Page 122 of Reaper’s Curse

“I healed eight”―she tipped her head―“plus Winter.” Her gaze drifted to the side. “The first one, Winter, when…” She paused, then sighed. “Earl today, and six others that day in the warehouse.”

Holy reaping hell.

My heart snagged on a beat. No wonder she was in such a state.

But, by the gods, she had healed eight or nine afflicted! She was…

I had no words to describe what she was, for none were magnificent enough nor strong enough to define her.

And yet, unholy god of death, she was going to kill herself. That’s why the Killian hunted her. I needed to get Raven back within the safety of the palace walls. But not in this depleted state.

Armed with this new knowledge, I trusted Winter even less than I had before. I would have to see her health returned, not Winter.

“Ace?” Aoes and Earl stood in the doorway. “Is there anything we can do?”

I waved them away, not turning my gaze from my bold Black Bird for an instant. She stared back, a sea of unspoken words in her gaze. She shuddered. A millisecond later, her entire body shivered.

I rubbed her arms through the blanket. “Cold?”

“Little bit.” Her teeth chattered before settling.

I shifted my weight, then paused. “Permission to warm you with my body heat?”

Her eyes blinked wide, and my gaze captured a world of ethereal wonder within the depths of her irises. Then she nodded, and her eyelids slid closed, robbing me of further exploration.

Uncurling beside her, my heart swelling with the permission granted, I fit my body to hers in near perfect form…at least, by my assessment. Wanting to provide her with as much warmth as possible, I draped an arm over her, curled my leg atop hers, and pressed my forehead, my nose, to her temple and cheek.

Her heart hammered wildly in her chest, and I feared her body labored too hard in her feeble condition. But her breathing fell into a calm and steady rhythm, so I closed my eyes and held her.

“Help is coming,” I promised. “The young healer girl, Kira, is coming here to help.”

“Kira,” Raven murmured. “She helped me before when…”

I skated my nose gently along her jawline. “When?”

“Her sister is afflicted,” she said, clearly changing the subject. “I could heal her.”

“No, beautiful Black Bird.”

Raven inhaled sharply, and my eyes popped open, studied her. Her eyes remained closed, but her heart rate elevated.

“You’ve done enough,” I placated. “You don’t need to heal anymore.”

“But I want to.”

Admirable. Beautiful and admirable. And so devilishly bold.

“I won’t see you harmed. I want you safe, with me.”

Raven didn’t counter, and I didn’t push. I held her close as we slipped into a comfortable silence and simply existed. Waited on a child whom I prayed brought Raven’s restoration.

“I leave you alone for a handful of minutes, and you crawl into bed with her.”

Winter’s voice was a claw down my spine.

With a quick shift and twist, careful not to disturb Raven, I climbed off the bed and stalked toward the door. “Shut up. Did you bring⁠—”

Kira stepped around the corner, coming into view. Her afflicted twin slid into the room behind her.