Chapter 29 · How long, Silas?

She stepped toward him. He stepped back.

That small retreat told her more than any confession.

"How long, Silas?"

"Six days."

Mira's grip tightened around the forceps. "Six days?"

"It started after the breach at the north wall."

"And you kept walking around?"

"People panic when their lord gets sick."

"People panic when their lord lies to their faces."

"I kept the city standing."

"You kept everyone close enough to you in danger."

"I kept them alive."

"By hiding the disease?"

His voice dropped. "By giving them someone to follow."

Mira wanted to hit him. She wanted to drag him onto the table and force the truth out before the sickness took his voice.

Instead, she grabbed his collar and yanked him down until they were eye to eye.

"Listen to me," she said. "You don't get to die because you think dying makes you noble. It doesn't. It makes you another patient. And I don't lose patients because they are too arrogant to sit still."

His breath touched her lips.

"You lose patients often?"

"Keep flirting and I will cut without a sedative."

"That was flirting?"

"For me, yes."

Something hot flashed through his eyes.