Page 127 of In Rising Tides

“It’s fine,” Drystan said. “Drink it.”

Lyra thumbed the lid off and threw it back.

It slid down her throat like honey thickened by the cold. It didn’t taste nearly as sweet, but it wasn’t disgusting either.

The pain behind her eyes lessened from sharp to dull.

A tiny prick of light shattered the blackness.

She blinked hard, and Drystan let go of her hand.

Lyra pressed her fingertips to her eyes and rubbed lightly.

“What the fuck is going on?” she ground out when she could see once more.

It was blurry, but it was sight.

“Your time is running out,” Drystan sighed, rubbing his jaw. “We need to make way on the bargain.”

“Make way?” Lir barked. His red hair was vibrant despite the murkiness of Lyra’s sight still. “She forced us to believe her, and now you are forcing us to help her.”

“If she doesn’t complete the bargain, she will die,” Estria replied, tapping a long, pointed nail to her lower lip. “It’s a slow and excruciating death that will siphon the life out of her.”

Lyra clutched her neck to keep from gasping out loud.

“Good,” Lir said, his voice thick with hate. “No one should have that kind of power.”

The magic of the bargain was taking her life—the blindness was just the beginning of it.

Rigel cleared his throat. “I warned this would come to pass.”

“This is our top priority,” Drystan announced. “Lyra must survive.”

Lyra snorted. Of course, he wanted to keep her heart beating just long enough to claim the bloody throne before tossing her body into a sea chasm.

“You only want her to live so you can secure the throne, brother,” Caius said from beneath the shadow a column cast.

“You’ll want her alive to save us all when the gods intervene,” Drystan snapped at Caius before turning on Lir. “It’s with that ungodly power you despise that she’ll be able to.”

Estria swirled somewhere nearby.

It was hard for Lyra to make anything out clearly, so she felt rather than saw her. “She should survive until the equinox, so long as she doesn’t use her magic.”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “You make it sound as if I’d kill myself just to avoid marrying him.”

Drystan seethed. “I wouldn’t put it past you.”

“So where does that lead us?” Caspian asked, stopping Lyra from sniping back. “Do we turn our attention to the wedding plans or the bargain?”

“There’s not much we can do without confirmation from Adamaris that the temple is ready,” Drystan said, scrubbing a hand down his face.

Ishmael cleared his throat. ”I received some concerning news from Adamaris late last night.”

Lyra frowned. There was growing tension on Ishmael’s face.

His shoulders seemed to broaden before her eyes.

“Well,” Drystan gestured at him with his chin. “Please share.”