sun behind him, he looked less like a privateer and more like … But that was just silly.
“I need to get back to the church,” said Kaz. “I don’t know what the Council is going to do with Wylan.”
“Go,” said Nina. “We’ll wait here for Matthias.”
“Stay alert,” Kaz said. “Keep him out of sight until nightfall. Then you know where to go.”
Kaz climbed from the boat and vanished back in the direction of the Church of Barter.
Nina didn’t think it would be safe to offer Kuwei wine, so she offered him some water and encouraged him to rest.
“I’m afraid to close my eyes,” he said.
Nina strained to see over the lip of the canal and down the street. “What’s taking Matthias so long? Do you think that medik gave him trouble?” But then she saw him striding toward her across the empty square. He raised his hand in greeting.
She leapt from the boat and ran to him, throwing herself into his arms.
“Drüsje ,” he said against her hair. “You’re all right.”
“Of course I’m all right. You’re the one who’s late.”
“I thought I wouldn’t be able to find you in the storm.”
Nina pulled back. “Did you stop to get drunk on the way here?”
He cupped her cheek with his hand. “No,” he said, and then he kissed her.
“Matthias!”
“Did I do it wrong?”
“No, you did it splendidly. But I’m the one who always kisses you first.”
“We should change that,” he said, and then he slumped against her.
“Matthias?”
“It’s nothing. I needed to see you again.”
“Matthias—oh, Saints.” The coat he’d been holding fell away and she saw the bullet wound in his stomach. His shirt was soaked with blood. “Help!” she screamed. “Somebody help!” But the streets were empty. The doors barred. The windows shut up. “Inej!” she cried.
He was too heavy. They sank to the cobblestones and Nina cradled his head gently in her lap. Inej was sprinting toward them.
“What happened?” she asked.
“He’s been shot. Oh, Saints, Matthias, who did this?” They had so many enemies.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. His breath sounded strange and thready. “All I wanted was to see you once more. Tell you—”
“Get Kuwei,” Nina said to Inej. “Or Kaz. He has parem . You have to get it for me. I can save him. I can fix him.” But was that even true? If she used the drug, would her power return to what it had been? She could try. She had to try.
Matthias grabbed her hand with surprising strength. It was wet with his own blood. “No, Nina.”
“I can fight it a second time. I can heal you and then I can fight it.”
“It’s not worth the risk.”
“It’s worth every risk,” she said. “Matthias—”
“I need you to save the others.”
“What others?” she asked desperately.
“The other drüskelle . Swear to me you’ll at least try to help them, to make them see.”
“We’ll go together, Matthias. We’ll be spies. Genya will tailor us and we’ll go to Fjerda together. I’ll wear all the ugly knitted vests you want.”
“Go home to Ravka, Nina. Be free, as you were meant to be. Be a warrior, as you always have been. Just save some mercy for my people. There has to be a Fjerda worth saving. Promise me.”
“I promise.” The words were more sob than sound.
“I have been made to protect you. Even in death, I will find a way.” He clasped her hand tighter. “Bury me so I can go to Djel. Bury me so I can take root and follow the water north.”
“I promise, Matthias. I’ll take you home.”
“Nina,” he said, pressing her hand to his heart. “I am already home.”
The light vanished from his eyes. His chest stilled beneath her hands.
Nina screamed, a howl that tore from the black space where her heart had beat only moments before. She searched for his pulse, for the light and force that had been Matthias. If I had my power. If I’d never taken parem. If I had parem. She felt the river around her, the black waters of grief. She reached into the cold.
Matthias’ chest rose, his body shook.
“Come back to me,” she whispered. “Come back.”
She could do this. She could give him a new life, a life born of that deep water. He was no ordinary man. He was Matthias, her brave Fjerdan.
“Come back ,” she demanded. He breathed. His eyelids fluttered and opened. His eyes shone black.
“Matthias,” she whispered. “Speak my name.”
“Nina.”
His voice, his beautiful voice. It was the same. She clutched his hand, searching for him in that