POV: Ravenna
I don't wait for scouts.
Don't wait for Father's organized search parties. Don't wait for PERMISSION or APPROVAL or anything resembling sense.
I shift to Solace and fly before anyone can stop me.
Morgana and Saren follow. Of course they do. They're not letting me do this alone. Cinder and Abyss launch behind me, keeping pace as we fly toward the ambush site Hadrian described.
The bond pulls me. Thin. Strained. But there. Like compass pointing north. I follow it. Follow that weak connection to Theron stretched across distance and pain.
"There!" Saren shouts. Pointing down. "That's where the ambush happened. See the burned ground?"
I see it. Battlefield scarred with magic. Burned trees. Scorched earth. Blood staining ground. Dead soldiers not yet collected for burial.
We land. Shift to human form. Survey the carnage.
"Eclipse did this," Morgana says. Voice tight. "Professional assassination attempt. Not random attack."
"They targeted Theron specifically." I'm already moving. Searching. "Where would he GO? If wounded. If trying to escape."
"Follow the blood," Saren says. He's crouched. Hand on ground. Water-sense active. "There. Trail leading east. Into rough terrain."
We follow. On foot because the terrain is too rocky for horses. Too dense for flying. Just—walking. Tracking. Following blood drops and broken branches.
Hours pass. The sun moves. My legs ache. But the bond PULLS stronger. Getting closer. CLOSER.
"Ravenna," Morgana says. "We need to be careful. This could be trap. Eclipse might be—"
"I don't CARE." I'm practically running now. "He's CLOSE. I can feel him. He's—"
I see the ravine. Deep. Rocky. Hidden from aerial view. The kind of place wounded warrior would hide to avoid being found by enemies.
The kind of place wounded warrior would DIE alone if help didn't come.
"Down there!" I'm already scrambling down the rocky slope. Sliding. Nearly falling. Don't care. Just—DOWN.
And there. At the bottom. Lying against rocks. Covered in blood and dirt and barely breathing.
Theron.
"NO!" I'm beside him in seconds. Hands on his chest. Checking for pulse. "No, no, no, you promised. You promised to come back—"
His pulse is weak. Thready. But there. Alive. Barely alive but alive.
"Ravenna?" Morgana lands beside me. "Is he—"
"Alive. But poisoned." I can FEEL it through my healing sense. Toxin spreading through his blood. The Shadow's specialty—slow death designed to look like wounds simply didn't heal. "I need to work. NOW. Keep watch."
They don't argue. Morgana and Saren position themselves to guard. Weapons drawn. Ready for Eclipse ambush because this could be trap.
But I can't think about that. Can only think about Theron dying while I waste time on fear.
I place my hands on his chest. Reach for my gift. Pour healing into him.
The poison is COMPLEX. Multiple toxins working together. One attacking organs. One preventing healing. One causing pain so intense it keeps victims unconscious. All designed by Eclipse to kill gift-bearers slowly, painfully, CERTAINLY.
But I'm not letting it win.
I start with the organ-attacking toxin. Purge it from blood. Force it out through pores. Through breath. Through EVERYWHERE. Aggressive healing that makes my gift scream in protest but WORKS.
Next toxin. The one blocking healing. I counter it. Flood his system with so much healing magic it OVERWHELMS the blocking agent. Burn it away with sheer stubborn refusal to accept limits.
Third toxin. The pain-inducer. I neutralize it carefully. Too fast and the sudden absence of pain could shock his system. Too slow and he suffers. I find balance. Remove it gradually while monitoring his response.
Hours pass. The sun sets. I keep working.
My gift scrapes raw. Exhaustion clawing at edges of consciousness. But I DON'T STOP. Can't stop. Won't stop until he's healed.
"Ravenna," Morgana says quietly. "You need to rest. You're pushing too hard—"
"He's dying." My voice is rough. "I'm not resting while he dies."
"You'll kill yourself—"
"THEN I KILL MYSELF." I'm crying now. Can't help it. "But I'm not losing him. Not after everything. Not when I'm SO CLOSE to saving him."
She doesn't argue further. Just—watches. Ready to catch me if I collapse.
