Chapter 73

It was hard to remember what had happened. She had been somewhere far away. The images in her mind were vivid, but they made no sense to her. Netya’s mouth was dry, and her head ached terribly. She felt like she was waking from a long sickness, before the last traces of fever had completely left her.

Adel cradled her in her arms. At some point Netya had fallen to the ground, and her head now rested in the den mother’s lap. When she moved, her mentor blinked, the distant look in her eyes snapping back from wherever her thoughts had been, replaced by the cold severity Netya was used to.

“Are you back with me?” Adel said.

Netya nodded, wincing at the way it made her head pound.

“Sit up, and drink this water. Your head will start to clear soon, but you will feel unwell until your body cleanses the last of the poison.” Adel helped her to her knees and handed her a waterskin, from which she drank gratefully until it was empty.

Netya stared at the woven mat be