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Ecaeris purses his lips like he knows Imy won’t like the answer. “The spots were bigger, darker. No blisters or open wounds, though. She’s healing.”
Isolde glides into the study and behind her desk before taking a seat. “So, all went well?”
“Yes,” Ada replies. “And no. She isn’t just using her element. She’s channeling the darkness, too.”
“You saw it?” Isolde’s back goes rigid as she gets a good look at the healing burns.
Ada points at her face. “I felt it. We can’t take anyone into battle with us, Isolde. Nesta will kill them all in a single attack.”
Madigan sighs. “She’s getting stronger.”
“Can we stop for a moment?” Lyell asks, blinking rapidly at the women. “Are you saying you knew she was coming?”
“Yes,” Isolde answers.
“You expected this attack?” the Shade prince continues.
“Yes,” Ada and Madigan answer in unison.
Ecaeris steps forward, his jaw ticking as he addresses his mother. “You didn’t think to tell us?”
“I thought it,” Isolde says coyly. “Then I thought better of it.”
“What the—”
“Ah-ah,” she chastises her son. “I had a good reason.”
“Which was?” I prompt.
She glances from face to face, her study brimming with the next generation of guards and royals and goddesses... She smiles at each of us.
“Had you been prepared for Nesta to show up, you would have wanted to intervene,” Isolde explains to us. “Ada knew she was the only one who could provoke Nesta and remain calm.”
“I would have fought back,” Madigan says quietly. “As I’ve done the entire time I’ve been here. It almost feels like an impulse I can’t control. She attacks, and I strike back, but fire against fire gets us nowhere.”
“How did you know she was channeling the dark goddess’s power?” Faldron asks, leaning on the back of an armchair as he observes the room.
Madigan shrugs. “I knew she was using more than the fire element I have.”
“After speaking with Madi, I wondered if the old rumors were true,” Isolde says.
“And we confirmed that today?” Talodus guesses.
“Yes,” Isolde murmurs. “In the most unfortunate way, I’m afraid. Had Nesta only used her fire, Ada could have healed Garben without issue. That is what the water goddess has always been known for.”
Pyris steps around Ada to look at her wounds. “Are you healing yourself now?”
She shakes her head. “No. Not actively.”
“But you’re healing,” the Shade doctor points out.
“Of course she is,” Madi interjects. “Did you just hear Isolde say the previous water goddess was a healer?”
“Madi can do it too,” Ada points out. “Haven’t you ever noticed?”
“That she heals quickly?” Pyris clarifies. “Yes. But not this quickly. It should have taken you days to heal those burns. Most of us would have taken longer.”
Madigan points at Ada, annunciating slowly, “Water.”
