Page 91 of Graevale

Niyx nodded. “Yep.”

“That issocool!” Alex said. “You have no idea how much I’ve been missing theValispath. It’ll be great to be able to get around easily again.”

“Speaking of getting around easily,” Niyx said, carefully transferring the puppy onto the bed so as to not wake her as he stood and moved closer to Alex. “Let’s get you all fixed up. My arm is killing me, and this headache isn’t much fun either.”

Alex grimaced in apology and when he reached for her hand, she allowed him to unwrap the bandage.

“Stars, kitten,” he breathed after seeing the damage for himself. “I told you not to touch the flames.”

Alex had to resist jerking her arm from his grip in irritation, knowing it would only cause her—and therefore, him—more pain. “I wasn’t exactly in a position to avoid them at the time.”

Niyx’s jaw hardened, but she knew his anger wasn’t directed at her. Gently releasing her hand, he sought out her hidden stash oflaendraand passed some over. While she chewed on the flower, he carefully smeared some of the nectar along her burn. The wound was so deep it nearly exposed the bone, but the miracle flower stitched her back together in seconds, taking away all evidence of her pain—everywhere.

Unable to hold back a moan of relief, Alex looked up at Niyx and whispered, “Thanks.”

“I wish I could have done more,” he said, shaking his head. “Aven had me in lockdown for most of the weekend, with constant meetings requiring my attention. Otherwise there’s no way I would have let you go off and do anything you’ve done this weekend on your own.”

“I wasn’t on my own,” Alex quietly said.

“You would have been less on your own if I’d been with you,” Niyx said. “Even just watching from afar.”

That, Alex couldn’t argue with.

“What did Aven want?” she asked as they both sat on her bed, careful not to disturb the puppy. “What were his meetings about?”

Niyx’s face shadowed and he turned away. “Nothing you need to worry about. Not yet.”

His answer alarmed her, as did his secrecy. “Niyx—”

“Please, kitten,” he said, sounding exhausted all of a sudden. “Tell me about you first. I want to know everything.”

Sensing his need for her to drop it, she did as he asked, but instead of telling him, she showed him, replaying the events in her mind.

“You held up better than I thought you would,” he said, referring to her fight with the Shadow Walkers. “Those who compete in the trials are highly skilled, and that’s without their travelling abilities. You should be proud of how long you lasted.”

“I need towin, Niyx,” she said, running a frustrated hand through her hair. “If I have another shot, I need to not just last, I need to come out the victor.”

He didn’t have anything to say to that. Mostly because there was nothing hecouldsay.

“I think I would have had a better chance if I hadn’t been so disoriented from that first hit,” Alex said, hoping she was right. “I was seeing stars for the rest of the round. Next time—if I get a next time—I’ll know to expect something underhanded like that and not allow myself to be handicapped from the get-go.”

“The more rounds they have, the more opponents enter the trial,” Niyx reminded her. “It won’t just be two against one if the elders let you fight again.”

Alex spread her hands in front of her. “I can’t give up hope. I have to at least try.”

He sighed loudly. “I know you do, you crazy human.”

He said it with clear affection, and that was the only reason why Alex didn’t elbow him for the insult it was.

“And hey,” he said with a one-shouldered shrug, “let’s look at the positives. Maybe you’ll pick up a few tricks you can use when you kill Aven. I’ve heard they can do this thing where…”

He kept talking, but Alex could no longer hear him. She raised a hand and, with wide eyes, interrupted to say, “When I kill Aven?”

Niyx broke off mid-sentence and peered at her curiously. “Uh, yeah, that’s what I said.”

“When I kill him?” she repeated again, just in case she’d heard wrong… twice.

“Ye-es,” Niyx said, drawing the word out and looking as if he was considering checking her temperature. “When you kill Aven.”

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