By the time they returned to the Moonshade Realm, night had already fallen.

Lydia was taken back to the stone hall Jared had been staying in.

It had always been her room.

Healers moved in and out without pause—changing bandages, administering medicine, channeling ghostly miasma into her body.

Alaric stayed by her bedside, gripping his daughter’s hand, refusing to leave even for a moment.

Jared was given a room in the neighboring hall.

Gwendolyn was on the other side.