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I wouldn’t admit it out loud, but I was being selfish. I couldn’t watch Nadine struggle for her dialysis again. Witnessing Nadine deteriorate after missing only one treatment was enough to convince me to trade in the Wand—regardless of the consequences.
“The way the doctors treated you last night is unacceptable,” I stated. “The doctors are in control of your health, and I don’t trust them one bit. What’s worse, the priestesses could influence your doctors. They’ve already done it once by delaying your transplant. They could withhold dialysis again at any point, and you know the priestesses will make them if they’re desperate enough. You might only survive a week without treatment. The priestesses can take the Seer Wand, but without all five, they have nothing. This transplant would buy us time to get them back.”
Nadine chewed at her lower lip. She knew I was right, but she didn’t want to admit it.
“We decided this when you handed over the Alchemy Wand,” I reminded her. “You were supposed to use it to get your transplant. You’ve already made the noble decision once by giving up that bargain in exchange for your friends. Please, Nad. Do this for yourself this time.”
“I’ll get the transplant after we find the other Wands,” Nadine suggested. “We’ll restore the coven’s magic, and the priestesses won’t be able to control me anymore.”
“We may not have time for that,” I insisted. “The priestesses have already shown us what kind of power and influence they have over the healthcare system. If they decide to withhold your dialysis, it’s over. This is the right choice.”
“It’s my Wand,” Talia cut in. “It chose me. Which means I can do whatever I want with it. I want you to use it to get your transplant. If you don’t turn it in to the priestesses, I will.”
“All right,” Nadine said, though she didn’t sound too happy about it. She wanted to make the noble decision. I understood that. But she needed this transplant. We had no other options.
Talia placed the Seer Wand in Nadine’s hand. “Go get your kidney.”
“But the demon—” Nadine started.
“We’ll figure out the rest once you’ve recovered,” Talia pressed.
Nadine hesitated. “Lucas, will you come with me?”
She didn’t have to ask me twice. Nadine didn’t say much as we left the school and drove to the Imperium headquarters. I could tell she was still contemplating the implications of handing over the Seer Wand.
I hoped she’d go through with it.
We entered the building, and Nadine slowed halfway up the stairs, until she came to a complete stop on the landing. She fidgeted, and I could tell she was nervous.
I placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Take all the time you need.”
Nadine pulled the Seer Wand from her cloak. She spun it around in her hands, never taking her eyes off it. “Are you sure this is the right thing to do?”
“Absolutely,” I stated. There wasn’t a future I’d accept where Nadine didn’t get her transplant. We could keep fighting, wait out the priestesses, or find another doctor, but that would take time we didn’t have. “I know you want to do what you think is right, but please consider that this is the right thing to do.”
“I know it probably is,” she said. “After all, how many times have people told me that you can’t pour from an empty cup? I know I’ll be able to serve the coven better if I gain control over my health and my life again—to get rid of this threat the priestesses have over my head. But I just can’t help but worry that it won’t fix everything.”
“Of course it won’t,” I said. “But I know you’ll keep fighting. This is just one battle of many, but it’s a battle we’re going to win.”
A hint of a smile touched her lips. “Thank you for being here, Lucas.”
“Always,” I promised, before pulling her into a hug.
We heard the door to the Imperium headquarters open. Nadine quickly shoved the Seer Wand back into her cloak.
“You’re taking too long,” Lilian sneered, her voice carrying down the stairwell. “I’m getting impatient, and rest assured, I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
A man chuckled, and my blood ran cold at the sound. Professor Leto.
“No, my dear priestess. I wouldn’t expect you to,” he said coolly. “You will have your precious Wands. Trust me.”
Lilian laughed. “If you think for a moment that I trust you, you’re sorely mistaken. Now, do the job we hired you for, or you can go straight back to hell.”
“Very well, Priestess,” Professor Leto said, before I heard his footsteps on the stairs.
There was nowhere for us to go. Leto stopped on the landing moments later, and an amused expression crossed his features as his eyes roamed over us. A shiver traveled down my spine.
“You best hope you have good news,” he said with a light chuckle. “The priestesses are a bit… moody today.”
