She led me to one of the shiny black granite basins arranged along the wall—a small ward designed to suck the magical fatigue out of you. She made me put my hand on the water.
I obeyed. The water rippled. A single shaft of moonlight came through the high window and flooded the basin where my mark was. I had a hot rush—like the portal's reverberation through my blood. I gasped and almost jerked back.
Mara's hand steadied mine. "The basin will siphon some of the overflow magic. But your body will need rest. You can't keep funneling like this."
I closed my eyes, the heat taking root. "If I stop... if I break stride... they they'll reach Selvarin ahead of us."
Her eyes were stern. "You end up burning out completely."
I opened my eyes, a raging defiance in them. "Then I'll burn. But we win."
She shook her head, sorrow and pride twisting together. "Just … promise me you won't pass out again."
I looked down at my wrist, which was heaving like some living being. "Promise."
