Erador stared at the ram’s mask in the case. It was here, clean, and undisturbed the same as before. He couldn’t admit to himself that man wearing the ram’s mask last night was a vision. No one would believe that he saw it, not when it was here. He didn’t notice the footsteps coming into the room.

  “Pia’s awake,” Aminria said.

  Erador didn’t acknowledge her.

  She looked from the mask to him. “Are you coming?” Aminria shifted when he didn’t answer. “Is something wrong?”

  Erador broke away from the mask and said nothing as he walked past her. She followed him to the infirmary. Erador peeked through the cracked door. Yuni sat on a stool beside the bed and Pia weakly held her hand. He gripped onto his anger to refrain himself from bursting inside, even when Shade told him to.

  Aminria brushed past Erador and turned around crossing him again. Her fingers were tangled in her hair. Her anxious movements mimicked how he felt on the inside, but he just stood still staring at the wall. All he could think about was Breck dying in his arms. Pia hadn’t learned he was dead. Sescina said the cause wasn’t definitive, until she exhumed his body.

  Gillian aimlessly brushed her fingers down her short hair as she walked toward them.

  Aminria rolled her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to see Pia.”

  “Yuni is with her.” Erador felt the annoyance build inside him but his feelings turned to guilt once he saw Gillian's worried face.

  “Don’t you have blood to get?” Aminria said in a cocky tone. “You should be working on a plan.”

  Gillian narrowed her eyes. “That’s none of your business!”

  Erador blinked at her sharp tone. Aminria went quiet. His gaze trailed to the binding running under Gillian’s left sleeve.

  “What’s that?” Erador asked.

  Gillian hid her wrist behind her back. “It’s... nothing.”

  “Show me it.”

  Erador cornered Gillian and snatched her hand. She struggled, and he tightened, digging his fingers into her arm and pinning her to the wall. He ripped up her sleeve and yanked off the binding. Four pink scars ran across her arm. It was too light to be a lurker scar and Gillian wasn’t anywhere near the size of the person at Haven’s village, but he still wasn't ruling out that it could've been the Raven.

  “How did you get this?”

  Gillian lowered her head. “An animal.”

  Aminria scoffed. “Careless as usual.”

  Gillian quickly covered the scar, resealing the cloth with a pin.

  Erador felt guilty for forcing her to show him, especially in front of Aminria. “I’m sorry.”

  Gillian looked surprised by his apology.

  Criticism was a constant problem she faced and it’s probably why he hardly saw her. The people would mock her for not defending herself, while Erador’s scars made him appear more dangerous. He wished he could hide them like her. He had no reason to be proud of them.

  The door opened and Yuni stood in the doorway. Her worried face morphed to her cold stare. She left down the hall and Aminria slipped through the door slightly ajar. Erador reached to push the door open more when a hand snatched his arm. Gillian looked into the room and back at him.

  Her voice lowered to a whisper, ”I don't think it's a good idea to take her brooch.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  “Erador,” Aminria said with impatience.

  He went inside wondering what Gillian meant, but forgot when Pia gave him a weak smile. His chest swelled with relief. Erador moved to the bedside and sat on the stool. Aminria and Gillian stood at the foot of the bed. Pia’s face regained some color. She wore fresh clothing with her black hair draping past her shoulders. It was the second time he recalled her wearing it down.

  “How are you feeling?” Erador asked.

  Pia touched her stomach. “I’m a bit nauseous.”

  She smiled at Gillian who returned it, but Aminria offered no greeting. Shade swirled atop the bed with excitment, and Pia let out a chuckle.

  “I’m glad you’re awake,” Erador said weakly. “Do you need anything?”

  “Water, please.”

  Erador lifted the pitcher and froze when he noticed a mammoth card underneath. Without saying anything, he poured the water in a glass and handed it to her.

  With a shaking hand, Pia sipped. “Why did I get sick?”

  Erador set down the pitcher and stared at the card again. “The berries.”

  Pia blinked. “What berries?”

  “The red ones you ate yesterday.” Erador sat closer. “You don’t remember?”

  She shook her head.

  “Breck gave them to you,” Aminria said. “And now he’s dead.”

  Erador whipped his head toward her. “Was that necessary?”

  Aminria shrugged. “She was going to learn sooner or later.”

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  Pia’s gasping cry unsettled Erador’s stomach. Her hand shook the cup as water splashed onto her lap. Erador took the glass and set it down. This was the last thing she needed during her recovery.

  “I’m sorry, Pia.”

  Erador went to take her hand, when she threw her arms around him. Trembles ran through her weak body as tears wet his shoulder. He closed his eyes, the pain of her cries seeping into him. He didn’t look when he heard Aminria leaving the room.

  “What happened?” Pia gasped and wiped her eyes.

