Page 105 of Of Flame and Fury

They were symptoms.

PART FOUR

With talons so fierce, Deja clutched him tight

Spurning Ryker’s end by a kraken’s bite

She called a rebirth, sharing her god fire

And so became ash, reborn from the pyre

A harrowing end for any but lore

Deja chose to save the bravest of Four

With magic she swore, Ryker would live on

Their tale immortalized here in this song

VERSES 7–8,“THEGILDEDLULLABY”

FORTY-FIVE

Awild, painful laugh burst through Kel. “You think I have AB? That’s ridiculous.”

“You’ve barely slept since we left Fieror,” Dira said quietly. “You’ve always had a temper—but the past weeks have been different. There’s this rage in you that I’ve never seen before.”

Kel’s mouth dried. It was true—over the last two months, a new kind of fire had entered Kel’s veins. Though it had sparked at strange times, she’d welcomed it. It had helped her learn what she needed to try to save Savita.

“AB patients’ symptoms flare up around each other,” Dira pressed. “That would explain why you don’t remember Estra.”

Kel’s memory whirled back to the mother and son they’d seen on the train, struck down by AB. Although AB wasn’t contagious, it was strange to see two sick people near one another. Symptoms flared up when victims were in close proximity, like adding gasoline to a flame.

“This isn’t real,” Kel said, desperately trying to stop the shaking in her hands. “This has to be a dream. None of you would ever be this cruel.” She choked back a sob.

“Kel,” Dira merely said, voice trembling.

In that moment, when Kel saw a gleaming wetness in her friend’s brown eyes, Dira’s words hit her. Kel hadneverseen her best friend cry.

Kel looked down to her shaking hands. She scoured her mind, searching for any grains, any moments, that proved that they were lying.

Kel could only think of how little she’d slept since leaving Fieror. The strange, itching paranoia that blazed through her and flared without warning. The sudden anger. Even the trembling that had stopped her from grabbing Cristo’s fountain pen.

The memories that escaped her.

Kel was flung back to the lecture hall, beside Cristo. Back to the last words he’d said to her.

Move her to the hospital wing. Make sure she’s as comfortable as possible.

Even he’d known.

Kel resisted the urge to look at Coup. She thought of what she and Coup had said to each other, just minutes ago. Plans of returning to Fieror. Plans for a future.

Kel forced a deep breath. “Okay, so I have… AB. This doesn’t change anything.”

Anger and fear tried to swell in her chest, tried to drown her. She shoved it all down. She buried it all alongside her father and Oska and her mother’s postcards. She focused instead on Savita, flaming and everlasting, and her chest eased, ever so slightly. She didn’t have the energy—or the time—to worry about herselfandSavita.

Dira made an incredulous sound. Seconds later, the guard peeked his head through the door. “Time’s up. Rahn, Canen needs you.”

---