Page 110 of Poisoned Kingdom
‘Monster!’ the healer howled, startling me. ‘You’re a godsdamned monster!’
The power I’d used for this miracle slipped from my control. The dwarf’s hand tightened into a fist, the three perfectly formed wooden fingers moving in unison.
I didn’t have time to admire my work. Tova’s eyes flew open, and he screamed my name. His dark pupils held an ocean of suffering, but when I tried to withdraw my aether, I couldn’t. Panic flooded my mind as the power grew angrier, unwilling to return to me. Untamed and restless, it sought a new target.
‘Sana, stop! Please stop!’ Tova shouted, pulling his hand away, tearing the connection between us.
I tried, but I couldn’t. The precarious control I’d had over my magic was gone, and I became the tool of my power rather than its master.
‘Get him away from me,’ I hissed through clenched teeth, unable to look at Reynard, begging fate for him to understand.
I cried in relief when Tova was dragged away, and I watched helplessly as the table came to life, growing new branches, each one reaching for Reynard and his burden. I now understood why Ciesko wouldn’t teach me vivamancy, why the healer called me a monster. I didn’t wield the power of creation; it wieldedme. Itwas as if the aether possessed my mind, and it wanted to change, to transform, to shape life into countless fresh forms.
I was helpless to stop it.
‘Leave! I can’t control it . . .’ I muttered, bent over the table, coughing up blood while I desperately attempted to restrain the flow of power. Pressure built in my head as blood dripped from my nose, staining the wood. My knees buckled, and I would have crumbled to the floor if Reynard hadn’t caught me, hissing when the emerald magic reached for him.
‘Don’t touch me!’ I screamed, afraid of what it would do to him, but he didn’t let go.
‘Tell me what to do! How can I help you? I’m not leaving you, Viper. Not even your power can cast me out.’ He grasped my chin, forcing me to look at him, but all I could see was his eye glowing gold with wild magic.
The berserker took the reins. I looked into the soul of a beast, knowing he stood with me against this monstrous force, but in my attempt to save Tova, I’d doomed us all.
‘I don’t know . . .’ My throat was so tight that even those words barely escaped. I used all my energy to stop the magic from reaching for him, directing it inwards.
Let it be me. If you need to tear something apart, let it be me. Don’t hurt him, please,I cried, bargaining with a force I didn’t understand.
A crash shook the room, the door bouncing off its hinges as Irsha stormed in, roaring my name like a raging bull, his face still marked with traces of my sleeping powder. He looked me in the eye, shock twisting his face into a terrifying mask as he rushed towards me.
Reynard shouted a warning, but Irsha was faster. Before the king could stop him, Irsha grasped my neck with well-aimed pressure, and I fell into a welcome oblivion.
Chapter 39
Roksana
‘You’re a healer. Why aren’t you more concerned about your patient? It’s been two days, and she hasn’t woken up.’ Irsha’s voice broke through the fog enveloping my mind.
‘She’s no patient of mine. I refuse to have anything to do with such an abomination. The only reason you’re alive is because that . . . thatthingused up all her aether. The gods know what else she would’ve done. You saw what happened to the dwarf—what kind of degenerate king would allow her to live?’
‘Clearly a wise one, you prejudiced bastard. If you weren’t the only healer in this fucking town I’d snap your neck for those words.’ Irsha was seething. I heard his steps as he moved, whichsurprised me into opening my eyes. ‘Guards! Take this fool and lock him up, then report him to the king. This fucker wants to murder the king’s woman!’
‘Your king can’t silence me! I’ve already reported it to the arch healer and the Council of Mages. She needs to be detained, not coddled and cared for.’ The healer’s high-pitched screeching made me wince and motivated me to sit up.
‘Oh, shut up, you idiot,’ I groaned.
Sitting up proved harder than I expected, but I wanted to be ready in case someone followed the illustrious healer’s advice.
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake.’ The unmistakableswishof a thrown dagger fused with a pained squeal before a large, calloused hand landed on my forehead. ‘Lie down, trouble. Anything I can get you?’ Irsha’s voice made me smile, and I turned my head to look at my friend. He was sporting an impressive black eye that hadn’t been there when I’d left him snoring on the bed.
‘What happened to you? Where’s Tova?’ I asked.
‘Your bloody king happened. The arsehole thought I was killing you, and before I knew it, he’d punched me in the face so hard I hit the wall and didn’t get back up. And Tova’s on his third breakfast right now—three fucking chickens back-to-back and a dozen scrambled eggs to go with it. If we stay here any longer, I worry for this town’s winter supplies.’
‘So, he’s fine, then.’ I sighed with relief, briefly closing my eyes. My misadventure with vivamancy might have been a catastrophe, but as long as Tova was alive, I didn’t care. I would deal with the consequences as they came—and judging by the healer’s reaction, they would come sooner rather than later. If the other mages reacted like him, then Ciesko’s prediction of being locked up in the Court of Aether’s dungeon might come true.
‘Fine?’ Irsha said. ‘Damn dwarf’s more than fine. Looks like your magic didn’t just bring him back to life but gave him theenergy of three men. He hasn’t slept, is constantly eating, and thoroughly enjoying his new hand.’
‘Well, you can’t say I do things half-arsed.’ I chuckled as my friend fluffed my pillows. ‘Irsha, I’m . . . I’m sorry I drugged you, but you know better than to try to stop me.’
