The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch #2)(44)

“Has she shown you Prince Kance’s heartsglass yet?”

“No. Althy said to wait till you woke up.”

“Do you know where my brother is?”

It was the boy’s turn to wince. “I don’t know. I think he’s distancing himself from us because it’s disconcerting to look at him.”

“Let’s fix that.” I stood, and the world tilted. Likh grabbed me just in time. “Vertigo,” I panted. “A daeva’s mind isn’t the most relaxing place to be.”

“I didn’t know that was possible,” Likh said, wide eyed. “Linking with a daeva, I mean.”

“I don’t think it’s something most people want to try. Better than—”

Better than compelling someone you admire against their will, the rest of my mind supplied.

I stopped. Likh waited for me to finish, but I didn’t. Instead, I stood, balance somewhat restored, and headed toward the lake.

“Wait up!” I heard him call, the crackling of leaves following me, but I trudged on, lost in my own misery and angry at myself for feeling so miserable. After all, I owed Kalen nothing. He wasn’t a friend—he said as much. I’d saved his life. Surely that was a forgivable offense? There was no reason for my despondency.

I spotted someone bathing along the edges of the river. I was still sluggish, and as my mind told me this person was not riddled with wounds, not missing an arm, and therefore not my brother, Kalen reached for the clothes he’d left along the embankment.

I froze. So did he. I’d seen Kalen shirtless on the practice field, but I was too busy avoiding blows and his well-placed sarcasm to pay much notice. Now without any wooden swords in the way, I watched water drip down his muscled chest and felt ridiculous at how grateful I was that he had kept on his breeches. For a moment, I’d almost forgotten what I’d done to him. I tore away my gaze and raised my eyes to meet his cold brown ones.

There was no witty banter, no sardonic rebuttals. Kalen ignored my red face and walked in the opposite direction, taking the circuitous route back to camp without bothering to dry off.

“Is Kalen OK?” Likh asked from behind me, puzzled.

I had expected his reaction, but it did nothing to quell my guilt. “Not yet.” He didn’t even want to be a friend. But it hurt anyway, more than I wanted it to.

We found Fox staring out into the water. He’d taken off his shirt, having little of it left, and his whole body was riddled with deep wounds and pus. The splinters and arrows lodged in his body were gone, thankfully, but he had casually tucked his torn arm underneath the other like it wasn’t of any import. I remembered the last time we were here at the lake—fighting the azi, trying to seize control of it from Aenah. Fox had been injured then too, and he had saved my life.

What I didn’t expect was the Kion princess. She stood several feet from my brother, staring out into the lake like he was.

“Are you feeling better?” Fox asked me quietly, his gaze still fixed on the water’s surface.

“Much better. I need to fix you.”

“It can wait.” His voice was harsh. “You’re still worn out.”

I saw the princess grip her collar with one hand and tug at it, refusing to look his way. “You are literally holding what’s left of your arm in one hand,” she snapped. “I’m surprised maggots aren’t crawling over you.”

“I’ve been dead for nearly four years. If maggots haven’t found me appetizing all that time, I doubt they’d start now.”

“I have to agree with the princess,” I said rather crabbily, not in the mood to mediate. “I can rest later. You, on the other hand, can’t afford to go anywhere looking like this.”

Fox didn’t look happy but remained still while I cut my finger and let the Bloodletting strands wash over him. It was a disconcerting sight, seeing the bones knit together and the flesh reform itself. Those wounds closed to become scars, thinning out and disappearing. His arm reattached itself to his elbow, sinews twisting and muscles distorting.

Likh was white but held on to his breakfast this time. Princess Inessa abandoned her pretense at ignoring him and watched. Her eyes traveled down his body before returning to the three large scars on his chest, the only part of him my magic couldn’t cure.

Fox flexed his arm. “Almost as good as new,” he reported.

“‘Almost’?”

My brother finally smiled, and it was like the sun breaking out from behind a dark cloud. “Just a little spongy around the edges.”

I took pity on Likh, who was making small choking sounds. “I don’t think we should linger at Strypnyk for too long. When we can leave, Likh?”

The boy bobbed his head, relieved. “I’ll ask Althy.”

I turned back to Fox, but some of the levity had disappeared. The princess continued to stare at him until he spoke. “Am I done repulsing you, Princess?”

Inwardly, I groaned. “Your Highness, it might be best if you started preparing as well.”

The princess nodded but looked back at Fox again. “If I’d found you repulsive,” she said quietly, “I would have left the day I learned you were a familiar. Will you accompany me, Lady Tea?”

“As you wish, Your Highness.” I felt a brief start of surprise from Fox’s end, immediately stamped down.