Bennett I stayed back in the room, despite the healer’s assurances that the moon goddess had heard my prayers and that I should leave everything to him. I didn’t stay back because I didn’t want to leave. I remained in the room because I couldn’t leave. I was still sitting on the chair, but I’d adjusted it away from the bed where the guard was lying, staring at him as my consistent, unbroken gaze would somehow bring the man back to life. My lips moved, and words spilt out of my mouth, even when I wasn’t paying attention to what I was saying anymore. I wanted the boy to live. He had to. He can’t die. The healer was sitting before him, pouring something out from a small bottle and rubbing it together on his palm, then he applied it to the man’s neck. His hands glowed faintly as he w

