Rane woke the next day with a burning in his throat. It took him a few moments of staring at the ceiling to realise he’d woken up.

“My head…” he grumbled to himself. He rolled in bed and was greeted by a new wave of nausea. Just how much had he drunk? He spared a glance at Loric who was laying on the bed face down. Was he alive still? “I thought only humans slept.” Rane shoved him to the side with his foot. “Move, you fossil.”

Loric mumbled something in Lanarish, but didn’t budge.

Well, at least he lived. Maybe not with his mental faculties intact, but he lived. “Don’t you have soldiers to train?”

“Aaaahh!” Loric made a sound between a woman giving birth and a bear caught in a trap. He shot up and looked at the sun outside, all colour draining from his face. The bed nearly tilted over as he reached under it for his weapon, before hurriedly patting down his beard and running outside.

Rane chuckled. After so many years alone and without responsibility, it was natural that Loric would forget at times. The soldiers found him eccentric, from what he’d heard, but none doubted his skills or teaching methods. After having experienced them both first hand, Rane would have to agree. He was glad that the man had found a new purpose. Ellin had been right, in a sense. The journey did him good.

Though now it was his turn to get up and go about his day, and the prospect seemed tiring. He stood and lost balance, grabbing onto the desk behind him for support. He’d never had so much alcohol before, so he didn’t know what to expect. A few uneven steps got him to the bathroom. Good so far.

He washed his face with cold water, and when that didn’t work, plunged his entire head into the bucket. This morning, he’d run double the usual distance. It was bad enough that he’d gotten carried away. There was no excuse to miss his training as well. During the months he’d spent with Loric, honing his body had turned into a habit. Now that they’d met again, the habit returned as well. Perhaps it was because he finally felt safe enough to roam outside.

Danira’s mornings had a mellow warmth to them. The streets felt empty today, both of soldiers and of ashfen. Even around the infirmary, the groans of the ill had diminished. Seoltrin hadn’t managed to find a cure, but his contribution was starting to show. The doctors, nurses, and all those that tended to the ill could finally breathe a sigh of relief. That included Rane. It was the sole reason he could get drunk without guilt. But his duty wasn’t over yet. He panted and slowly came to a halt outside the infirmary. Blake was waiting for him outside.

“Did he kick you out?” Rane asked, resting with his palms against his knees.

“How’d you know?” Blake sighed.

“I’ve spent enough time around Seoltrin to know his quirks.” Rane righted himself and opened the door to the infirmary. Liera was still on the top floor, since it’d be dangerous to even move her for now.

“Well, shouldn’t we wait then?” Blake asked. “Until he’s done?”

“It should be fine.” Rane smiled. “He wants to get on my good side.”

Blake raised his eyebrows as they climbed the stairs. “Sometimes you scare me, little brother.”

“Wait.” Rane’s face dropped. “I’m the youngest?”

“Liera beat you by seven minutes, yes.” Blake laughed. “Dad once told me that she kicked and wiggled like mad when the midwife delivered you two, almost like she was trying to come out first.” The smile left his face as he looked down the long corridor, toward her bed. “It’s exactly like her.”

Rane placed a hand on Blake’s shoulder. “I’d ask you what she’s like, but I know I don’t have to. She will be back with us soon.”

Blake gave him a bitter smile and nodded. He hastened on his way a little as they got close, crossing the curtain around her bed.

Rane followed in right after him and almost bumped his head against a metal rod hanging from the ceiling. Seoltrin was still leaning over Liera, leaving only his hunched back and bald head visible. It was obvious he’d been hard at work. Hundreds of tiny metal hooks, rings, tubes and screws were either on Liera’s body or hovering around her, ready to be used. They were strangely translucent, letting Rane see Liera’s wounds through them, where they held her skin open. Seoltrin was working on one such wound close to her abdomen.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Leave,” he growled without turning.

“But I want to observe your methods,” Rane said.

Seoltrin glanced behind him with raised eyebrows, adjusting his small circular glasses. The black circles under his eyes were prominent. “I’m almost done for the day, but you can watch.” He turned back around and continued, carefully cutting part of what Rane assumed was her liver, before mending it once more with his magic. “This is why salve should only be applied to superficial wounds,” Seoltrin mumbled under his breath. “It reached all the way to her damaged organs and put them back together wrong. Potent, that thing, but it lacks grace. Thankfully, I got to most of it before serious damage.”

