Nymera’s POV
“Kaelith,” I whispered, shaking him. “Kaelith—wake up.”
His body was cold with sweat. The blood soaking through his tunic was fresh, scarlet, and mine. Not a weapon, not an enemy—me.
His eyes fluttered open, wild with confusion, then pain.
“I—it’s fine,” he rasped, trying to sit up. “You were dreaming.”
No. No.
I stared down at my hands, still stained.
“I hurt you.”
“It wasn’t you.”
I backed away. “Don’t protect me. I felt it. I felt the Spiral take over. I don’t remember touching you but—”
Kaelith pushed himself up, groaning, pressing a cloth to the wound near his ribs. “It was a scratch. You didn’t kill me.”
That wasn’t the comfort he thought it was.
“You need to stay away from me,” I whispered.
He laughed—raw, bitter. “You think distance is going to save us now
