Dawn Study (Soulfinders #3)(132)

I mock-groaned. “A dozen babyguards? Don’t you start. I get enough of that overprotective nonsense from him.” I jabbed my thumb in Valek’s direction.

She gave me a smug Janco smile. “Too late.”

“Go.” I shooed her out the door.

Gerik shook our hands before following her.

After they left, I glanced at Valek. “What happened with the Commander?”

“I’ll tell you on the way.”

“To where?”

“To fetch Onyx.”

*

We set off that afternoon. Valek borrowed a horse from the council’s stables and I rode Kiki, who kept her gait as smooth as possible so I didn’t go into premature labor. During the two-day ride to the farm where Valek had left Onyx, he filled me in on his adventures in Ixia. When he told me about the Commander’s orders to execute him and still proceed with the invasion, I focused on the fact that Valek had survived and was with me. Otherwise, I’d plot a way to punch the Commander. Hard.

But then his next comment about being poisoned with the Harman sap turned my desire to punch the man into wanting to stab him.

“I hid the vial of my blood in Onyx’s saddle,” Valek said. “I’m...surprised that I’m anxious to find it. I never wished for magic, but once it was gone...”

“I understand completely.”

“I know, love. There’s still hope for you, as well.”

However, there was no guarantee for either of us. Valek finished his story, and I mulled over the Commander’s request to free his mother’s soul. “If I can, I’ll help him, but I can’t promise not to punch him afterward.”

Valek chuckled, but then he sobered. “If I do recover my magic, we shouldn’t tell the Commander.”

“He’ll eventually learn about it. Plus, then he won’t bother using the Harman sap on anyone.”

“That’s true. Of course, there’s always the chance he’ll find another way to neutralize magicians.”

“Or someone else might discover a way. There’s always going to be another problem to solve. We’ll just have to tackle it when the time comes.”

“We? I’m retired, love.”

I stared at him. “You’d let someone else solve the problem?”

“I already have. Onora has my job.”

“What about Sitia?”

“I’ll help for now, but Teegan, Reema, Zethan, Zohav, Heli and Fisk are all poised to take over, and I’ll be happy to let them.”

I wasn’t convinced that he could remain uninvolved. But only time would tell.

We retrieved Onyx, and Valek’s vial remained hidden in the saddle. Both of us relaxed. However, we waited until we returned to the Citadel to inject his blood back into his body. If I missed his vein, it would ruin Valek’s only chance to recover his magic.

When we arrived, we headed straight to the infirmary in the Council Hall. To our surprise and relief, Healer Hayes was back and helping at the Hall until the Keep was ready. Hayes instructed Valek to lie down on the bed while he filled a syringe with Valek’s blood.

“Why lie down?” Valek asked.

“Just in case you pass out. Unless you want to hit your head on the floor?”

“I’m not the fainting type,” Valek muttered, but he settled on the mattress.

“Have you been injected with your blood after losing your magic before?” Hayes asked, knowing full well Valek hadn’t. “I don’t know what’s going to happen.” He tied a band around Valek’s bicep, right below a cut that had been sealed but still remained bright red. Hayes traced his thumb over the injury, and Valek sucked in a quick breath. “This is getting infected. Do you want me to heal it now or after?”

“Later. If my magic returns, I’ll be able to heal myself.”

“That’s good to know. I can always use help in the infirmary.”

“Walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

“Yep.” Hayes pressed the needle into Valek’s arm and pushed the plunger. Red liquid disappeared into his vein.

I suppressed the impulse to hold his hand. The baby’s magic-sucking ability might interfere. Instead, I hovered nearby.

Valek stiffened. He squeezed his eyes shut as his fingers curled into fists.

“Talk to me,” Hayes said. “What’s going on?”

“It burns.” He arched his back. “Too hot...” A red flush swept over his pale skin, leaving beads of sweat in its wake. Valek jerked again. Then his head lolled back.

I dug my fingernails into the palms of my hands as I stood there, utterly useless. Glancing at Hayes’s calm expression didn’t help. “Is he all right?”

The Healer touched Valek’s neck. “The toxin in his body is fighting the clean blood. It has overwhelmed his system.”

“And that means?”

“He lost consciousness.”

I bit back a sarcastic reply about stating the obvious. Instead I asked, “Will he wake up?”

“I hope so. Time will tell.”

Must. Not. Strangle. Healer Hayes. Once I clamped down on my panic, I dragged a chair closer to Valek’s bed and sat down to wait. There was nothing else I could do. As I watched my husband thrash about as if in the grip of a fever, I alternated between sitting and standing. Each position eventually caused my lower back to ache.