“What am I supposed to do? Every time I get upset, I black out. I can’t fix it. I don’t have a spirit magic teacher, and no matter how much I scream into the spirit plane, I can’t find Zina’s signature. I can’t reach her to tell her to come back. Helly hasn’t heard anything.”

“What about Dozan?”

Kerrigan balked. “Are you suggesting Dozan Rook?”

He paced away from her, running a hand through his hair. “I hate him, but he’s useful. He has that healer, remember?”

“Amond,” Kerrigan said. He’d healed her after she was stabbed by Isa, and he’d done it in a couple minutes rather than hours. Not to mention, he hadn’t drained off an ounce of her magic. It had connected them somehow, but it had been safe and quick. “I hadn’t thought of him.”

“If he knows healing beyond the bounds of what Helly knows, then it’s worth a try.”

“Dozan won’t do it for free.”

“Then, give him whatever he wants,” Fordham growled. “Your life is on the line.”

Kerrigan crossed her arms at the words. They both knew what Dozan Rook wanted from her. It was something she could no more give him than she could give Fordham at this point. She wouldn’t put it past March to know of her affiliation with Dozan as well. He might even have spies in the Wastes.

“Only one problem: I’m still on probation.”

Fordham blew out a breath. “Well, you’re not banned from leaving the premises.”

“I’m sure that doesn’t mean I’m supposed to go traipsing around the Wastes.”

“Then, don’t let anyone see you.”

“Fine. I’ll talk to him,” Kerrigan said.

Fordham visibly relaxed at her words. As if he’d been imagining an argument about the whole thing. But she couldn’t argue with him, not about this. He’d found her on the floor. Things were escalating, and she needed any solution to what was happening to her.

She shucked on her favorite black cloak and forced Fordham to be her lookout as she took the back way out of the mountain. She inhaled deeply as she walked the streets of Kinkadia. The mountain was home, but the city belonged to her in its own way. She hadn’t really been out of the mountain since her arrest, except for the errand to Parris and flying into Rosemont. That certainly wasn’t the same as being anonymous in the city.

She wove through the crowded roads, crossing over the divide from Central and into the Dregs. Taverns lit up the night, and music belched onto the streets. She wanted nothing more than to dive into them all and forget all the stressors on her. But first things first. Getting these blackouts under control was the main priority.