7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Malina
I was in a daze as I walked from Morah to the healers’ ward. I hardly had any recollection of getting there until Eamon and I stepped into a private room, and I saw Nikan. I had never seen someone bandaged like that before. We generally healed fast enough that it wasn’t required unless the wounds were severe and life-threatening.
It was the look he gave me that threatened to topple me over the edge again. A look of understanding. I wondered if he would ever look at me like he did before…
“Eamon,” Nikan greeted.
Eamon lowered his head in return.
“Mal,” Nikan said softly as I sat on the edge of the small bed and took his hand in mine. “You’re alright?”
I gave a shallow nod. “I should be asking you.”
His lips flattened, and he had a solemn look in his eyes. “I’ll be fine. I’m…healing.”
I looked to Eamon who gave me a nod, confirmation to discuss what we came here for. “But why is it so slow, Nik?”
He stared at me for a moment. “Close the door.”
Eamon walked over and did so, giving us privacy from the bustling in the main room of the ward, then sat in a chair against the cream-colored wall.
“The reason may have to do with Daegel,” Nikan started.
I stiffened at his name.
“On my way here from when we captured Vicria in Bhara, he took me. When he had me, he threatened your and Kya’s life.” He started removing the bandages around his torso, and I could see the dark color of the bruising beneath the fabric. “My attacks were pointless—he overpowered me easily. So, I began pleading. And ultimately, I… I made a deal with him.”
I felt the blood drain from my face at the same time he finished removing the wrappings across his chest, revealing a black spot in the center.
Just like Vicria’s.
My lips parted in a silent gasp.
It looked like an ink blot that spanned from one side of his chest to the other and from his collarbone to the top of his abdomen—a ghastly mark upon his dark skin. All of it was outlined in red, which was different from what I had seen before.
“What is that?” I asked with abhorrence, though I already knew.
“The deal,” he said plainly.
“He did this to you?” Eamon asked, rising from his chair and coming closer to inspect it.
Nikan blew out a breath. “Partly him. Partly me. It’s some kind of dark, magical bargain.”
“Nik… Vicria had this same mark. She made a deal with Daegel too. It killed her when she broke it. Do you know what that means?”
“I—” he started, but I didn’t let him finish .
“It means that whatever bargain you made your life depends on it now. If you break it, you’ll die. It’s not just a deal , it’s a curse.” My voice was growing louder, fear and anger taking over. All I could think about was if I lost him too, I’d truly be alone. “What was the deal?”
He held my stare—his eyes expressionless.
I stood abruptly, stepping closer to him and shouting, “What was the deal?
“The deal was that he spared your lives, and in return, I would help him find a diamond. Once he got it, I’d be released from the deal, and he wouldn’t kill either of you.”
“ The Diamond,” I corrected. I closed my eyes and sighed.
“Whatever. Either way, it doesn’t matter now. The—”
“It doesn’t matter?!” I couldn’t fathom that he was now bound to that fucking bastard and had done so willingly. “The Diamond was Kya. It’s what he called her. It’s what Vicria warned her about right before the curse killed her for breaking the deal. The same curse you have. You think it doesn’t matter? Of course it fucking matters.”
“If you would let me finish, I can explain why it doesn’t,” he said sternly, and I shut my mouth, crossing my arms over my chest. “See this line around the black?” He pointed to the red marking encircling the curse. “The healers didn’t know what it was and thought it was some kind of infection. They took red ink and marked the perimeter. But do you see how there’s a gap between it? It’s receding. And when it first appeared, it extended to my shoulders. The deal is disappearing. I’m guessing it has to do with his death, but I don’t exactly know how his magic works. Either way, from the rate it’s shrinking, the healers estimate it will be completely gone in a few days. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
“Why did you agree to help him in the first place?” I shook my head .
“Because, it was worth it to save you and Kya. I didn’t know she was the Diamond.”
“Except she died anyway…” I muttered, sitting back down on the bed.
We all remained silent. Neither of us had had time to grieve her death. And I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to feel it.
“Nikan,” Eamon broke the silence. I twisted the sheets between my fingers, staring down at the material. “Who is Daegel?”
Nikan explained to Eamon how it was discovered that Daegel was a dark wielder and the one responsible for the Glaev that had plagued the lands, finally confirming it was indeed not a disease but dark magic.
“He’s from another realm. He wanted Kya because of the power she possessed,” I said, recalling Vicria’s final words as she tried to warn Kya of her demise.
“Whatever that jade-colored magic was that she wielded, that’s the power he wanted? It ate away at the Glaev.” Nikan sat up more in the bed.
“I think so. Doesn’t matter now,” I sighed.
I met his eyes. “What happened to him?” Eamon asked.
“I killed him when I killed Kya.”
The room fell silent once again.
I stared down at my hands and resumed twisting the sheets. They conversed a bit more but I wasn’t paying attention. It was taking everything in me not to break. My throat was growing tight, and tears pricked at the back of my eyes.
Daegel.
That piece of shit… If it wasn’t for him, none of this would have happened. Not the loss of Kya, not the loss of my Nation, none of it. I was glad he was dead and I was glad I was the one to do it. That was the only good thing to come out of this entire fucked up situation. But Gods damn me if everything else didn’t tear me apart at my already fragile seams.
“So you’ll be okay?” I asked Nikan as I stood up.
“Yeah. I’ll be fine. They said I can go back to Morah tomorrow night.” His eyebrows pinched together.
“See you then,” I said shortly, then spun on my heel and quickly left, weaving my way through the people in the ward.
Not yet. Not here.
