I could rummage through his mind, but it wouldn’t be reliable; he could manipulate his thoughts if he had training. Since we weren’t sure how he knew about my powers, we couldn’t risk it. Especially because the second his mind broke, we wouldn’t have another chance. Better to wear him down this way.
“Go—” he tried to muster sitting upright on the blood-slick floor, “—to hell.”
I gave him a half-smile, my eyes and soul dead. “Wrong answer.”
Catina pulled out her pliers.
Chapter 47
ESTRELLA
Iwoke to the orange light of sunrise seeping through the thin curtains. Instinctively, my hand reached for Roman, unaccustomed to the absence of his body against mine. I found nothing but emptiness beside me. I bolted upright and confirmed my fears, the bed was empty, and the silence of his absence wrapped around me like a heavy shroud. This room, once Edward's, had become ours in the week since the battle as we helped rebuild the town. Despite the chaos, I had never awakened without him by my side.
Panic clawed at my throat, but I forced it down and did my best to be rational. Roman hadn’t been kidnapped; I just needed to find him. My feet hit the wooden floor, and I hurried to the window across from the bed. Behind the curtains lay a view I wasn’t sure I’d ever grow accustomed to. Salmon-colored light glinted off the ocean’s surface, where the silhouettes of boats salvaged from Enso’s wrath rocked gently like monoliths.
On one of those ships, I spotted the unmistakable outline of wings against the skyline. A smile broke across my face as I quickly threw on some proper clothes, barely slipping into my boots before dashing out the door and down the stairs.
In the bar room below, Isabella conversed with a group of localfarmers. I knew what they were discussing without pausing to listen—several food stores had been damaged in the battle. We had worked tirelessly all week to find solutions, but the farmers hadn’t tended their crops for weeks, paralyzed by the fear of Edward’s cronies. So, we were already looking at weak yields. The room still bore the scars of Roman’s blast, but Isabella had claimed it as home base regardless. I waved at her before stepping outside.
A bustle of activity greeted me. Humans and vampires rushed to and fro, carrying an array of building supplies. Among them were Sorin and Razvan, doing their best to aid in the town's reconstruction. It was awe-inspiring to see the people of Molvon emerge from their homes, eager to help rebuild after suffering under Edward's oppression. This was their chance at freedom, and it was incredible to witness them seize that opportunity.
Halfway to the docks, a familiar voice called out to me. I turned to see Bodil, the Fjällräv doctor that had travelled with us to Molvon, standing at the front of the butcher shop we had converted into an infirmary. Her pinched face and salt-and-pepper hair had become as familiar as my own over the past week. I walked over to her.
“Torsten hasn’t come in yet, so I need your help swapping out Ana’s bandages.” Bodil said, her weathered voice laced with urgency.
I hesitated, glancing down the road where I hoped Roman would still be. It was selfish to want to seek him out when Bodil needed my help to save lives. Nodding, I followed her inside without complaint.
Ana lay on a cot, her bandages already removed, revealing the bite mark on her neck. Its ragged edges reminded me of my own wound, though hers wasn’t laced with the blackness caused by venom. No, her attacker hadn’t aimed to turn her; he had sought to kill.
“She’s coming down with an infection,” Bodil murmured.
I winced. Her cheeks burned with fever, and beads of sweat dottedher hairline. The dirty bandages littering the floor were coated in pus. If we didn’t stop the infection, she wouldn’t make it. Something Bodil and I both were painfully aware of. The weight of those unspoken words was a heavy blanket pressing down on us. I helped hold Ana still while Bodil applied the salve. Fortunately, she was sleeping, though her body still writhed with pain.
Only a few minutes passed before Torsten rushed into the infirmary, his silver hair and ears standing on end. “I’m sorry, Bodil! I overslept!”
“Useless,” she muttered, just loud enough for him to hear. I stifled a giggle at the hurt that crossed his face. It was strange to see a teenage vampire, but he had been invaluable in providing breaks for us while watching over the injured. The first wave of casualties had been overwhelming, and we had lost many in our efforts to keep up. Fortunately, all the vampire patients had healed, leaving us with only a few humans who were caught in the chaos.
“I’m going to head out for a bit; I’ll be back!” I called as Torsten took my place at Bodil’s side. They both nodded, quickly too engrossed in their task to mind my leaving.
I ducked back onto the road, waving at Enso, who was using his fire to weld a building beam back into place. As the sounds of waves and seagulls filled the air, I broke into a steady jog toward the harbor. It felt eerily quiet here. While repairing the ships was a priority, we had decided to focus our energies on rebuilding the town first. Once everyone was safe, fed, and housed, we would turn our attention to the ships. Enso had been careful with his flames, concentrating on the masts and sails, but many vessels had suffered more damage than anticipated.
Roman stood as a silent guard on a central ship, the scorched skeleton of its mast a jarring reminder of the recent battle against thebackdrop of a beautiful sunrise. I made my way up the flimsy plank leading from the dock to the ship, holding my arms out to balance against the ocean winds.
My foot barely touched the deck when Roman spoke, “Good morning, my love.”
My heart nearly burst at his words. I would never tire of hearing that sweet, honeyed voice call me his love. I stepped to his side, first meeting his angelic gaze before turning to the glittering ocean. “You weren’t there when I woke up.”
“I’m sorry. I just needed a moment. It was a long night,” he murmured.
Silence stretched between us, broken only by the occasional cry of gulls and the creaking of the ship as it swayed gently with the waves. He was referring to the torture of the traitors, a grim task that had consumed much of his and Catina’s time since the battle. We needed information, and Codran was the only one who could provide it. Neither Roman nor Catina complained, but I could see the weight of it in the slouch of their shoulders each time they left the cells. Though they both wanted the traitors to suffer, the burden of delivering that punishment day after day was wearing on them.
“Did Codran finally talk?” I asked.
Roman took my hand, brushing his calloused thumb over my palm. “He did.”
“Good news?”
Finally, he turned to me, his large frame cutting through the light like a shadow. He smiled down at me, but the light didn’t reach his eyes. “No.”
