โI havenโt forgotten what you did when we were children,โ Ezra said, her chest rising and falling rapidly. โWhen that ugly cat of yoursโโ
โHis name was Butters,โ I cut in. โAnd he wasnโt ugly.โ
Her brows lifted. โHe looked like he crawled out of the depths of the Shadowlands.โ
โThere is no need to disparage Buttersโ memory like that. He was justโฆโ The tabby cat formed in my mind, complete with a half missing ear and patchy fur. โHe was just different.โ
โDifferent or not, you broughtย Buttersย back to life when he got into that poison. You touched him, and that cat sprang to life.โ
โOnly to die less than an hour later.โ
โBut that wasnโt because of you,โ Ezra reminded me. โHis second death had nothing to do with that.โ
But hadnโt it?
I tried not to think of that night, of whatโd happened when Tavius had gone to my mother to tell her what heโd seen me do. The Queen had promptly lost her ever-loving mind. Granted, I was sure discovering that your child had brought life back to a dead barn cat would be quite unsettling, but enough that she had ordered the cat to be captured andโฆ?
Squeezing my eyes shut, I reopened them as Ezra said, โYou can help her.โ
I slowly shook my head. Marisol had always been kind to me. She was a good person. โButters was a catโโ
โHave you done it since?โ Ezra challenged. โHave you given life back to some poor creature since then? Iโm sure you have, so donโt lie. Youโve always had a soft spot for animals. Thereโs no way you havenโt.โ
I thought of the kiyou wolf.
โHave you tried it on a person?โ Ezra asked.
Immediately, Odetta replaced the wolf. That was what Iโd been about to do when she opened her eyes, but Iโd been panicked then. I hadnโt been
thinking. I was thinking now.
โEzraโฆโ I loathed the mere idea of refusing her. She was family. The real kind that went beyond shared parents and even blood. On more than one occasion, sheโd been there to shield me from Taviusโs barbed remarks when Iโd been the Maiden and couldnโt talk back. It was always Ezra who stayed close to my side during the rare moments when we all gatheredโ like last nightโso I didnโt look as awkward as I felt. She saw me as someone and not aย thing. But bringing back a dead person?
โI havenโt tried it with a mortal,โ I said.
โBut you can at least try now, Sera. Please? There is no harm in trying,โ she said. โIf it doesnโt work, then I knowโฆIโll at least know we tried everything. And if it does? You will have used this gift you have to help someone deserving.โ She carefully dabbed at the blood on Marisolโs neck. โAnd if it works, Iโll make sure she doesnโt realize how injured she was. No one but you and I have to know the truth.โ
Pressure clamped down on my chest as I stared at Marisol. The chalky gray pallor of death hadnโt yet set in. The animals Iโd brought back had all been normal afterward, living until fate or old age took them once more. But people had to be different.
โPlease,โ Ezra begged, and my heart squeezed. โPlease help Mari. I canโtโฆ You donโt understand.โ Her voice cracked as she focused on Mari. โI just canโt lose her.โ
The breath I drew hitched in my throat as I glanced between them. Things began to fall into place. The two had been close, from childhood and into adulthood. Marisol remained unmarried, and Ezra had shown no interest beyond courtesy in any of the numerous suitors whoโd called upon her. I thought I mightโve just figured out why.
โDo you love her, Ezra?โ I whispered.
My stepsisterโs gaze lifted to mine, but there was no hesitation. โYes. I love her very much.โ
Love.
I wondered what it felt like to care for someone so deeply and completely that you would be willing to do anything for them. Iโd barely felt anything beyond passing curiosity and lust, and the gods knew Iโd tried to feel moreโto want more and seize it. But nothing like that had ever sparked for those I met in the Garden District.
I had no idea how it felt to have that kind of love inside you. Was it as exhilarating as I believed it to be, or was it terrifying? Both? I knew it had to be miraculous. And I knew I couldnโt let Ezra lose that.
Cursing under my breath, I leaned forward. โI have no idea if this will work.โ
โI know.โ Her eyes met mine. โI wouldnโt ask this of you, butโโ
โYou love her, and you would do anything for her.โ I knelt before Marisolโs legs, unable to believe that I was actually doing this.
