Kiva shoved the thought from her mind. There was nothing she could do but hope that they would. And if they didn’t, she had to have faith in the princess’s word, in her magic. She had to have faith in a Vallentis—one of the last people Kiva would ever choose to trust, and yet perhaps her only option if she wanted to remain alive.

Gritting her teeth, Kiva sought distraction in her work. If she didn’t find a way to treat the stomach illness, there was a high possibility that she herself would get sick. If that happened . . . well, at least she wouldn’t have to worry about the Trials anymore. Nor would she need a rescue.

With that grim thought, she pushed all her concerns aside and focused on her task.

Hours went by as she prepared for and began dosing the rats, mixing small amounts of what she’d collected into her own food rations and dropping the offerings into the pen. While Kiva didn’t like testing live animals, she knew these rats were living on borrowed time. If Boots didn’t catch and eat them, then starved prisoners would. Either way, their fate was sealed.

“What now?” Naari asked when Kiva had made sure all of the rats had eaten a traceable amount.

“Now we wait.”

The guard looked as if she wanted to ask more, but at that moment, Jaren walked into the infirmary, stealing their attention.

Doing a double-take, Kiva demanded, “What happened to you?”

Jaren raised his hand to his face, as if doing so would hide the impressive bruise darkening his eye. Or the graze on his forehead. Or his split lip.

“Nothing,” Jaren answered. “How’d you go today?”

Naari stepped closer and jabbed a finger toward Jaren’s wounds. “Your healer asked you a question.”

“And I said it’s nothing.” Jaren strode by Tipp, playfully messing up the young boy’s hair as he passed, and then stopped when he was before Kiva. He looked down at the rats briefly before asking, “No problems getting your quarry samples?”

Kiva studied his injuries, deciding that if he was capable of risking his life by brushing off the guard, he must not be too badly hurt. But given their environment, he would still need treating. “I’ll make you a deal,” she said. “You let me clean you up, and I’ll answer your questions.”

Jaren cocked his head to the side. “Any questions?”

“Just those two.”

His teeth flashed in a quick smile. “That’s hardly an incentive. I have lots of questions. And you’re rarely in an answering mood.”

“I’m not in an answering mood now.”

When Jaren just continued looking steadily at her, Kiva weighed up how hard it would be to wrestle him into submission, and finally said, “Fine. But only if I get to ask questions, too.”