CHAPTER 26
AVA’S POV
The journey back to the palace was a haze of rain, pain, and Draken’s arms locked around me like iron bands. I drifted in and out of consciousness on horseback, my cheek pressed against his bare chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart while mine fluttered like a trapped bird in a cage. Every jolt sent fresh fire racing up my arm from the bite. It didn’t feel like a normal wound. It burned deeper, hotter, like something alive was crawling under my skin.
By the time we reached the royal healers’ wing, I was shivering despite the blankets thrown over me. The room smelled of herbs, smoldering sage, and something sharper, almost metallic. Two older women in dark robes with their hair tight back moved quickly around me, their faces tight with worry as they cle