I pull out Orin's crystallized scale. The amplification gift he gave me. Press it against Theron's chest while maintaining healing connection. The magic surges. My gift magnifies. Becomes strongER. More focused. More effective.
The toxins that were resisting? They burn away under amplified healing. The damaged organs? They regenerate faster. The torn tissue? It knits together like watching time reverse.
I keep healing. Using every technique Orin taught me. Every refinement Lyris showed me. Every desperate innovation born from months of saving lives. Purging toxins. Mending torn tissue from shadow-blade cuts. Restoring blood he lost. Repairing organs damaged by poison. Hour after hour after hour.
My nose starts bleeding. Sign I'm pushing too hard. Overextending my gift. I ignore it. Keep pouring healing into him.
"Ravenna!" Saren's voice is sharp with concern. "You're bleeding. You need to STOP before—"
"Not stopping." My vision blurs. From tears or exhaustion or blood loss. Don't know. Don't care. "Almost there. He's almost—"
Finally. FINALLY. His heartbeat strengthens. His breathing steadies. Color returns to his face—not the grey of dying but actual living color.
His eyes open.
Amber eyes. Exhausted. Pained. But aware. Looking at me with recognition and relief and love so profound it breaks me completely.
"Ravenna," he whispers. Voice like gravel. "You found me."
"You idiot." I'm sobbing. Healing and sobbing simultaneously. "You promised to come back. You promised."
"I tried." His hand lifts weakly. Touches my face. "Shadow poisoned me. Couldn't—couldn't move fast enough. I tried to get home but—"
"Shut UP." I lean into his touch. "Just shut up and let me finish healing you."
He manages a weak smile. "Bossy."
"You love it."
"I do." His eyes close again. But his pulse is strong. His breathing even. He's GOING to survive. "Love you. So much."
"I love you too." I finish healing the last damaged tissue. Seal the final wound. "And you're never doing this again. Never."
"Promise."
"You better."
I help him sit up. Slowly. Carefully. He's weak. Exhausted. But alive. Healed. Safe.
Morgana helps me get him onto Solace. He sits in front of me. Slumped against my chest. I wrap my arms around him. Hold him while Solace flies us home.
"I knew you'd find me," he murmurs. "Felt you through the bond. Getting closer."
"Of course I found you." My voice is fierce. "You're mine. I don't lose what's mine."
"Possessive."
"Damn right."
He laughs. Weak but real. "Glad you're possessive."
"Good. Because it's not changing."
We fly through the night. Toward the capital. Toward safety. Toward home.
I keep my arms wrapped around Theron. Feeling his heartbeat. His breathing. Proof he's alive. Proof I saved him. Proof we both survived.
"I was so scared," I whisper against his hair. "When Hadrian said you were missing. When I felt the bond stretched so thin. I thought—I thought I might lose you."
"Never." His hand covers mine where it rests against his chest. "You'll never lose me. I'm too stubborn to die."
"You almost DID die. That poison—gods, Theron, it was designed to kill you. Specifically. The Shadow knew exactly what would work."
"But it didn't work." He turns his head slightly. Enough to look at me. "Because you're more stubborn than any poison. More determined than any assassin. You refused to let me die."
"Damn right I refused." I hold him tighter. "You're mine. I don't lose what's mine."
"And I'm yours." His voice is certain despite exhaustion. "Always yours. Through every rejection. Every war. Every assassination attempt. Yours."
Behind us, Morgana and Saren fly in formation. Protecting. Supporting. Being the family we chose.
"When we land," I say quietly, "Father is going to be furious that I left without permission."
"Probably."
"And then he's going to lecture me about risking myself."
"Definitely."
"And I'm going to tell him I'd do it again." I rest my chin on Theron's shoulder. "Every time. Forever. If you're in danger, I'm coming for you. No matter what anyone says."
"I know." He sounds almost amused. "That's one of the things I love about you. Your complete inability to follow sensible advice when people you love are threatened."
"It's not inability. It's refusal."
"Fair distinction."
The capital appears in the distance. Lights blazing. Probably guards on high alert after I flew off without escort. Probably search parties looking for me. Probably CHAOS.
I don't care.
I found Theron. Saved him. Brought him home.
Everything else is secondary.
Again.
Like always.
Together.