“Better?” she asked, and I noticed how pale and tired she looked.

“Yes.”

She stayed by my side. “Are you mad at me?”

“No, why?” It took a moment for me to understand. “You called him?”

She nodded. “You were so sick. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You did the right thing,” I said, and she smiled wanly. I poked my hand out from under the blankets to touch hers. “Thanks, Jordan.”

Her smile fell away, and she set the glass down to take my hand in both of hers. “Sara, your hand is like ice!”

A fit of shivering overtook me and my teeth began to chatter. “C-can’t get w-warm.”

She jumped to her feet. “Nikolas, look at her. I think she’s turning blue from cold.”

Seconds later, I was sitting on his lap with his arms around me. Jordan arranged the blankets over us and I curled into him. But no matter how close I got to him, I couldn’t get warm. It felt like I was cold from the inside out, and my body shivered so violently it hurt.

Nikolas said something to Jordan, and she ran out of the room. I clung to him desperately, afraid that I was dying. I’d never feared death, but that was before I found him. I’d spent so much time running from him, but I didn’t want to run anymore. I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving him now.

He stood and let the blankets fall to the couch. I cried against the cold as he strode into the bathroom where Jordan had filled the large claw-foot tub with hot water. Carefully, he set me down in the tub. I tried to stay upright, but my body was so weak I slid down into the water.

Nikolas grabbed my shoulders and lifted me forward so he could sit behind me, positioning me between his legs so I was chest deep in the water with my back against his chest. Water sloshed out onto the floor, but I was too cold to care, and I was only vaguely aware of Jordan throwing down towels to soak up the mess.

Steam rose up around us as Nikolas tried to rub warmth back into my arms, which were quickly growing numb. I could feel the heat of the water, but it did nothing to warm me. I sobbed from pain and frustration and the fear that this really was the end.

“Stay with me, Sara,” Nikolas said hoarsely, and the helplessness in his voice broke my heart. I wanted to turn and hold him, but I was too weak to move.

“I’m scared.”

He spoke gruffly in my ear. “I did not chase you halfway across the country to let you leave me again. You are one of the strongest, most stubborn people I’ve ever met, and you are going to beat this. Do you hear me?” I didn’t reply and he asked more forcefully, “Do you hear me, Sara?”

“Yes,” I said through chattering teeth. I summoned the last of my strength, determined to never leave him again.

“Look!” Jordan cried.

The others crowded into the bathroom behind her. “What is that?” Roland asked.

I opened my eyes and stared down at the glittering particles appearing around us in the water. The specks of light multiplied and moved toward me, clinging to every part of me that was under water. I watched in weary fascination while it covered me in a warm golden glow. A sigh escaped my lips as the familiar heat sank into my skin, my muscles, my bones, and every frozen part of me.

“It’s her magic – or the water magic,” Jordan said. “I’m not sure which.”

“Whatever it is, it’s helping.” Chris moved closer. “Her color is improving.”

I let my head fall back against Nikolas’s chest as exhaustion weighed down my body. He wrapped his arms around me. “That’s it. Hold on, Sara. The healers will be here soon.”

I must have passed out because the next time I opened my eyes, I was warm and dry and wrapped up in blankets on the couch again. A face swam before my eyes, and it took a few seconds to focus on the woman who looked vaguely familiar.

“How do you feel?” she asked as she touched my forehead and peered into my eyes.

“How do you think?” I mumbled, earning a smile. I remembered her from Westhorne. “You’re Margot.”

“That’s right. Now tell me where it hurts. Are you still cold?”

“I’m warm now, but my head is killing me. And I feel like I want to throw up, but I can’t.”

She nodded. “According to the others you haven’t eaten much in days. You need nourishment and liquids to help keep your strength up.” She reached behind her for a red duffle bag. “I’m going to hook you up to an IV, and then we are going to transport you to the jet. We’ll have you home in no time and we’ll get you all fixed up.”

“Okay.” I started to ask where everyone was when I heard the low rumble of male voices from the kitchen.

“Hey, you’re awake.” Roland appeared at the foot of the couch. His blue eyes were dark with worry and dark shadows lay under them. “You scared the shit out of us. Please don’t do that again.”

I summoned a weak smile. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Blinding pain shot through my skull, robbing me of my breath and my voice. I pressed my hands to my head as explosions of light went off behind my eyes and waves of agonizing pain rippled through me. A whimper escaped my lips, and I doubled over as hammers pounded my skull mercilessly. I prayed for unconsciousness because if I had to endure this much longer, I would go insane.

Nikolas called my name, but he sounded far away. People spoke in urgent voices that were hard to hear above the roaring in my head. In the back of my mind, the walls around my Mori fell and it cried out in pain. I tried to put the protective walls back up, but my power would not respond.