Page 54 of The Infirmary for Dragon Burns and Midair Mishaps

Seraphine caught my chin with her fingers. “You did wonderfully. Don’t doubt your skills.”

“What if I hadn’t been able to help her?” I said. “What if I hadn’t known what to do?”

“She has an entire team looking out for her,” Seraphine reminded me. “And you have an entire team behind you. You’re not in this alone, Eden.”

I told myself the same thing as Vaela twitched, her hand reaching out in search of something.

I curled my fingers against hers and she settled.

“Let me get you some breakfast.”

“I’m not hungry,” I said.

“A bit of tea, then,” Seraphine said, and she left us alone.

I lifted Vaela’s hand to my lips, pressing small kisses to her knuckles, praying to the stars for a quick recovery. Praying to them to untangle my heart.

But it was already a mess, and I leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

18

VAELA

The pain was explosive. It rocked through my body in waves, catching along my ribcage. It felt like I was on fire, and despite how hard I tried, I couldn’t curl away from the burn. Nothing satiated the hunger of the heat.

All I could do was open my mouth and wail.

Sometimes I could force my eyes open, but the world was muddied yellow, dark and hazy, and that burned too. I wanted to reach up and tear my eyes from their sockets. To extinguish the ache.

I wanted to scratch my skin off and leave it in a pile like a fresh dragon shed. I thought of Min scratching her scales loose. I thought of Eden, collecting the dropped scales, hiding them away in nooks and crannies around Bramble Cottage.

Eden…

I heard a dragon screech somewhere in my memories.

The pain increased tenfold.

I gritted my teeth, fighting for consciousness. Fighting for relief.

Eden.

My stomach dropped, and it felt like I was plummeting through thin air.

The burn was so all-consuming, it zapped my energy, and by the time the wave receded, the darkness crept in, smelling like something acidic. I tumbled headfirst into that scent, disappearing down a cold, wet tunnel filled with incomprehensible whispers.

Eden, are you there?

* * *

Later, my vision returned.

It was only slightly better, still tinged with yellow fuzz at the corners. I hated that. I hated not being able to blink away the fog.

It felt like I was flying through sleet, clinging to Min, trusting her to guide us safely.

Sometimes I could make out the infirmary and the figures of familiar people, shifting around me.

Eden?