Ambrose and I both snap our heads in Nyx’s direction. “Turning her into a vampire would be a death sentence.”
“It wouldn’t. It’d keep her alive.”
“And turn her into an abomination like you! She’d never forgive you for that.”
“I don’t care if she’d forgive me. She’d be alive.”
“And not be able to break any of the curses. Save herself. Or save you, you asshole.”
“We don’t know any of that.”
“Boys, can we argue later? If someone doesn’t stop the bleeding soon, I can’t promise that I’m not going to suck her dry right now.”
Ambrose growls in my direction, and Nyx gives me a look that says try it, and he’ll snap my neck, rip out my heart, and set me on fire faster than it takes me to blink.
But my words have the desired effect. Ambrose closes his eyes and places his hands on Lumi’s body.
I feel her body heating beneath my hands, feel the wound tugging, trying to pull together.
“You can remove your hands now,” Ambrose says calmly.
I’m not sure I should. Another second or two of blood loss could be the difference between her living or dying. But I do what he says.
My shoulders slump in relief. The wound has pulled together, and the bleeding has stopped.
“Riven will be able to do more, but for now, that should be enough,” Ambrose says.
“Who did this?” Nyx asks me, never taking his eyes off Lumi. He doesn’t touch her. Doesn’t kneel next to her. Doesn’t move close to her. Just watches.
I should tell them. I want to tell them. I need to tell them my theory.
I open my mouth, and the words stick in my throat. I try again and again, but the words refuse to leave.
“What’s wrong? Answer him! Who tried to kill her?” Ambrose asks angrily.
I try to explain. Try to tell him anything that could be helpful. Anything that could save her next time. Anything to help them. But once again, the words die in my throat.
Nyx studies me. “She’s bound either by a blood deal or mind control.”
I don’t react. I can’t confirm or deny the words he’s saying.
“Fight it! We have to know who tried to kill her. Was it a witch? A Moonfire witch? Someone else? Who?” Ambrose is desperate. His voice demanding answers I can’t give him.
I shake my head, and a tear forms in the corner of my eye. I haven’t cried since I turned. But there’s that pesky tear, threatening to fall now.
I look at Nyx. Begging him to figure it out. To put the pieces together himself. For the first time ever, I wish he could read my mind. Wish we had the bond between us.
“Amora can’t help us. She’s bound by the vampire king,” Nyx says.
The tear falls.
He sees it.
“I don’t care what deal, oath, or control he has over her; she needs to tell us what happened. It could be the key to breaking the curse and saving Lumi!”
“She can’t, and even if she could, she’d die,” Nyx says, taking a step toward me.
I tremble, my world shaking around me. I don’t know what he’s going to do.