Crane couldn't remember the last time he had felt so tired. Not since the last epidemic, probably, he thought wearily. At any rate, it was over now, more or less, and he could finally rest.
As soon as he checked on his plants. He felt guilty for neglecting them, and it would only take a couple of minutes.
He had almost made it to the greenhouse when the call of "Crane! Crane!" reached his ears.
Crane groaned and thought, Lovely. He turned around, thinking, This had better be urgent- and came face-to-face with Lark.
"Lark," he said with surprise. "What-" and then he saw the look on her face.
She was pale, with bloodshot eyes, and there was a frightened determination in the set of her face.
"Rosethorn." It made his blood chill. But I gave her the cure, she was recovering- "I think she has pneumonia. She needs a healer. All the best are in Summersea, and so is Moonstream. I'm going to look for her. Can you help?"
"Of course." All thoughts of exhaustion were gone. "I'll get horses. How many will we need?"
"I think Frostpine and his apprentice will come, so four. Can you bring the horses to Discipline?"
Crane nodded. Then, because he couldn't help himself, he asked, "Just how bad is it?"
Lark whispered, "Briar says- he says-" She swallowed, and swiped at her eyes impatiently.
He nodded grimly, and went to get the horses.
The ride into the city seemed to take an eternity. The three dedicates were quiet, and Kirel felt too awkward to say anything.
It was clear they weren't interesting in conversation, anyway. Lark had told them about Rosethorn's condition and how she was planning to find Moonstream. What more was there to say?
Kirel shot a glance at the dedicates and wondered how much time had passed. He wondered how much time Rosethorn had left.
He wished they could go faster.
Niko inspected the body of Eilisa Pearldrop and said, "It looks like the pox. What do you think?"
Moonstream nodded. "Yes, it does. It's ironic, that she should die of the disease that she created-"
"Moonstream?" The shout was faint. Probably from outside, Niko two of them hurried outside, only to discover Lark, moving quickly down the street, still calling.
"Here, Lark," Moonstream called, as they moved briskly toward her.
"What happened?" Niko said sharply as she approached.
"It's Rosethorn. She's much worse; she needs a healer, a good one. I was hoping," she began, looking at Moonstream, "That you could-"
"Certainly," Moonstream agreed.
"Do you have horses?" Lark asked.
Niko nodded. "Here," he said, moving to mount his.
"Crane, Frostpine, and Kirel are here as well-" Lark began.
"We can send messengers for them," Niko said quickly. Perhaps he should search for them himself, but he couldn't bring himself to offer. Both women nodded, and they set out.
Niko could only pray that they wouldn't be too late.
Lark dismounted in front of Discipline and hurried inside, calling out, "I found her."
The quiet made Niko's hackles rise. "Please let them not have done anything foolish," he muttered under his breath, and hurried in after her.
Moonstream said quietly, "Do you think they would have?"
"These four? Yes."
They were, predictably, in Rosethorn's room. Briar, Sandry, Tris, and Daja were standing at various points around the room, perfectly still. Rosethorn lay in her bed. The four children were lit up with magic, on fire with it. Rosethorn was not.
Niko moved quickly to Daja, the nearest, while Lark and Moonstream went swiftly to Rosethorn's side.
He touched Daja's arm and cried out with shock as his vision changed instantly. He could now see a rope of magic, leading from Daja through Tris and then onwards, to what must be Sandry and Briar. The other three were all going deeper and deeper into the shadows with every moment-
Stop it! he shouted silently, and started to shake Daja's arm. Let go! You can't help her any more, you'll only get yourselves killed!
No, Daja protested. Don't-
"Niko, what are you doing?"
"I think the real question is, what are they doing?" Moonstream said dryly.
"They've gone after her- linked themselves together some way-"
Lark caught hold of Sandry's hand and gasped with horror, her vision changed like his.
Stop shaking me, Niko! Sandry says if you break our rope, you'll lose us all, Daja interrupted.
Niko stopped instantly, and Lark let go of Sandry's arm with a sob.
It took a moment for reality to set in. The four of them were risking their lives in a deadly and dangerous attempt to save Rosethorn, who should technically be dead now. If he interfered, he ran the risk of killing them all. There was nothing he could do.
All four children crumpled at the same time. The gleam of magic around them vanished.
Fear hit him like a bolt of Tris's lightning. No, please- let them not be dead-
Tris stirred weakly on the floor.
It was all Niko could do to stop his knees from giving way with relief. They're alive.
They're alive.
Frostpine and Crane arrived several hours later.
"What happened?" Frostpine asked, peering into Rosethorn's room and seeing Briar fast asleep on a pallet on the floor.
"He refused to leave," Niko said, willfully misinterpreting.
Crane raised a lofty eyebrow. "I believe he meant-"
Niko sighed. So much for pretending nothing had happened. "Trust me, you don't want to know."
He walked over to Briar's room and leaned against the doorway. Tris's copper curls were spread across the pillow, and her glasses had fallen to the ground.
"All that matters is that they're alive, anyway," Niko murmured, and watched his student sleep.