Chapter 5

The world came to me in fragments of sensation. First, the antiseptic smell that couldn't quite mask the metallic tang of blood—my blood. Then the murmur of voices, urgent and professional.

"We can't guarantee her survival if we proceed," a female voice said, trembling slightly. "The silver shards are too close to her vital organs."

"Then you will find a way to guarantee it."

That voice—deep, commanding, familiar in a way I couldn't place—sent a shiver down my spine despite my semiconscious state.

"King Nolan, with all due respect, even our best healers—"

"I don't want excuses." The voice moved…