Chapter 4

After dawn, I followed Mother to the healing clinic.

Lina's hand had already been dressed, but Ryan was still at her bedside, holding her hand and refusing to let go.

He was my fiancé.

Seeing the blue ribbon at his waist, I reached to touch my own empty chest.

I'd given him that ribbon last year.

He said he'd always wear it. When I became commander, he'd pin the medal on me himself.

"Where's Eve?" he asked.

Mother sat down by the bed.

"Still sulking. You talk to her. She only listens to you."

Ryan picked up the messenger stone.

"Eve, come to the clinic immediately and apologize to Lina."

He waited a moment, and his voice turned colder.

"Now that you've got the commander's position, you think no one can control you anymore?"

Lina tugged at his hand.

"Forget it. Sis probably didn't mean it."

"The curse stone was on your nightstand, and you're still defending her?"

Ryan pressed the messenger stone again.

"I was going to give you the family gem after the investiture. Now it seems you don't deserve it at all."

"If you don't show up by tonight, the bonding ceremony is canceled."

The stone went dark.

I stood within arm's reach, watching him tuck the blanket tighter around Lina.

We hadn't bonded yet.

He couldn't feel my heartbeat. Couldn't feel that it had already stopped.

Before I went to the front, Ryan made me promise to come back alive.

"I'll be waiting at the city gate."

I did come back alive.

That day, only the adjutant was at the gate.

Ryan had sent word through him that Lina was having her first scale change, in too much pain to be left alone.

The flowers I brought back froze overnight on horseback. They shattered at a touch.

The healer came in to check Lina's hand.

"No damage to the bones. Just change the dressing tomorrow."

But Mother insisted on observing her for another half day.

Ryan immediately offered his own room.

"She can stay as long as she needs. I'll stay with her."

That "stay with her" lasted until evening.

My parents wanted to go home to get Lina's usual sleep stone. My brother got up to go with them.

I followed.

In the carriage, Mother rubbed her temples.

"If Ryan's bloodline were just a little better, he'd be perfect for Lina."

Father nodded.

"A pity."

"Not really," Mother said. "Let him marry Eve. He'll take care of Lina just the same. We're all family. No need to draw the lines so clearly."

My brother leaned against the carriage window and said nothing.

The keys at his waist swung with the movement, striking his sword again and again.

When we got home, Father opened the cabinet where the sleep stone was kept. It was empty.

"Get the spare from the basement. It's next to the medicine box."

My brother took out the key.

I looked at the clock in the living room.

It was less than a minute from when Lina had worn her crown the night before.

He finally stepped down the first stair.

"If she's still in there, I'll ask her how long she plans to hide after hurting someone."

Mother followed behind him.

"Stop indulging her."

I passed through the iron door first.

I was still in the same place.

The blood on my uniform had turned black. The commander's brooch I never got to wear was caught between my curled fingers.

Outside the door, my brother stopped.

"What's that smell?"

The key turned.

The runes on the anti-magic lock went dark. A full day's worth of blood and death spilled out.

Mother covered her nose.

"Is it a dead rat?"

My brother pushed the door open and raised the light stone.

The white light fell first on the black cloth on the floor, then on the footprints dragging toward the vent window.

Finally, it stopped on me.

The hand holding the key dropped.

"Eve...?"