Page 82 of Hearts on Fire

I watched him closely, afraid that if I moved my eyes away even for a second, he might disappear.

Who could tell me what would happen now? How long could he exist when one of his ancestors died, breaking the chain that created him? How much time would it take? Would devastation have to work through centuries of generations to get to Elex? Would he disappear suddenly—I’d blink, and he’d be gone? Would he drop dead to the floor? Would he deteriorate gradually over time?

The more I thought about it, the more I felt like screaming.

“I need no reward,” the hag said, “other than what you’ve already given to me, my king. But I need my things. Send one of your lads to fetch my basket from my cell in the dungeon.”

Elex sent one of his men, who had gathered around us. The man was Gabrik. He’d questioned Elex back in the Desolate Peak but had proven smart and resourceful during the storming of the castle.

“How about thebiqirellecrystals?” Elex gestured up at the shimmering cascade of crystals suspended under the ceiling. “Do you want to use them?”

“Would you waste their rare magic on a lowlysalamandra?” The hag sounded shocked.

“That’s their purpose, is it not? To heal people. Not to serve as trinkets for a vain king.” He unfurled his wings, then flew up and started ripping the crystals from the ceiling by the armful.

The healer woman sat on the royal perch next to Isar. She took the crystals that Elex handed to her and started sorting them in her lap.

“It’s been a very, very long time since I touched them last,” she murmured, reverently stroking the iridescent facets of each piece.

Gabrik returned with her basket and set it down at her feet. She took out a cloth and a couple of jars to tend to Isar’s wounds.

“My lady.” Gabrik stepped closer to me. “Our men found a woman chained in a room below.”

“Where? In the dungeon?” I imagined there would be more prisoners locked down there. We’d have to question and most likely release them all. King Edkhar’s and Elex’s definition of crime differed vastly.

“No. They say she’s in a room next to the kitchen.”

“Thesalamandras’bedroom?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged apologetically. Gabrik wouldn’t know about thesalamandrasof the Sanctuary and where they stayed.

I turned on my heel. “I have to see her.”

“Amber? Where are you going?” Elex frowned, taking a step my way.

“I need to go down to the floor with the kitchen. They say there’s a woman locked—”

“I’ll come with you.” He made a move to leave, but the hag stopped him.

“Sire, I’ll need four more of these ones.” She held up a milky white hexagon. “Then, maybe you could lend me some of the Dakath magic to help connect them better over this woman’s wounds.”

Maek, another one of Elex’s men, marched in at that moment.

“My lord. We caught seven of King Edkhar’s men on the outer wall. What do you want us to do with them?”

“Were they on their way in or out of the palace?” Elex asked.

“Two were sneaking out. Five were trying to get in.”

Elex rubbed his eyes. The day was ending soon, and there was so much to do still.

I touched his hand. “I’ll be fine, Elex. I’ll go see the woman and be right back.”

He caught my hand in his, squeezing it tightly. I needed the reassurance of his touch, too, as proof that he was still here, with me.

“Promise you’ll be here when I return,” I whispered only for him to hear.

Of course, he couldn’t promise me that. Instead, he brought my hand to his lips and placed a tender kiss on my palm.