By the time they reached the healer’s wing, Aria’s skin no longer looked like her own.
The cut along her arm had darkened to an ugly shade of violet-black, the discoloration spreading outward in thin, branching veins that crept beneath her skin like living cracks. Every few seconds her body jerked in small, involuntary spasms, as though something inside her was fighting to claw its way free.
The air in the chamber felt too tight, too hot. Bowls of crushed herbs, steaming infusions, and glowing salves covered every surface. Healers moved quickly, their hands stained with plant oils and dried blood, their expressions pulled thin with worry.
Nothing they tried worked.
Silver light from healing magic touched Aria’s wound and recoiled instantly, hissing like water thrown onto fire. Herbal c