“Most of it?” Blake asked, obviously worried.

“Sometimes I wish I was born an ashfen or a Lanar.” Seoltrin sighed. “Then I wouldn’t have to waste time sleeping, and you wouldn’t have to ask me that.” He finished stitching together part of her skin and huffed, running a hand over his head. “I am doing my best, but the road to her recovery is long and arduous. In saving her, you caused some serious damage.”

Rane bit his lip. “Did you manage to figure out why she’s not waking up?”

“No,” Seoltrin said, wiping the blood from his hands. “Asah was smart enough to stay away from her head when hurting her so there was no damage to the brain. I’m guessing it might be oxygen deprivation during your intervention, but I can’t know for sure yet.”

“Thank you for this.” Rane lowered his head. “Really. Thank you.”

“Huh?” Seoltrin raised an eyebrow, deepening the wrinkles on his forehead. “Do you need a head check up too? I’m just doing my job. No gratitude required.” He lifted himself off the tiny stool with difficulty, grimacing as he did, then laid down onto the empty bed next to Liera’s. Not five seconds later, he started snoring.

Blake raised both eyebrows. “Did he just…”

“Well, Seoltrin’s rather old. He doesn’t have the energy he used to,” Rane said, then waited a little. “Okay, he’s definitely asleep. No way he’d let that slide if he heard it.”

“Energetic or not, he’s working miracles.” Blake held Liera’s arm and stroked her forehead with his thumb. “In my panic and fear, I never realised how pale she’d gotten. Look at her now though. She seems almost peaceful.”

Rane looked at his sister’s face and took in her features. Instead of the rush he felt when seeing Blake for the first time, there was only a knot forming in his stomach. “I didn’t recognise her.”

“You couldn’t have,” Blake said. “I struggled to do so myself with those injuries.” He fell silent for a few moments, holding onto Liera’s arm a little tighter. “We’ve been dealt a horrible hand, Rane. You’ve heard, haven’t you?”

Rane sat beside him. “The war?”

“Andren war. Fought for glory, vanity and religion. The world’s gone unhinged, Rane. Not just them, but Silyra as well.” Blake rubbed his eyes with his palms. “Everyone wants us to fight, but I’ve seen their technology first hand. Their weapons.” He shook his head. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“I used to think the same,” Rane said. “But now that I found you, now that I have a family, I can understand. It’s like the fear of death slowly snuck inside my heart and took hold, growing with every loving and caring word I’ve shared.” Rane chuckled. “It’s ironic. When I was alone, I had little to lose, but still didn’t want to fight. I just didn’t see rhyme or reason to it. But now… Now that I’m terrified of death and the consequences that the future may bring, I know why we must fight.” He placed a hand on Blake’s shoulder. "At least now, we can weather it together.”

Blake remained silent, looking down at the floor between his hands. “Thank you,” he said under his breath, half smiling. “You sounded like Liera. Well, except much more tactful and kind than she would have been.”

“Hey!” Rane threw him a soft jab. “Don’t badmouth my sister. When she wakes up, I’m telling her.”

“I wouldn’t hear the end of it.” Blake chuckled, before his smile faded. “I feel guilty, you know? I gave dad an earful about leaving her, and here I am about to do the same. Bit hypocritical, don’t you think?”

“What would she think?” Rane asked. “Should you stay sleepless and anxious by her side when she’s already safe and in good hands, or go be with Sasha?”

“I guess she’d tell me to enjoy my time with her. Confessing to Sasha was one of the few decisions I made that Liera agreed with.”

“Mhm,” Rane smiled at him playfully. “Well, you two seem made for each other. Why else would you call her the love of your life?”

“Wha–” Blake blushed, looking a little shocked. “How do you remember that? Weren’t you blackout drunk?”

Rane tapped his forehead and winked at him. “I’m done losing memories.”

“You’re unbelievable,” Blake chuckled. “It feels nice to have you around again.”

“I’ll try to be around as much as I can, then,” Rane said and stood. “Though for now, we need to get ready for the trip back. And perhaps after our business at the palace is concluded and you’ve settled in your new home, I could come around for dinner.”

“We’d be glad to have you.” Blake hugged him unexpectedly.

“Thank you.” Rane smiled and relished the moment for a little while. It felt good to be back. “We should go,” he said, patting Blake’s back and distancing himself. “Poor Seoltrin deserves some peaceful sleep. Besides, we can’t keep a king waiting too long.”