keep his alive.
Placing her back to the others, she leaned over Farrendel and cradled his face in her hands, blocking his view. “Do you trust me?”
Farrendel’s gaze searched her face before he nodded, slowly.
“And do you trust that I won’t let them do anything to harm you?” Essie traced her fingers across Farrendel’s cheek, then brushed aside a lock of his hair.
Farrendel drew in a deep breath, his muscles relaxing. He squeezed his eyes shut. “I trust you.”
“Good.” Essie straightened, but she kept a hand on Farrendel’s cheek. “Go ahead, Maxwell. It’s safe now.”
The surgeon hesitated, as if he wasn’t sure it was as safe as Essie said. After a moment, he stepped forward.
Essie focused on Farrendel’s face. She knew the moment the needle slid into Farrendel’s arm by the tightening of his jaw. But he kept his magic in check.
“There, all done. It will take a few moments, but you should start feeling a numbing sensation spreading up your arm.” The surgeon set the hypodermic needle back on the tray.
Good. At least Farrendel would be more comfortable while they waited for Edmund to return with Averett and the troll prince, though the others didn’t know that was what they were waiting for. They all thought they were waiting for Farrendel’s death.
After a minute, Farrendel’s breathing began to steady, and his muscles relaxed beneath Essie’s hand.
The surgeon glanced between Weylind, the elf healer, and Essie. “We should move him. I’m sorry, but we’ll need this table for the next patient.”
“Not yet.” Essie moved her free hand to Farrendel’s shoulder, as if to keep the others from moving him. She opened her mouth, but she wasn’t sure how to explain. Or if she should. Weylind would surely object.
Beside the wall, Jalissa had sunk to the floor, her arms wrapped over her stomach, her head bowed so that her hair hid her face. Her shoulders shook, though she didn’t make a sound.
“Princess Elspeth. I understand why you would be...reluctant.” The surgeon glanced at Weylind, as if pleading for him to deal with her.
Weylind stared down at Farrendel. “I know...I know it is hard to accept...”
“No, it’s...we need to wait for Averett.” Essie couldn’t let them move Farrendel. That would mean giving up. Accepting the fact that he was dying.
And she was not ready to stop fighting for him.
“No need to wait.” Averett’s voice came from the entrance as he pushed the tent flap aside. He stepped into the tent, followed by the tall, gray-skinned, white-haired form of the troll prince.
Weylind stiffened, his hand reaching for the dagger at his belt. “What is he doing here?”
“He is here to help Farrendel.” Averett stepped aside as Edmund entered the tent and immediately knelt at Jalissa’s side.
“No.” Weylind’s grip tightened on the dagger. “I will not let him anywhere near my brother. He has already hurt him enough.”
“He’s also the only one who can save him.” Essie pointed at the troll prince. “A troll put the stone in him, and only a troll can take it out.”
“We cannot trust him.” Weylind’s whole body tensed, though he didn’t draw his dagger. Not yet, anyway.
“Probably not.” Averett turned hard eyes on the troll prince. “But Prince Rharreth knows that treaty negotiations will not go well for Kostaria if he harms the brother and brother-in-law of the Tarenhieli and Escarlish kings. After all, he unconditionally surrendered. Utterly destroying his kingdom without any kind of consideration is still an option at this point.”
Prince Rharreth bowed his head, his gaze focused on Farrendel. “Even though he is the elf who killed my father and my brother, I will help him. He has already paid enough for the blood of my family.”
Weylind shook his head, fingers flexing on his dagger’s hilt. “We cannot trust him.”
“Farrendel, what do you think?” Averett’s voice was quiet, solemn.
Farrendel held Prince Rharreth’s gaze for a long moment, before his silver-blue eyes flicked up to meet Essie’s. “I trust Essie.”
Essie smiled, but the smile hurt. “You heard him. He trusts me. And this is the only chance we have to save him.”
Weylind crossed his arms but nodded. “Very well.”
Averett, the troll prince, the surgeon, and the elf healer began discussing how to make it work. Something about the surgeon helping to remove the stone so that Prince Rharreth could direct the stone out in a manner that did the least damage rather than snaking it through Farrendel’s body yet again.
Essie only partially paid attention, just enough to stop them if she heard something that didn’t sound right.
She