Skata. That did not make Isadora feel any better. She held up a suddenly shaking hand. “Okay, not that I buy in to any of this, but I want to go on record as stating that I’m sick and tired of being the sister who’s sick and tired. One of you be sick for a change and let me have a break. How about that?”
Callia didn’t react to her joke. In fact, Isadora wasn’t even sure her sister heard her. The healer moved around her desk and reached for a book from the shelf along the wall. “I need to do some research.” To Isadora, she said, “I don’t want you going out to the Kyrenia settlement. It’s too strenuous for you. Until I figure out what’s going on, you need to stay close to the castle.”
Irritation pulsed inside Isadora. “I have work to do.”
“No one’s stopping you. Delegate it from here.” When Isadora huffed, Callia dropped the book on her desk. “This is important. It isn’t just about you. It’s about all of us. You’re weakening rapidly. Whatever’s going on with you is more than just stress and lack of sleep. It’s something that will eventually affect Casey and me as well.”
Isadora’s stomach tightened at the fear she heard in her sister’s voice. “Okay,” she said cautiously. “I’ll stay close.”
“Good.” Callia looked toward Casey. “In the meantime, I could use your help.”
“Name it.”
“I need to check the ancient texts. For anything related to the Horae. If I can’t figure out what’s going on medically, then that means it has to be something genetic.”
“Yeah, I can do that.”
Callia nodded, sat in her chair, and flipped the book open.
“Callia,” Casey said. “What about Zander?”
Callia’s hand stilled on the page, and she exhaled a long breath. “I’ll tell him.”
“He’s going to be thrilled.”
“I know.” Callia shook her head and turned a page. “But this isn’t exactly something to celebrate. If we can’t stop Isadora from growing weaker, and she continues to decline and eventually dies—”
“What?” Isadora’s head snapped up. Dies? No way. Now her sisters were getting way ahead of themselves. “I’m fine. A little tired but fine. This is complete paranoia at its—”
“Oh, holy gods,” Casey breathed.
The color drained from her cheeks, and she placed a protective hand over her belly. And in a flash, a whole new understanding dawned, bringing a wave of dizziness to Isadora’s head.
Callia looked up. “Yeah. It means we will too. And Zander, because I’m his weakness. I already abandoned one child to the world alone. I won’t do it a second time. Whatever it takes, we’re going to figure this out. After everything we’ve been through, I refuse to accept that this is the end.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Dammit.” Nick ground his teeth together as the Chevy he’d snagged from the small village slowed and sputtered out. He cut the wheel to the right, jostling the vehicle over holes in the side of the narrow dirt road.
The rig came to a stop. At his side, Cynna startled awake and lifted her head from the passenger window where she’d been leaning. “Wh-what happened?”
“Ran out of gas.”
She grimaced, pressed a hand against her side as she sat up straighter, and looked out the windshield with cloudy eyes. “Where are we?”
Nick didn’t have a clue. It was still dark outside, probably around five a.m., he guessed from the position of the moon. They hadn’t passed a settlement for at least an hour, and the jungle rose on both sides of the one-lane road, encroaching in several spots like monstrous tentacles. If there was an actual airstrip out here, he’d eat his own damn shoes. It’d be just like Ari to fuck with him on this.
He checked the coordinates on the cell phone he’d taken from that house and frowned. “It’s not far from here. We’re gonna have to walk the rest of the way.”
The greenish glow from the dashboard illuminated her pale face and the way she winced. She leaned back against the seat, still pressing her hand to her side. “Maybe I should just stay here.”
Dammit… He’d told himself he was getting her out of this jungle, and he meant it, whether she cooperated or not. He wasn’t sure what he’d do with her after, but something in his gut wouldn’t leave her behind for Zagreus to find and torture. Not after she’d risked her life to free him. Not when she might still be important.
He climbed out of the truck, stalked around the hood, then pulled the passenger door open. Sliding his arm under her knees, he lifted her out of the truck. She bit back a groan, and he knew the movement had to cause her excruciating pain, but she didn’t protest. “It’s only about a mile away.”
Survival skills. This female had them. After everything she’d been through, that made perfect sense. But one thought wouldn’t leave his head as he carried her into the jungle. One thing she’d told him when he’d been tending her wound, which he didn’t like. The bitter reality that she’d chosen to make a deal with Zagreus all for the sake of revenge.