TWENTY-THREE
Mai jerked awake, convinced her hands were afire. A quick glance told her this was not the case. In fact, her hands were bound in bandages and she was lying in a bed that also wasn't burning.
She shouldn't be in bed. Yi had been.
But the bed beside her was empty.
Mai jumped to her feet. "Where is he?" she demanded.
A healer she didn't recognise hurried toward her, making hushing sounds. "Where is who?"
Mai pointed a shaking figure at the empty bed. "Prince Yi, the Prince of Swords. He was injured in the battle."
"The Prince of Swords, lie in a soot-smeared bed, beside a boy so covered in ash and cinders you look like one of the kitchen drudges?" The healer laughed. "The prince would not be in a tent with the common soldiers. He will be in his own tent, or with the G
