“Think healing thoughts,” Lys suggested.

“I’ll try my best.”

The witch began to smear the healing mud over his shoulder. Even the slightest touch was painful, but the mud felt cool against his burning skin.

“More,” he said.

“Yes, you’re definitely going to need all of it,” she agreed.

This was very different from when Phaedra had healed Jonas with the grape seeds. Olivia’s magic gave him a cool and pleasant sensation, whereas Phaedra’s had felt like lava had been poured down his throat, only to go shooting through every limb.

“This feels so nice and soothing,” he said. “Is that what it’s supposed to feel like?”

“Soothing?” Olivia frowned. “I don’t think that—”

Jonas lurched up and cried out in pain. It was as if a soldier had grabbed hold of his arm and tore it right out of its socket before setting it on fire and throwing it to the wolves. He flailed, desperately trying to wipe the burning mud off his skin.

“Hold him down,” Olivia barked at Lysandra. “We can’t remove any of it yet.”

Lys immediately did as the witch ordered. They each took an arm and held Jonas down against the tabletop while he writhed in agony.

“She’s trying to kill me!” he exclaimed. “Lys—Lys, stop her!”

“Hang on,” Lys whispered. “Please, just hang on a little longer.”

He felt the mud sink deeper into his skin, burning through every layer, eating right down to his muscle and bone. It sliced through his shoulder like the razor-sharp bite of a demon.

But then, as suddenly as it came on, the pain vanished completely. He felt his body grow slack again in the girls’ grips, and all he could hear was the sound of his own ragged gasps.

“It’s done,” Olivia said, letting out a long, relieved sigh. “See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Bad? It was worse than bad. It was torture.

The witch disappeared into the back of the shop. Lys grabbed a cloth and shakily wiped at Jonas’s shoulder.

“It worked,” she said, clearly amazed. “She didn’t just help you . . . she actually healed you.”

Jonas managed to push himself up to sitting. He took the cloth from Lys, wiping the remaining mud away from his shoulder, revealing an unblemished patch of smooth skin. No wound, no infection.

But . . . how? Jonas might be a converted believer in Mytican magic, but he hadn’t thought a witch could be capable of a miracle this perfect.

Bruno was the one who’d said a witch couldn’t heal an injury this bad. But perhaps the old man had just never met one who could.

Lysandra grabbed him and hugged him tight. “I thought I was going to lose you. Don’t scare me like that again, got it?”

“I got it,” he whispered into her hair.

Olivia returned, wiping her hands on a towel. “All better?”

Lysandra rushed to Olivia and placed her hands on her shoulders. “To think, only a little while ago I didn’t believe a word about witches or magic, and here you are . . . and you’ve done even more than I ever could have wished for. Thank you. Thank you so much!” Then Lysandra pulled the girl into a tight hug.

Olivia’s brows raised with surprise and she awkwardly patted Lys’s back. “I’m grateful I was able to help in time.”

Despite his previous misgivings, the witch had more than proven herself to him. “My deepest gratitude to you, Olivia,” Jonas said. “I owe you my life.”

She gently pushed Lysandra away from her. “Yes, I suppose you do.”

He waited for her to name her price, probably some outrageous request that he’d never be able to grant. “And . . . ?” he prompted.

Olivia cocked her head. “And . . . I must be on my way now. Farewell.”

She turned toward the door.

“Wait!” Jonas said. “Where are you off to? Got some other random strangers to heal around town?”

“Perhaps,” she allowed.

The girl was a true mystery. But, really, all Jonas needed to know about her was that she could work real magic.

“Come with us,” he said.

She frowned. “Where?”

“The Limerian palace.”

Olivia crossed her arms and studied him for a long, silent moment. “Jonas Agallon, a failed rebel leader whose life purpose is to destroy King Gaius and bring peace and freedom to Mytica again, wants me to join him in a journey to the Limerian palace.”

“Actually, I’m going to start by destroying his son. And, yes, I do want you to join us. Lys, what do you think?”

Lysandra met his gaze. “You’re right, we need her.”

“Am I to become your newest rebel recruit?” Olivia asked.

“You did just save my life, knowing who I am,” Jonas reasoned. “And knowing my goal.”

“And you’d like me around to save it again, if need be,” Olivia said.

“I won’t deny that that would be a large perk. I know there’s not much in it for you, but if I’m successful . . . if I can pull this off . . .” He shook his head. “Everything will be better in Mytica, for everyone who calls this place home.”

Olivia turned, as if to leave, but then paused. “Fine. I will agree to accompany you on this fateful journey.”

“Good,” he said, a grin breaking out on his face. “Then let’s be on our way.”

CHAPTER 10

FELIX

KRAESHIA

Felix hung over the side of the ship, trying his best not to fall into the choppy waters below. He looked up to watch the seabirds swirling, and saw that, among their numbers, was a golden hawk.

Perhaps a Watcher was overlooking his suffering.

He felt someone slap him on his back, and he turned around to cast an unfriendly glare on the offender.

It was Milo Iagaris, a former palace guard who’d been accused of aiding the rebels, a crime for which he’d been sent to the Auranian dungeon, where he’d remained until very recently. Upon his release, Milo hadn’t been told that it was Felix’s fault for stealing his uniform.

It would be best that Milo never learned that little detail. Felix thought he wouldn’t be nearly as forgiving as the king had been.

He’d been partnered with Felix as a bodyguard for this journey. Felix had to admit that Milo, made of muscle on top of muscle, did have the right build for the job. Also, from the conversations they’d had over their days at sea, Milo seemed more than ready to remorselessly inflict pain whenever it was necessary. And even when it wasn’t.

“Still seasick?” Milo asked.

“What does it look like?”

Milo laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes. I can’t believe you’ve never been to sea before.”

“Believe it. Now go away and leave me to die.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t be much longer now. I can see land from here.”

Felix managed to raise his bloodshot eyes to see that, far in the distance, across miles upon miles of churning, open sea—

His stomach flopped and gurgled.

—was the edge of land.

“Praise the goddess,” Felix groaned. “I think I might stay in Kraeshia forever.”

“I imagine we’ll soon find out exactly why the king decided to come here,” Milo said.