I needed to get out. I needed to breathe. But the moment I stepped outside, where I expected relief, people surrounded me and I felt even more unease. I didn’t want to be near anyone. I just wanted the pain to stop. I wanted to forget, just for a little while.
Fuck this, I need a drink.
I threw on my hood and shoved my way through the morning rush of residents and went to the nearest place that had something strong enough to give me what I wanted.
Erryn’s Lounge was a quiet place in the secondary ring usually frequented by residents of Ilrek—and not me. You could get a drink there, but it was more of a refined establishment than a bar. I generally preferred going to the taverns in the outer ring—the ones that were rowdy and filled with patrons from out of town only looking to loosen up and have a good time.
But those places weren’t open at this hour, and Erryn’s was closer.
I pressed the door open and quickly shut it behind me, resting my back against it to quiet the ringing in my ears. The oak tables were a rich brown, and the dark green walls created a welcoming and sophisticated atmosphere. There were only a few people inside near the front—a couple seated near the window talking over coffee, and some others standing at the counter ordering.
I made my way to the bar near the back. There was only one person there and he was near the end with a shoulder against the wall and a drink in his hand. I pulled out the chair and sat on the opposite end.
I only had to wait for a few minutes before I was greeted.
“Good morning.”
I looked over to see Erryn making his way over to me behind the counter. He recognized me once he got closer.
“Oh,” he stiffened slightly and looked me up and down. “What can I do for you, Roav?”
“I’m not a Roav today. I just need a drink. Strongest one you have,” I said quietly, fishing out coins from my pocket and handing them over. At least my status as a Roav would guarantee he wouldn’t deny me.
His lips thinned into a tight smile. “Rough night?” he asked nervously as he slid a drink to me a minute later.
I sighed heavily. “You could say that.”
I lowered my hood and stared blankly at the drink in my hands. He took the hint that I wasn’t interested in elaborating and walked away.
I stared at the gently moving liquid, praying what was in this cup would save me from my memories. I brought the rim to my lips, scenting the bitterness of the amber substance.
“I don’t want to remember.”
Well, I got what I asked for because I sure as shit didn’t remember a damn thing when I woke up to someone poking me in the shoulder.
“What?” I snapped. Or I tried to, but it came out more sluggish than I intended.
Fuck, I’m tired. And why is it so dark in here?
I lifted my head, peeling my face from where it was buried in the crook of my elbow.
Oh. That’s why.
Another poke.
This asshole has a death wish.
Prying my eyelids open, I squinted into the daylight.
Wait. Daylight? What in the After am I doing outside? And how is it the next day?
My vision was distorted. I blinked rapidly, clearing away the blur of the world. The sun’s early light was too bright for my liking, so I lifted a hand and shielded my eyes, wishing I could wield away the light of the sun. Nikan’s frame came into view.
“Shouldn’t you be healing in bed somewhere?” My words were slurred.
“Yes. But seeing as I heard you never made it back to your room, I had to come find you. Thankfully, I didn’t have to go far.”
I slowly sat up, wiping the drool off my chin and lifting my chest off the cold obsidian steps beneath me. I knew those steps. The entrance to Morah.
“When did I get here?” I asked, not necessarily to anyone.
“I don’t know. I just found you. Are you drunk?” He sounded somewhere between concerned and astonished.
“I was at one point,” I grumbled. “What time is it?”
Nikan extended a hand to help me stand. My legs wobbled, and everything began to spin. He grabbed my elbow, preventing me from toppling straight into the wall.
“It’s a little past dawn. Where have you been, Mal?”
I tried to think, but I honestly couldn’t remember anything past my second drink at Erryn’s. Yesterday . I must have had more than that, which was odd since he has a two-drink-per-day limit. He doesn’t like it when his patrons get sloppy. Perhaps he made an exception to the rule for once.
“I was at Erryn’s. I must have come here when he closed a few hours ago.”
Nikan started walking me back inside, holding me upright the entire time while I leaned on him.
Great. I’m the bitch using her injured brother as a crutch.
As we ascended the stairs, Nikan whispered, “What were you thinking drinking that much? I’ve seen you drunk before but never like this.”
And the overbearing attitude is back.
“I preferred you when you were unconscious. At least you didn’t nag me,” I said lazily.
“Mal—”
“Back off, Nik. I drank too much. So what? Just leave it. At least until I’ve slept it off,” I said with a snap as he guided me through my bedroom door.
Nikan sighed, “I just thought, with everything that’s happened…”
He steered me to my bed, and I flopped down on it, not bothering to remove my clothes or shoes. I was too tired. My eyes closed the moment my head hit the pillow.
“Just…be more careful next time. Okay? It’s just us now.”
“Mhm,” I hummed.
He said something else, but I was exhausted and didn’t catch it. Then I heard the soft click of the door just before sleep took me.
When I woke, I kept my eyes shut as I lay in bed. I could sense the afternoon light streaming in from the glass walls. I didn’t want to wake up. I wanted to remain in my dreamless—and for once, nightmare-less—sleep, where I didn’t think about what I had done or have to worry about dealing with the reality of Kya’s death. I didn’t want to wake up in a world without her in it.
I didn’t want to wake up and remember.
But I did. I remembered Kya’s last words to me. I remembered fighting to save Nikan, struggling for days as the Glaev between us slowly retreated. I remembered the look of acceptance in Kya’s eyes when she understood her fate.
I remembered everything. Well, almost everything. Just not most of yesterday. Whatever I had done worked exactly as I wanted—I forgot. I was numb.
I wanted that back.