Eva watched him carefully. Outwardly, his statement could be read as absolving himself of responsibility, but that was an illusion. Stray from his orders and Eva doubted even Caden could save her.
It was why Eva remained in the bed even when Chirron turned his back on her to cross the short distance to a nearby pallet where a person lay unconscious.
That didn't stop her from craning her head for a better look at his patient as Chirron stooped to take his pulse.
"Is that Ghost?"
Concerned, Eva lifted up for a better look. She blinked, not sure she was seeing correctly.
A golden glow spread out from the spot where Chirron touched Ghost. Thousands of little threads delved beneath his skin. What was most interesting was how his breathing smoothed out and the pale color faded. Not all the way but enough for Eva to tell whatever strange ability Chirron was using was making a difference.
Finished, Chirron withdrew his hand, those golden threads unlatching. They waved gently in the air before disappearing inside Chirron's wrist.
If Eva had had any remaining doubts about Chirron's status as a myein, they were long gone now.
Eva concealed her awe and trepidation before Chirron could glance up at her. Something told her she'd just seen something she shouldn't have. She didn't know if it was because she was like him and predisposed to being able to see what others couldn't or if he was usually a little more circumspect when he used his talents. Either way, she had no interest in revealing her hand.
This wasn't the first time her abilities had offered her glimpses into things she didn't want to know. Most of the time she could pretend to be blind to what she knew would lead her into trouble. But then there were times like these when she stumbled on something unexpected and had to scramble to hide her reaction.
Some fates you simply shouldn't dare.
How many more ways would people seek to use her if they found out she could weed out other myein? How many lives would she ruin if that was the case? Not to mention the danger posed if someone built an army comprised of those like them. People with a little bit extra.
She'd already made herself a tempting enough target as the Kyren Caller. She saw no reason to add to her danger—or bring herself unnecessary attention.
While meeting others as unique as herself was fascinating in its own way, Eva much preferred a quiet life. Solidarity and finding those who shared common ground with her wasn't that important in the grand scheme of things.
She'd take friends like Ghost, Jason, Ollie and the rest any day of the week.
Besides, if his history was anything like hers, he probably wouldn't welcome the knowledge a stranger now knew his secret. Better to be cautious. Just in case.
He couldn't be offended if he didn't know she knew. Then she wouldn't have to deal with any of those annoying consequences. A win for everyone.
Only when she was sure none of her thoughts showed on her face, did Eva send Chirron a worried look. "Will Ghost be alright?"
He was so still, lying under a light blanket. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
This—Eva didn't have words for it. Only that it made her feel awful—and angry. Useless because she hadn't stopped it.
"Wipe that look off your face," Ghost said, not opening his eyes.
"Ghost." Eva threw the covers back, swinging her legs toward the ground.
Chirron pointed at her, a warning on his face. Guiltily, Eva put her legs back on the bed and pulled the cover over them again.
Ghost snickered, the sound tired but holding some of his normal slyness. "I see the dictator has gotten to you."
Chirron slanted a look at the man. "I take it I'm the dictator in this scenario."
Ghost blew a raspberry. "Don't tell me you're unaware of what your patients call you, healer."
"Bold to insult the man responsible for keeping you alive."
Ghost opened his eyes to give Chirron a tired smile. "I'm not going to die from a bug bite. Don't you worry."
Bug bite, Eva's ass. Right now, Ghost looked like he was on death's door with the faintest of touches capable of sending him into the abyss.
Chirron raised his gaze to the tent's ceiling. "I don't know why I ever chose this path. Spare me a warrior's bravado. They're always more likely to be the source of their own destruction than anything they find out there."
"If that's what you think, you've been hanging out with the wrong warriors. I'm going to live forever. Everyone knows it." Ghost exhausted the last of his energy, his eyes slipping closed.
Eva leaned forward, worried he'd fallen unconscious again. "Is there nothing you can do for him?"
"I've already done quite a lot," Chirron said. "You should have seen him before I treated him. He had one foot in death's domain."
Eva wasn't entirely convinced he didn't still have that foot on death's side of the divide.
"All this from a cicada bite?" Eva asked, giving the board a disturbed look.
"We're in the Highlands. The unexpected is the norm," Chirron explained. "The venom from the bite isn't our biggest problem. Rather, it's the thousands of eggs the cicada injected into his blood stream."
At Eva's startled glance, Chirron allowed himself a bitter smile.
"I've given him something that should wash out the majority of the eggs. It should neutralize any problems, but it'll leave him weak in the meantime."
Eva nodded slowly, knowing that as simple as the treatment sounded it was anything but. She doubted anyone but Chirron would have been able to come up with it this quickly. More likely, they would have lost several before stumbling onto a method to deal with the eggs.
"It's lucky we got to him in time. From my research and looking at the two red backs, I suspect that if allowed to hatch the offspring will devour their host from the inside."
If right, it would mean the red backs weren't eaten after death but rather while they were still alive. No wonder she'd sensed madness in the mate. What a horrifying fate.
Chirron studied Ghost with a dispassionate expression. "I suspect it's an extremely awful way to go."
Eva's face was pensive as her gaze settled on Ghost. She didn't think she was up to losing another friend so soon after the last.
"Don't worry," Chirron assured her. "He will be fine."
Eva chose to believe him.
"Why didn't the pathfinder recognize them?" Eva asked, her mind teasing at an answer she couldn't quite grasp.
He really should have. This was the Highlands. His own back yard. Moreover, Reece struck her as being nearly as well informed as Shea. If these cicadas were native to this place, he should have known about them. By rumor if nothing else.
Chirron's head tilted as a thoughtful look crossed his face. "If I had to wager a guess, I'd say it's because the cicadas have a long dormancy state. In the Outlands we have a similar species who can sleep for twenty years before reappearing. They are stupid creatures only capable of procreating and consuming everything in their path."
"Like these," Eva said slowly.
As reasonable as the explanation was, something felt off.
According to gossip, the pathfinders had records going back all the way to the cataclysm. No matter how long their dormancy state, the pathfinders should have encountered them at some point.