Chapter 13

Back at the cabin, Maevyth and Zevander examine comatose Aleysia’s black-veined mass. Zevander notes its resemblance to his own disfiguring mark rumored to come from sablefyre and the Emberforge ritual, though unconfirmed. They debate whether vivicantem, which restrains Zevander’s condition, might also help Aleysia. With no attacks nearby for days, they decide to give Aleysia one more day to wake, then travel together to seek vivicantem.

As they prepare, Zevander notices gouges under Aleysia’s bed. Black residue on the grooves matches grime beneath Aleysia’s fingernails, yet her fingers show no damage. Concerned an unseen threat is present—or that Aleysia might harm herself—they bind her to the bed as a precaution and consider abandoning the cabin for town if needed.

Near dusk, while Zevander patrols, Maevyth’s silvery whistle-stone heats, liquefies, and seeps into the old scar on her forearm, etching feather-like lines and a new bird-shaped glyph in her palm. The glyph hijacks her voice into a piercing whistle whenever she focuses on it. Zevander returns, realizes the silver came from the whistle, and urges her to break focus; a sudden kiss interrupts her fixation, restoring her speech.

Relief turns to laughter as they joke about their unwanted powers—her macabre glyphs and his rebellious scorpion—before quiet resolve returns. They share a longing for Aethyria and its vivicantem-laced sustenance, reaffirming their plan: wait one more day for Aleysia to stir, then leave at first light to find vivicantem that could stabilize Zevander and possibly heal Aleysia.