Chapter Fifty-Six

C HAPTER F IFTY-SIX

The doors to the barracks infirmary swing wide open as we carry Idris into one of the bays. He lets out a pained cry and writhes as we carefully lay him down and examine the area where the bite has begun to spread.

‘What happened?’ Lorcan bursts into the infirmary, taking in the agonising sight before him.

Darius says something to him, yet I tune everything out, focusing solely on my brother. Gasping for breath, his complexion is drained, his face covered in perspiration as he desperately reaches towards me, my brothers and even Darius. ‘Nara,’ he gasps, and I hold on to his hand.

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ I whisper, my heart trembling with fear as I steal a glance at Iker and Illias across from me, their composure barely intact.

‘There’s nothing you could have done.’ There is a hint of sorrow in his tone, but I shake my head, refusing to believe it.

‘No, I could have done something. I still can.’

Freya runs towards us from the entrance, and Link and Rydan trail behind. When Freya sees the bite has become worse, with the dark venom filling Idris’s veins, she can’t help but stifle a gasp with her hand.

No, no, no.

‘If we can just delay it,’ I say, ‘I can find something, we—we can search for a cure. There has to be one. There’s always been a cure for everything.’

Darius locks eyes with me, his gaze filled with urgency as he bites his wrist, drawing out blood. I watch him lean over my brother, ready to give it to him, but Lorcan pushes his way through and stops Darius before a drop can get past my brother’s lips.

‘It won’t work,’ he says, his hand trying to seize Idris’s arm.

Iker shoves him, causing him to stumble back into Rydan. ‘Don’t touch him!’

Lorcan’s eyes shift towards mine apologetically, like he knows I will be the one to understand. Except this isn’t the same as what happened with Erion, and there’s no time to waste if I am to save my brother.

I reach out my hand, gently extending it towards Idris’s chest. His breaths come in heavy, ragged waves as I close my eyes, feeling my power ripple through me and onto my brother.

Please, please, please—

Idris takes hold of my hand and I gasp as I open my eyes and look down at his face.

As he shakes his head, dark, crawling veins start to appear on his neck. ‘Just stop,’ he rasps.

Iker and Illias lower themselves to their knees. ‘Come on, brother, we need to try,’ Illias urges with a nod, but all Idris manages to do is tell us ‘ No .’

‘Idris,’ I say. He looks at me, and it takes all of my strength not to break. ‘Don’t try to be stubborn now; that is my thing.’ I chuckle softly and sink on my knees to the same level as my brother.

He smiles. It’s such a rare sight on him, but right now I want his smiles, his frowns, his lectures, and everything in between. ‘You got it from me.’

‘I got a lot from you,’ I tell him, my voice steady despite the tremor of emotions threatening to break free from my throat.

My brothers stare at me and then at Idris. Illias is already crying, and I don’t know why because everything will be fine.

‘Do you . . .’ Idris winces and I thread my fingers through his, trying to soothe him and take all that pain away. ‘Do you remember the day I tried to make your favourite pie?’

I give a subtle nod. ‘Yes,’ I say, smiling. ‘You almost burned our cottage down.’

‘I still remember Iker covered in strawberries while I was trying to distract you from coming into the kitchen.’ Illias chuckles.

Idris’s laugh is weak. ‘It was a disaster,’ he admits, and Iker can’t help but crack a smile. ‘One I’ll never forget.’

‘I couldn’t get the scent out for weeks,’ Iker quips, playing along as his gaze softens.

The memory dances vividly inside the depths of my mind. I can still recall the frantic yells and clashes of pans and dishes while a young me wondered what was happening. It is such a simple story, but for Idris, it means everything.

His grip on my hand tightens, and there is this heartfelt promise in his eyes. A love that gradually fades away as our connection weakens. His breathing soon ceases, yet the glistening tears in his eyes cascade down his face, freezing time altogether.

‘Idris?’ His name is a whisper on my lips as a profound silence now deafens the room.

Illias weeps softly while Iker’s once smile shatters into a thousand pieces with the kind of grief that knows no consolation. He looks frozen in place, and as I look up at Freya, she shakes her head and starts to sob.

No.

‘Get up,’ I order, my lips tightening as I glance back down at Idris. He doesn’t move. ‘Idris . . .’

Nothing.

I bite my cheek, drawing blood. ‘Idris, get up, come on.’ I shake him forcefully, but he is just so still, so . . . motionless.

Get up.

Get up.

Get up.

My words come out angrier each time.

He just needs to wake up. That is all. Once he wakes up, everything will be back to normal.

‘Nara,’ Darius murmurs softly, and I realise he is now behind me, his hand on my shoulder. He doesn’t try to pry me away from my brother; he simply lets me know he is here and that he won’t leave me unless I want him to.

But why would I tell him to leave?

Idris is just resting. He’ll wake up soon.

‘He is okay,’ I whisper, smiling as tears blur my vision. ‘Just get Leira and Aelle in here.’

‘Nara, no.’ Iker’s voice breaks, and my gaze snaps towards him. He is crying unabashed, and it is the most I have ever seen him cry in so long. Not since our father’s death.

I shake my head and look down at Idris. His face is even paler now, all that golden colour consumed by a shifter’s bite. ‘Get up, Idris,’ I say to him and only him.

He never answers me.

My lips wobble and I whisper, ‘Please?’ I can taste the salty tears as they slide down my face. ‘You made a promise to Father that you were always going to look after me, so fulfil it. Get up and tell me we will work this out. Argue with me, tell me how annoying I am, just do something!’

From the corner of the room, Freya’s sobs turn into devastating whimpers. I cast a desperate glance in her direction, begging for her help, but she breaks down and turns to Rydan, who wraps his arms around her in consolation.

I feel the tears streaming down my face, hot and relentless as they carve paths down my cheeks that sting. ‘Get up!’ I yell again, my voice raw and commanding.

Hands reach out to pick me up, but I push them away, not realising it is Link until I look. ‘No!’ I cry and he clutches his chest in sorrow. ‘He is going to wake up.’

I glance around at everyone else. Lorcan can barely look me in the eye, while my brothers just hold on to Idris.

‘Nara,’ Rydan says, still holding Freya in his arms. ‘I think we should—’

‘He’s not dead!’ I shout, but that isn’t what Rydan was going to say. It is almost as if I needed to say it out loud to deceive myself. ‘He—’ I stare at them all like a mad woman. ‘He—’

I crack.

As soon as my gaze lands on Darius and he looks at me with that twisted anguish in his eyes, my soul ruptures and I let out a wailing scream.

I scream and cry and shout for my brother to come back.

‘Don’t leave me,’ I sob, my chest aching with grief. ‘ Please— ’

Darius then grabs at me, pulling me into a tight embrace despite me now hitting and scratching at him to let go.

He lets me do it even as exhaustion consumes me, and I bawl into his arms. He holds on to me, rocking us back and forth on our knees. I don’t know how much time passes, but soon enough, I order everyone to leave, except for Iker and Illias. And for the rest of the night, I remain by Idris’s side, my cheek lying on his chest as I sing our childhood lullaby.