her back, as if she’d dissolve into mist if he let her go.

  “Hush, now. Hush. I’m here.” Liz rocks him bad forth. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

  My throat tightens up, and I have to look away before it breaks down my walls. That’ll be me and álvaro, soon. It has to be. I meet Darian’s gaze as the siblings g to one another. She smiles sadly.

  “I think it’s time for everyoo get some sleep,” she says after a minute. Relutly, Quell releases his sister. “We’ve all had a long night. Tomorrow we evaluate our path forward. For now, it would be best for everyoo rest.”

  Quell nods, removing his gsses to wipe down his face. Everyoands, and Liz gives him o squeeze.

  “ up, little Quill,” she says. “It’s over. Tomorrow’s a new moon, and we’ll walk beh it together. Alright?”

  He forces a smile. “Yes. Of course. Thank you.”

  She fshes him a smile, theurns to Darian, looping an arm through hers as they head for her tent. Quell watches her go, shakes his head, and then turns for his own.

  Uhe cool relief of the vas, I nearly pass out as soon as I y down. Quell fusses with his bedroll, turning one way and theher. He finally ends up on his side that faces me. I don’t think he see me, in the dark, but his eyes are roaming in my dire, like he’s trying to think of something to say.

  I beat him to it. “So. Little Quill—”

  “Oh, shut up.” Quell rolls over, putting his bae, and I ugh. her of us say anything else as exhaustion quickly pulls us down into a soothing bck.