Page 169 of Jinxes and Drumsticks

“But a full twenty-four hours away from the protection of the wards? Even yours aren’t that strong, Wren,” Bastion says. “Even if you got on a flight immediately, right now, and left as soon as Damien was healed—”

“I can at least create a Portal to the hospital,” Aemon says. “But I can’t go with you. And if I don’t tag along, then you’ll be on your own when it comes to getting back.”

“Why can’t you go with us?”

“I’m also protected by the wards here. He saw me trying to stop his cronies, most likely. And as lovely as Damien is on the eyes, I’m not risking my hide for him.”

“Are you serious?” Wren asks. “What about Lillith? Isn’t she your master, or something?”

Silence.

I open my eyes and swallow back the nausea that accompanies the spinning scenery. “That’s fine,” I say. “The portal is fine. We’ll come back on the first flight we can get.”

Bastion tilts to the side to meet my eyes, his golden brows arching with concern. “Are you going to be alright? Can you do this right after a seizure?”

“I’m not waiting until Damien goes septic or dies of shock,” I slur, forcing myself to sit up.

I reach for my clothes, starting to tug them on. Wren helps me latch my bra.

“I cannot warn you enough not to do this, Lillith,” Aemon says.

“I’m not letting him die.”

“You’re walking right into his trap,” Aemon snaps.

“FINE.”

The irritability that comes with the end of a seizure is hard to avoid. Everything feels like too much. Normally, I’d be crawling into bed to sleep this off, but I can’t do that. Bastion helps me stand up and helps tug on my sweatpants when my hands are too shaky to do it myself.

When I look at him, his frown is worried. “Lillith, is he really worth this?” he asks. “We don’t even know what this creature will do with you if he captures you.”

Some people are worth being devastated over.

“I can’t... live in a world where Damien doesn’t exist,” I say, my voice cracking on the truth of it. “I’ve been so alone for so long. And I’m tired of this curse, or Aberrant, or whatever it is, being the be-all-end-all of my bloodline. I’m tired of living in fear and being stuck. If this thing catches me, if he steals my powers, this would be a good last hurrah.”

“What if he kills you?” Aemon says, his expression serious. “What if you can’t even heal Damien? You told me yourself: your magic isn’t behaving properly.”

“Then I’ll die knowing I used my magic for its true purpose,” I say. “Saving the people that mean the most to me.”

Aemon shakes his head. “I don’t understand you. Nothing seems worth that risk to me.”

“That’s because you don’t know what it means to love anyone other than yourself.”

He flinches like I struck him. I hope the words did feel painful, because the fact that he won’t come with us speaks volumes of the kind of person... demon... whatever the fuck he is, and exactly how much he cares about Wren or me or anyone else.

“Maybe,” he says, the word sour. “Or maybe I’m just a coward.”

And it strikes me that he is.

He is a coward.

And Daisy was right about me—because when faced with death or even eternal imprisonment at the hands of a monster, the choice is still so obvious to me. I’m going to save the man I love. Because fuck this world for trying to take him away.

“Where are we going?” Wren asks.

Bastion hands me my phone and I search through text messages until I find the name of the hospital. “UVA Health University Medical Center in Charlottesville.”

Aemon nods and sighs. “You’re certain?” he asks me one more time.