โYes,โ she rasped.
I reached out, placing my hand on Marisolโs. Her skin already felt different due to the lack of pumping blood. I ignored the feeling as I curled my fingers around hers and did what Iโd done before. It required no real concentration or technique. Warmth poured into my hands, causing them to tingle. Moving my eyes to Mariโs face, I simplyย wishedย that she was alive.
But there was no sign of life from Marisol.
I stretched up, placing my other hand on her cheek.ย Live. She should live. Like Ezra, she was actually helping the people of Lasania. She was good.ย Live.
Something happened then as another firework exploded in the distance.
With my touch.
I gasped. Or maybe it was Ezra. It couldโve been both of us at the sight of the faint whitish glow seeping out fromย underย my skin and along the edges of my fingers.
โI donโt remember that happening with Butters,โ Ezra whispered.
โItโฆit didnโt.โ I watched with wide eyes as the silvery glow throbbed, sluicing over Marisolโs skin. The lightโฆit was eather. The thing that had to fuel my gift. I had just never seen it coming from me before.
But still, nothing happened.
Sorrow for Ezra and Marisol started to creep into me, and the warmth dimmed in my hands, along with the faint radiance. โIโm sorry, Ezra, but
โโ
Marisolโs fingers twitched against mine. Then her hand jerked. Her entire arm spasmed.
โIt worked,โ Ezra uttered hoarsely and then said louder, โDid it work?โ
My gaze shot back to Marisolโs face. I swore the warm undertones had already returned to her skin, but it was hard to tell in the lamplight. I didnโt
dare speak, and in the farthest corners of my mind, I thought of the seamstress. What if she came back like that?
I probably shouldโve thought of that beforehand.
Marisolโs eyelashes fluttered as her chest rose in a deep, sucking breath that ended in a hacking cough that rattled her entire body. I saw her teeth then. No fangs, thank the gods.
Itโd worked.
Good gods, itโd actually worked.
Letting go of her fingers, I leaned back as I looked down at my hands. I lost my balance, falling onto my butt as Ezra clasped Marisolโs shoulder.
Itโdย worked.
A sudden breath of cold air touched the damp skin of my neck, causing my head to jerk up. A shiver crawled its way down my spine. I slipped my hand under my hair and clasped the back of my neck, feeling nothing but skin.
โTake a couple of deep breaths.โ Ezra glanced at me, eyes shining before she shifted her focus back to Marisol. โHow do you feel?โ
โA little woozy. My head aches like itโs been trampled by horses.โ Marisol frowned, turning toward Ezra. โBut, otherwise, I feel fine. A bit confused, but didโฆdid we retrieve the girl? Is she okayโ?โ
Ezra clasped Marisolโs cheeks and kissed her, silencing whatever she was about to say. And it was no friendly peck.
I guessed that cleared up any doubts about their relationship I mightโve had because it was the kind of kiss Iโd read about in those booksโthe kind I had shared with Ash.
When they parted, there was a dazed sort of smile on Marisolโs face. โI have aโฆa strange feeling that I mightโve done something incredibly unwise.โ
Ezra laughed hoarsely. โYou? Do something unwise? Not this time.โ She smoothed her thumbs over Marisolโs cheeks. โYou were knocked aside. You hit your head.โ
โI did?โ She pressed a palm to her temple. โI donโt even remember falling.โ She lowered her hand. โSera?โ A slight frown pinched her brow. โWhat are you doing here?โ
โEzra thought you died,โ I said. โSo, she brought you here so I could help bury you.โ
โWhat?โ she mumbled, looking at Ezra.
My stepsister laughed, idly rubbing Marisolโs palm between hers. โSheโs being silly. I was bringing you to the family Healer when I ran into her. Right, Sera?โ
โRight.โ My hands were trembling, so I hid them under my legs. โBut youโre okay, so I should go.โ
โOkay.โ Marisol smiled faintly at me. โThank you for not burying me alive.โ
I blinked as I rose to my feet. โYouโre welcome.โ
โYou look nice, by the way,โ Marisol said, looking up at me. โBeautiful, really. The surcoat. The color suits you.โ
โThank you,โ I whispered, having forgotten that I had changed into that earlier. Turning, I dipped out the door of the carriage as white fireworks exploded.
