Holding her gaze, Kiva remembered what the guard had said last night, and answered, “For not being like the rest of them.”

Naari’s amber eyes softened. She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could utter anything, Bones arrived at the doorway to the infirmary.

Kiva’s heart leapt into her throat at the sight of him, but she reminded herself of her decision to let go of what had happened and move on. She was going to see Bones around the prison; it was unavoidable. If he thought she was afraid of him, he would only make her suffer. She would not be cowed.

“They’re ready for you,” he said in a gruff voice, wincing slightly as he looked into the brightly lit room with the sun streaming in from the windows.

Kiva might have felt some delight at his evident hangover if his words hadn’t been ringing in her ears. Even though she’d only moments ago resolved to save herself, to survive, that didn’t mean her fear wasn’t nearly crippling now that the time was upon her.

Irrationally, Kiva suddenly recalled a million things she needed to do. She should check on the quarantined patients again, she should give Tilda some more broth to keep her hydrated, she should see if the rats were showing any symptoms, she should—

“Calm down,” Naari whispered, stepping closer. “You can do this.”

Kiva desperately wanted to clutch the amulet to center herself, but she knew doing so would risk drawing attention to it. She settled for feeling the heavy weight of it hidden beneath her tunic against her breastbone, a solid reminder that she would not be facing the Trial alone. Naari was right. She could do this.

“Follow me, healer,” Bones ordered Kiva. He then turned on his heel and strode off across the grounds.

Kiva’s pulse hammered in her ears as she walked on leaden feet after him. She found some small comfort in Naari’s presence, the woman remaining at her side, offering quiet solidarity.

That comfort dissolved, however, when Bones turned north, rather than east; when she began to see prisoners milling much closer than they had two weeks ago, packed tightly together in a space that wasn’t intended for large gatherings, unlike the eastern quad where the gallows stood.

When Bones made another turn, Kiva realized why.

They weren’t heading toward the gallows.

They were heading to the crematorium.

Chapter Twenty-One

Kiva was certain she was going to throw up in front of everyone. Either that, or she was going to pass out. She wondered if she’d still have to face the Trial by Fire if she were unconscious. Would it matter, if the end result was to be the same? Surely there was no way Kiva could survive what was ahead, amulet or no.