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Chapter 12

Nika fought against the tug of the th of their call She didn’t want to be with theht She wanted to be with Madoc, in her real body, and revel in the fearlessness surrounding him

When she was close to hithened her with his presence

But he didn’t want to be with her He’d made that clear when he’d left her while she slept He’d left and he hadn’t cohtened her She needed hi her apart while she slept Why didn’t he understand that?

Andra ca sweater over her head The sweats she’d borrowed fro low on her bony hips and pooled around her ankles, but they helped keep her war inside Dabyr

She was feeling stronger--hungry for the first time in what felt like years She’d already had three meals since she’d woken, but was ready for another

"It’s ti for you"

Nika had only regained consciousness for a handful of hours, but since then, seven Theronai had come to see her To touch her

She tried not to be afraid, but without Madoc here, it wasn’t easy to fight off the pain and panic of soto let them touch me," she told her sister "It hurts" The blisters from the last batch still hadn’t healed

Andra’s htened "I know it does, but it’s the only way to be sure They’re good men, Nika They don’t mean to hurt you In fact, one of them may be able to help you"

"I don’t want their help" They weren’t Madoc

Andra looked down fro Nika that look of desperate concern she’d coht years "I know, but there’s no other way"

"Please, don’tinto her stoht Nika couldn’t stand the hands of thefrom her, and she felt their desperation sink into her h of her ain, and then all theseto take a little piece of her aith them

They left her with slivers of their need and pain, shoved the them out

Andra sat down on the bed next to Nika and took her hand Andra’s fingers were long and strong and capable, unlike Nika’s bony, weak fingers

She wanted solike Andra To knoas real and asn’t To be able to stay inside heracross space into bloodthirsty er kneho she was

Andra stroked the back of her hand in a soothing circle "I hate doing this to you, baby I really do, but Tynan is convinced that the best thing for you is to find your Theronai Once you do, he can help you heal"

"Madoc is helping," said Nika

Andra’s jaw tightened "I know He’s been out killing off sgath right and left and that’s great, but it’s not enough"

"How do you know?"

Andra looked away, toward the door like she wished she could escape Her eyes darkened until they were the same rich sapphire color as the luceria around her neck

Nika’s hand went to her own throat, which was bare and bony, and she felt a sense of loss

"Madoc has checked and double-checked You’re not compatible," said Andra

"How can he be sure?" she asked

"Believe me, baby It’s what he wants, too All of the men want you to be the one who can save them, but it just isn’t meant to be"

Nika refused to believe her "If Madoc isn’t meant to be mine, then why am I drawn to him? Why is he the only person besides you who makes me feel safe?"

Andra stroked Nika’s hair back frolittered in her eyes "It’s a trick of your mind, baby Like all the others"

"And the blisters? Are they a trick of my mind, too?"

"I don’t know Maybe But I don’t want you to worry We’ll find the one who can help you"

Nika wasn’t so sure She was broken She ic

And if that man wasn’t Madoc, she didn’t even want to try

"I’ll be right there with you," said Andra "There are only two "

"I don’t want to," said Nika She sounded like a willful child, but she didn’t care She was tired of doing things she didn’t like Tired of having no choices Everyone told her what to do She was alh to make her own decisions

"We can wait until tomorrow if you want They won’t like it, but they’ll wait for you I’ll tell theh to see them"