“He got you good, huh? Lemme see that. Clench your teeth.”
With that, Keele used the knife at his waist to cut off a piece of cloth from his sleeve and tied off her wound. The shooting agony dyed her vision a strange color. Tess clenched her teeth so hard she thought she would break her own jaw trying to hold in her scream.
“Your arm’s hangin’ by a thread. It’s just gonna get in the way danglin’ around like that. Ready?”
Keele cut loose Tess’ arm without waiting for an answer. Intense pain once more ran through her body. It was mystifying that she didn’t lose consciousness.
“You really got done in good,” he said.
“It was Crow. He got Bandore, too.”
“That Crow?” Keele asked, shooting the corpse a furtive glance.
Tess nodded. “Nagi killed him.”
“I see.”
Keele gave Crow’s body a second look; this time his attention was fixed in place. Tess couldn’t see what kind of emotion laid behind his eyes.
“Sorry. Nagi was protecting me...”
“Who cares? Tess, take Kyou and hide somewhere. When you get around to it, Nagi should be collapsed up on that roof; give him a nice wake-up smack. He can’t be draggin’ ass now. The royal caliber does a number on commoners, but not nearly as much of one as nobles get. He’ll perk up right away.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m gonna kill that guy. Everyone in the palace should be passed out. Now’s the time to get ’im. I can’t let this chance go.”
“I’ll go—”
“You’ll just get in the way with your arm like that.”
Tess had no choice but to keep her silence.
“See ya,” Keele told her before he took off again.
He didn’t even give her a parting glance. In that regard, he hadn’t changed since the day he left Garuga.
The surviving Crestfolk spotted Tess and ran over. By some miracle, better than half of the crew were still standing, though it was dubious how much longer that would last. Some were less intact than Tess. She couldn’t decide whether the fact that they’d held their own against the royal guard was a good sign or not. She recalled what Crow had said: they had been kept alive to lure Nagi out. The nobles were toying with them.
Tess picked out the handful of allies who were relatively lightly wounded to get Nagi and Kyou. She asked another to kindle a fire and took a seat. She felt dizzy from losing so much blood. Her body was cold. She sat there, weathering the waves of pain as someone brought Kyou’s unconscious body over. A short while later, Nagi arrived.
“Tess, you okay?”
“I’m not dead, at least.”
“Great.”
“Like hell. Why did you save me? That wasn’t your job.”
Nagi thought it over a bit. “Because I wanted you to live.”
“Why? I can’t even leave behind my blood for the future.”
“Blood isn’t all there is to leave behind for the future. The Crestfolk are a family with bonds deeper than blood, right? Didn’t you tell me we were family?”
Nagi’s words opened the floodgates within Tess’ heart. She wasn’t able to attach a name to her feelings. The world took on a clarity and luster that enthralled her and tied knots in her throat. Tears poured from her eyes.
“Are you okay? Does it hurt?” Nagi asked.
“I’m missing an arm, you idiot. Of course it hurts.”
“Right. Sorry.”
He couldn’t have realized the real reason for her tears.
“What happened? That was the royal caliber, right?” Nagi asked.
Tess felt a spike of anger. “I think so. The butterflies vanished a short while ago.”
“Even though Saya’s body won’t hold out if she uses it...”
Even now, Saya was still the only thing on Nagi’s mind. Tess seethed.
How did I fall for a guy like this? she thought to herself.
“But she still used it. To protect her brother. To protect us,” Tess said, pausing to look Nagi in the eyes. “To protect you.”
Nagi looked up at the palace. “I... I have to go.”
That’s what I thought you’d say.
“Keele’s already headed that way; he’s after Lernaean’s hide,” Tess said.
She looked around; None of the survivors looked like they were in any shape to fight.
“Tess. Take care of Garuga Village for me.”
“I can’t go with you?” she asked, already knowing the answer.
“No.”
“Because I’ll get in the way?”
“No. Didn’t I tell you already? I want you to live, Tess. Take everyone with you. I’ll be fine on my own.”
He turned to run off, but Tess stopped him.
“Nagi, wait. Take this with you.”
She took off the necklace he’d given her.
“Saya saved us. She isn’t our enemy, right?” she said. Nagi’s eyes widened and trembled. “So I’ll give this back to you.”
He nodded and accepted the necklace. It was the first time in a while that Tess saw the face of the man she fell for; the stupid man who single-mindedly chased after Saya.
“Go. We’ll wait for you two to get back. We’ll protect the village until you do, however long it takes. So come back quick.”
Nagi gave her a nod, hung the necklace around his neck, and ran off after the girl he loved. Tess watched his back until he vanished into the palace, burning the image into her memory. She prayed nothing would mend that scar for the rest of time.
“Lady Saya! Lady Saya!”
Saya finally came around, at Jubilia’s unrelenting urging.
“Jubilia...?” she muttered, opening her heavy eyelids. “What... happened?”
Saying that was all it took to send her into a coughing fit. Her lungs felt like they were covered in rust.
“You used your royal caliber,” Jubilia told her, trying to conceal the note of regret that threatened to creep into her voice.
When they reached the room overlooking the execution site, Jubilia and Saya were greeted with the sight of the Crestfolk driven against the wall. The moment they saw an arrow loosed at Lernaean, they both recognized who was responsible in an instant. Saya didn’t hesitate to use the royal caliber if it meant saving him.
“Everyone in the plaza and the palace grounds have lost consciousness. For some reason, I’m the only one you didn’t catch...”
Saya nodded back to her. She was still holding Jubilia’s hand when she unleashed the royal caliber. Like any noble, a part of her that existed beneath the strata of conscious thought and language understood its workings.
Jubilia stood up and looked down into the plaza. The people on the gallows had vanished in the chaos.
“The Crestfolk are untouched as well. It seems they’ve taken Lord Kyou and escaped. Also...”
Jubilia cut herself off. Saya tried to get up and look for herself, but staggered and fell back to the floor. Jubilia bore her up in a fluster. Something fell from Saya’s head as she groaned in pain. The realization of what it was shocked Jubilia into silence.
“What’s wrong?” Saya asked.
“U-Um... Y-Your hair...”
Saya tried touching her own head.
“Huh?”
Her hair wrapped around her fingers and came out completely. That wasn’t all. What once had a silver luster was now a dirty white.
“What’s happening?” Jubilia muttered, watching the complexion vanish from Saya’s skin.