  Erador let go. “We think he picked red berries without realizing they were poisonous. He must have eaten too many.” He shifted on his creaky stool, recalling the deep stab wound but he didn’t want to worry Pia. It seemed the berries were an accident, but Breck’s death wasn’t. He was killed, but why?

  “Try not to worry.”

  “It wasn’t Yuni.” Pia grabbed his arm. “Don’t hurt her, please. So many like her have been killed enough.”

  “You mean witches?”

  Pia shook her head and coaxed him closer. “Remember those documents I saw. They did things to them.”

  “To who?”

  “The creatures. They hide to stay safe.”

  He searched her gaze. “How do you know Yuni is this?”

  “It’s the addictions and the green fire. In the documents… they called it a separated element.”

  Erador wanted to blame it on the berries she ate, but her words sounded honest. When he looked at Gillian, she didn't seem surprised as if she heard it before.

  “Why does she wear it?”

  Pia didn’t respond. When Erador reached to touch her arm, she pushed him away harder than he expected. She grabbed the glass of water and took a large gulp. Spilling liquid onto her lap. Erador grabbed her hand to steady it.

  Pia shoved him off and slammed her glass on the end table shattering it.

  “Easy,” Erador said, as glass fell on his boots. Other shards laid on the floor but they were thicker than the cup and darker in color. He picked one up and held it to the light; it was a dull dark green.

  “What’s wrong?” Gillian said.

  He opened his lips to respond, but Gillian focused on Pia. His gaze shifted past the shard to Pia hunching over, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Erador touched her shoulder as her body shook. A screech erupted from her throat that shivered Erador’s spine. Aminria rushed into the room.

  “Get Sescina!” Erador said, trying to hold Pia still as she shook violently.

  Aminria ran out as Pia threw him off and flung her hand at the end table. The pitcher shattered onto the floor. She clung to the edge, grabbed a piece of glass and tightened her grip. The sharp edges cut into her flesh and blood streamed down her hand.

  Erador tried to snatch her arm but she swiped the glass at his neck and he barely dodged, falling over the stool onto his back.

  Pia lunged at him and he held her back, the shard inches from his neck. It was like bells went off in his head as Shade panicked in circles. Blood streaked across the whites of her eyes as she stared at him with a lust to kill. Her teeth grinned as the shard pressed to his flesh. Before it could dig in, it crumbled to pieces on his chest and he looked back at Gillian who raised a squeezed fist. He had no time to thank her.

  Erador kicked Pia off and scrambled to his feet and held his arm out to protect Gillian. Shade slipped between them and Pia and stayed there, ready to pull her through to buy them time to flee.

  Sescina charged in. “Restrain her!”

  She climbed on the bed and grabbed Pia’s arms and ripped her onto the mattress. She pinned her down while Erador snatched her ankles to still her, but she kicked and struggled. Through Pia’s tangled hair, blood leaked from her nose and eyes, that were coated in deep red. His hairs rose as she scraped her teeth.

  “What’s wrong with her?” Erador shouted over Pia’s screams.

  “I don't know!” Sescina flipped the hair from Pia’s face and felt her forehead. “She’s burning up. This isn’t my field. Gillian, get me something to bind her.”

  Gillian ran out the door.

  “What do you mean it's not your field?” Erador said.

  Sescina didn't answer him. She focused on keeping Pia still in the bed. It was magic and she didn’t want to admit it to fuel his suspicions. Yuni must’ve done something to her.

  After minutes, Gillian returned with the rope. With much effort, Erador helped flip Pia onto her stomach and held her as Sescina tied the rope around her wrists and ankles. Erador let go as Pia screamed and rolled.

  “Get her to Loma,” Sescina said.

  “Loma?”

  “Don’t ask questions. Go!”

  Erador hoisted Pia over his shoulder. She was light but not easy to carry as she wiggled and kicked. He ran out the manor and into the streets. Gillian followed, helping him keep Pia still but her feet dug into his ribs. She shrieked, but he ignored that it reminded him of a lurker. He was thankful it was too dark for anyone to see.

  He reached Loma’s and busted into the house. Cade sat in the armchair playing a game of Warden Tower by himself. He got up and Erador dropped Pia on the sofa. Erador panted as Loma rushed from her room in a nightgown. Her lips parted as she watched Pia who shrieked and jerked violently, her veiny eyes bulging.

  Loma touched her forehead. “She is burning up. What happened?”

  “Sescina told me to bring her. She said it’s not her field.”

  “Cade, get my bag. I want everyone out.”

  Cade went into her room and grabbed a black bag and handed it to Loma. She ushered Erador, Gillian, and Cade out the door and slammed it shut. Pia’s muffled screams were how he felt on the inside. He felt useless and he had no way of helping. Gillian dropped onto the bench already defeated along with Cade. All Erador could do was join them and hope Loma knew what she was doing.