Ezra followed in the flashes of the light. โIโll be right back.โ
โNot planning to go anywhere.โ Marisol leaned back as she looked down at herself. โGods, Iโm filthy. What did I hit my head on? A pile of mudโฆ?โ
I hopped down and walked a few feet before stopping, the hem of the surcoat swishing around my knees. A jittery sort of warm energy filled me as Ezra stepped out, closing the door behind her.
โI really didnโt think it would work,โ I began.
Crossing the distance between us, Ezra went to touch me but halted. โI want to hug you, but the bloodโit will ruin your surcoat.โ That was a sentence I never expected to hear from Ezra. โAnd it really is flattering on you.โ She took a deep gulp of air. โThank you. Gods, Sera, thank you. I donโt know how I can ever repay you.โ
โYou donโt need to repay meโwell, you could by ensuring that she never finds out the truth.โ I had no idea what Marisol would think if she knew. Would she be grateful? Or would she be confused? Scared, even? Angry?
โI will make sure she never knows,โ she swore, and a moment passed. โYou have no idea, do you?โ
โNo idea about what?โ
โThat what you just did is nothing short of a blessing.โ She appeared as if she wished to shake me. โYouโreย a blessing, Sera. No matter what anyone says or believes, you are a blessing. You always have been. You need to know that.โ
Feeling my cheeks warm, I started messing with the buttons on the lightweight coat. โMy hands are special sometimes. Thatโs all.โ
โItโs not your hands. Itโs not even your gift, and that is what it is. A gift.
Not a failure. Youโre not a failure.โ
I drew in a shuddering breath that did nothing to ease the sudden burn in the back of my throat. I kept toying with the button. What she saidโฆ
I didnโt think she could understand how much those words meant to me. And I didnโt think I could acknowledge it because doing so meant acknowledging how much all the other wordsย hurt.
โSera,โ Ezra whispered.
I cleared my throat. โYou should probably get her checked out by the Healer. Maybe not tonight,โ I said, quickly changing the subject. โIn case there are still some signs of how serious her injury was. But she should be looked over.โ
โIโll make sure she is.โ
I nodded and then peeked up at her. โDoes your father or the Queen know about her? About you two?โ
Ezra coughed out a laugh. โAbsolutely not. If they did, the wedding would be planned before there was even an engagement.โ
My lips twitched as I unfolded my arms. โAnd would that be so bad?
You love her.โ
โAnd IโฆI think she loves me.โ She dipped her chin, a half-grin forming. โBut itโs still new. I mean, weโve known each other our entire lives, but itโs not like either of us knew what we meant to each other the whole time. Or, at least, realized it. I donโt want the Crown involving themselves in it.โ
โThatโs understandable.โ I rubbed the back of my neck. โYou should get back in there.โ
โI will.โ She hesitated. โWhy donโt you join us? While weโre getting cleaned up, I can have food sent to my chambers.โ
โThanks, but I think Iโm going to head to bed soon.โ I saw her throat work on a swallow. โYou should get back in there with Marisol.โ
Nodding, she started to turn but then stopped. She crossed the short distance between us and folded her arms around me.
I stiffened at first, shocked. She was touching me. She wasย huggingย me, and I didnโt know how to respond to that for several seconds. My senses were overloaded as I lifted my arms and wrapped them around her,
returning the gesture stiffly. The hug felt awkward and strangeโฆbut then it felt like somethingย wonderful.
Ezra embraced meโsqueezed me tightlyโand then let go. โI love you, Sera.โ
Overwhelmed, I watched her step back and smile shakily. I stood there as she turned and made her way back to the carriage. I didnโt breathe until she was inside.
I swallowed thickly, briefly closing my eyes. โI love you, too,โ I whispered.
Turning slowly, I hurried across the courtyard, away from my stepsister and the carriageโaway from the first time someone hadย huggedย me. And away from the cold kiss I felt against the nape of my neck, the dread that was steadily replacing all that warmth, settling like a stone in the center of my chest and warning me that I had crossed a line.
I had done as Odetta had warned. Played like a Primal.