Page 57 of War Mage

“Not long,” he says. “A few hours at most, though you were deeply unconscious. I feared . . . I feared that you wouldn’t wake.”

“My head is still killing me,” I admit, dull pain throbbing in my skull. I’m almost certainly going to have a bruise on the back of my head and on my cheek where the demon backhanded me.

I feel, rather than see, Urim getting closer in the darkness. His hands come up to my face and gently pry my eyelid open further. A lumen crystal suddenly lights in front of my face, making me cringe back from the sudden change in brightness, but Urim holds me fast in place. “Your pupils are still too big. You need more healing potion.”

“Morehealing potion?” I ask. “We’re in a safe place then?”

“We’re at Tevin’s in the Fabric District,” the orc tells me evenly. “I carried you here from the alley. He had a potion that I fed you while you were unconscious. Probably why you were able to regain consciousness so quickly.”

“Were we noticed?” I ask, worried. An orc carrying an unconscious woman through the streets would be a sight that people would remember if questioned.

“There weren't many on the streets. Grazrath’s rule against gathering, remember? And I stayed in the alleys as much as I could and we weren’t followed,” Urim reassures me. “We should be safe for now.”

“Any news from the palace?” I ask. “Did Malik kill Grazrath?”

“No news yet,” the orc says. “But don’t worry about that now. You require more healing before you lose consciousness again.”

Urim taps the lumen crystal with his thumb, plunging us into darkness once more.

“I want the light on,” I complain.

“Light is bad for a cerebral commotion,” he tells me firmly. “You can have light after you’ve had another healing draught and your eyes are back to normal. Until then, darkness will help your brain heal.”

Urim gets up and leaves the room, closing the door carefully behind him. I hear his voice from the other side of the door and a different male’s voice responding to him, but I can’t make out specific words. Not knowing what else to do, I sit in the darkness, too afraid to lay back down, since Urim said not to fall back asleep.

I think back to the throne room, my attack on Grazrath. I did it, I actually did it. I hit Grazrath with my soulfire and transformed part of his body to human-like. Vulnerable. Whatever happens from now on is out of my hands. I did my part and now the Mage’s Tower will be freed. I should be happy at the thought, and I am, but something about it feels hollow.

The door to the room opens again, but I can’t see who is entering.

“Urim?” I ask into the darkness.

“It’s me,” he confirms. “Tevin was able to procure another potion, but he won’t be able to get another without raising eyebrows, so let’s hope a second one is all we need.”

I hear the sound of a cork being pulled off of a vial and then feel the gentle brush of Urim’s hands over my lips before the cool glass of a potion is pressed to them. I obediently gulp down the draught, even though it is somehow both bitter and cloying.Too much honey put in to disguise the medicine,I decide.

The throbbing of my skull quiets almost immediately as I finish the last drop. I sigh in relief as the pain recedes and my thoughts clear.

“How are you feeling?” Urim asks, sounding calm and emotionless as always, but I can feel his worry in the bond and know that he truly wishes to know the answer.

Warmed by his concern, I say, “Better. The pain has lessened by quite a bit.”

“Let’s check your pupil's response again, then,” he says, and, without waiting for my reply, I find the lumen crystal shining in my eyes once more.”

“Ugh,” I wince and he pulls the lumen crystal further away so that it isn’t right in my eye anymore.

“Your pupil is reactive now,” he says evenly, but I feel that he is pleased. “You should be able to sleep now without worrying about not waking up again.”

“Well, that’s good news,” I say wryly. His bedside manner could use some work. But it is true that I am still tired after everything that has happened and now that we are safe, rest is the smart thing to do.

I lay back in bed and Urim douses the lumen crystal again, leaving us in darkness.

“Will you sit with me?” I ask. “Just until I fall asleep. I’ll feel safer with you here.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Adara,” he replies gravely. “You are safe with me. Trust me.”

And the strange thing is, I do trust him. After everything, I trust him with my life and, maybe, even my heart.

It is the last thought I have before falling asleep.

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