“I’m sorry for your loss.” She’d hoped for better news. Then she remembered that the freed prisoners had been recovering in the guards’ quarters. She met Gurice’s gaze.

Gurice understood her silent question and pressed her lips together, shaking her head sadly. Grief twisted around her stomach and squeezed.

“Can you please unlock the doors to the other wing?” she asked the guard.

The man and his partner moved to open the main metal doors. Two guards from her group joined them to help.

“Dim your lanterns,” she ordered everyone. “Those inside have been in complete blackness for at least a sun jump. Some much longer.”

The guards formed two units. Each took a tunnel and began unlocking the individual cells. Once the doors were open, the others streamed in, checking for colleagues and loved ones.

Shyla hung back, afraid of what she might find and what she might not find. Her heart pumped extra hard when Titus limped from a cell. Then she spotted Nard, Daksh, and a few more Invisible Swords. All sported cuts and bruises. All disheveled and weak. All stank.

Wazir survived, but he shook his head sadly when she asked about his three family members. “Wrong place. Wrong time.”

By this point, each beat of her heart was a painful spasm. Who else had they lost?

“Shyla, I need you,” Zhek yelled from a cell way down at the end of the hallway.

She ran on numb feet, the pressure inside her about to burst. Most of the putrid cells were empty. Stopping when she spotted white hair, she paused in the doorway as her heart exploded.

Rendor lay on the ground. His shirt was soaked with blood. His eyes were squeezed shut in pain. And he pressed his hands over his stomach. Blood leaked from between his fingers.

“Hurry, child, and tell this big stubborn fool that you are alive and well,” Zhek ordered.

“He doesn’t believe you?” she said, joining Zhek.

Rendor opened his eyes and stared at her. But his gaze was unfocused and his brows were smashed together in confusion. “You’re…”

“I’m fine.” She caressed his cheek. His skin was hot and dry. Too hot.

“No.” He shook his head. “You died. I saw… I saw…you fall… The rubble… Gone… I don’t…want to live…without you.”

“I’m alive, Rendor. I’m here. We’re here. Let Zhek take care of you.”

He stared at her. “I saw… I saw…”

“The wound is infected. No surprise given the conditions in here. Tell him to let me examine it,” Zhek said.

Instead, she laced her fingers through his and pulled his hand away. Then she leaned over so they were almost nose to nose. “I’m here. I’m alive.” She kept repeating those two phrases as Zhek worked his magic. She desperately hoped they’d gotten here in time.

Rendor passed out during Zhek’s administrations.