Page 56 of Shardless

Synna,

If you could, would you please look into acquiring the following texts at the Ebondrift market? Talya has recently taken ill, and it is of the upmost importance. I will double your usual fees if you can deliver them within the next two days. Triple if you can have them here before morning.

-A Guide to Human Infectious Diseases

-Human Cancers: The Complete Works of Doctor Webster Emdee

-Ten Signs Your Human Has Cancer: The Newer More Complete Works of Doctor Webster Emdee

-Extending Human Lifespans: A Best Practice Guide to the Care and Feeding of Mortals

-Rebellious Mortals and How to Tame Them: A Guide to Harmonious Living

“Look up.”

Taly sighed and tilted her head back as Aiden gently probed at her neck with his fingertips. She sat at the end of her bed, her bare feet swaying back and forth as the healer examined her.

“No more swelling,” Aiden mumbled to himself. He was dressed casually this morning, choosing to forgo his usual waistcoat in favor of a plain linen shirt. He rolled up his shirtsleeves, revealing three parallel lines that had been inscribed on the underside of his forearm.

“When did you complete the third seal?” Taly asked, eyeing the tattooed lines. Green for earth magic.

“Hmm?” Aiden looked up distractedly before grabbing her wrist and feeling for her pulse. “Oh… a few months ago. The Crystal Guard won’t accept anyone that hasn’t completed at least three levels of training in their school of magic. Now, hold out your arms.”

Taly held her arms out, tensing when Aiden pressed down with his palms to test the muscles in her back and shoulders. She had been through this same routine twice a day since she was able to sit up on her own. “I want out of this bed, Aiden. It’s been 18 days now. 18 days since I’ve been allowedoutside this room. And granted, I was unconscious for eight of them, but still… I’m losing my mind!”

“I know,” Aiden replied tiredly. “You’ve told me. Many times.” He hesitated, glancing at the door nervously. “And if it were just me,” he added in a low whisper, “I would take you off bedrest. But you know what Sarina will say to that.”

Taly shuddered. Since mortals were far more susceptible to injury and disease than the fey, Sarina had always gone just a little too far whenever Taly got sick. Needless to say, the incident with the harpy had driven the overprotective woman over the edge.

“Sarina’s been a little…overbearingthe past few days. Still, if you—thehealer—tell her I’m better, she can’t argue with that.”

“Really?” Aiden asked, his face the picture of skepticism. “You’ve met Sarina, right? She’s the one that literally dragged you back to bed just this morning when you tried to go downstairs for breakfast.”

Taly picked at the delicate strip of blue satin binding the sleeve of her tunic as she remembered the early morning encounter. She had little doubt that the traders in Ryme had no problem hearing Sarina’s screams that morning when she discovered Taly out of bed.

Rolling back the cuffs of Taly’s leggings, Aiden gently rotated her ankles. “Do you still have any pain in your joints?”

“Nope.”

“Good,” he said with a nod. “I don’t know if you know this, but Sarina’s bought three new books on human diseases since you first fell ill. She made me readallof them.”

Aiden reached for her arm, waving his handand revealing the glowing threads of healing magic crisscrossing her skin. When he pushed back the sleeve of her shirt, he frowned as he ran a finger over a dark, purple welt. A smattering of bruises peppered her arm, and if she were to remove the pale lavender tunic she currently wore, she knew the welts would extend all the way to her shoulder. Her body had healed at a remarkable pace under Aiden’s care, but not all of her injuries from her encounter with the harpy had completely disappeared.

“Sarina’s convinced herself that your extreme reaction to the harpy venom, the initial difficulty we had getting you to gain weight, and these bruises mean that you’ve caught some mortal disease called cancer,” Aiden went on. “Now she thinks that we need to keep you in bed until she can bring in a special healer from Faro.”

“That’s absolutely ridiculous,” Taly replied, pressing her lips into a thin line. “Mortals don’tcatchcancer. And even if they did, I’m pretty sure harpies wouldn’t have anything to do with it.”

“I’ve tried telling her that, but she won’t listen. She insists it’s cancer.” Aiden stood to his full height and massaged the back of his neck. “How are the premonitions? Better? Worse?”

“Better and worse,” Taly replied with a shrug. “The premonitions are popping up more often, but I’m having an easier time making them go away now.”

Aiden nodded. “That means you’re starting to gain some control over your magic, so I’ll take that as good news. For what it’s worth, I still think we should tell the others about your…condition. I can’t begin to stress how much easier that would make these next few months. Hell, Ivain andSarina’s older sister was a time mage—they might be able to give you some rudimentary training.”

“For the last time, my answer is no,” Taly replied firmly. “I don’t want to tell them. Our deal was that if I stayed here, you’d keep your mouth shut. I held up my end, Aiden, so don’t go getting any ideas.”

Aiden gave her a pointed look but held up a hand in surrender. “Okay,” he conceded with a weary sigh. “I still think you’re being a stubborn idiot, but okay. For now, I’m going to keep you on the faeflower until the bruises on your arm go away. Other than that, I don’t see any reason to keep you on bedrest.” Taly squealed excitedly but quieted when Aiden held up a hand. “Sarina’s not going to feel the same way, but I’ll let you handle that problem on your own.”

“That’s bullshit, Aiden! She’ll just think I’m lying to get out of bed.You’rethe healer.Youhave to tell her.”

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