The Prison Healer

Four days after Tilda’s arrival, the Rebel Queen is still extremely ill, and Kiva is bewildered by Tilda’s symptoms. Tilda is completely without sight, but she opens her eyes and looks toward Kiva’s voice. When Kiva comforts her, Tilda lunges for her and begins to strangle her. Kiva is about to black out when Naari wrestles Tilda off Kiva and knocks her out. In the fight, Naari’s wrist gets stabbed. Although Kiva is also injured, her immediate concern is for Naari. However, Naari reveals that she has a prosthetic hand.

Kiva asks what happened to cause the loss of her hand, and Naari says, “I was protecting someone I cared about… They made sure I was taken care of afterward” (74). Kiva now understands why Naari has stayed at Zalindov longer than most female prison guards do; her limb difference would make it challenging for her to find other work. Kiva is surprised to feel a friendly connection growing between her and Naari. Kiva’s friend Mot arrives with Tipp, and Kiva is surprised to find Jaren with them as well. Naari explains that she came to the infirmary to let Kiva know that Tilda’s first trial has been pushed back by one week so that the Crown Prince and Princess will be able to watch it.

Tipp wants Kiva to tell the story of the Rebel Queen. Kiva explains that long ago, Torvin Corentine and Sarana Vallentis were powerful magic-users who married. Then Sarana was corrupted by magic and turned against Torvin, who was injured and fled into the mountains. No one knows what happened to Torvin, but Tilda is thought to be his descendent.

When Mot and Tipp leave, Jaren asks Kiva why she is helping the Rebel Queen. Kiva tells him that it is not her place to judge her patients, only to help them.

When Kiva is relieved at midnight, she goes to her cell block to shower. Just as she steps beneath the shower spray, she is yanked out by Cresta, the leader of the prison rebels. Kiva cannot escape, because Cresta is much stronger than she is. Cresta has survived as a quarrier for five years: much longer than most. Cresta declares that Kiva must keep Tilda Corentine alive long enough for her to be rescued; in return, Cresta will not kill Tipp. Cresta tells Kiva that if Tilda dies, then Tipp will die, too.

Kiva goes to Warden Rooke and tells him what happened. She presses Warden Rooke to let Tipp leave because the boy has committed no crime. Rooke reminds her that Tipp can only go free if a guardian comes to collect him. He tells her that if Kiva does her job, and Tilda lives, then Tipp will be fine. Warden Rooke says that the trials are a hassle, but if Tilda does not survive long enough to complete the first trial, then Warden Rooke will blame Kiva.

Tilda’s fever breaks four days later, but Kiva still cannot figure out what is causing her sickness. Kiva is exhausted from her workload. Many prisoners seek out Kiva in the aftermath of sexual assault, seeking to prevent pregnancy because they know that mothers and newborns never survive long at Zalindov.

Tilda finally speaks and asks for water. Although she can hardly talk, she knows that she is in Zalindov. After their conversation, Tilda becomes delirious again. Kiva has no idea how to save Tilda, and she knows that the imminent Trial by Air would likely kill even an able-bodied person, which Tilda is not.

Naari comes to help Kiva escort Tilda to the Trial by Air. The entire prison has been pulled from their work duties to witness the event. The Crown Prince and Princess are on a raised platform, and they have concealed their faces with masks. As she walks, Kiva realizes what she must do. She directs Jaren help escort Tilda, then she runs to the platform and announces, “My name is Kiva Meridan, and I claim [Tilda’s] sentence as my own” (101).

The Captain of the Royal Guard tells the soldiers to let Kiva through. She is nervous because he is the one who was in charge when she and her father were arrested and sent to Zalindov. Now, Kiva tells the captain that she will be Tilda’s champion. The captain says that if she fails, both Kiva and Tilda will die.

Princess Merryn uses magic to send Kiva flying, and she lands on a freestanding watchtower. The Captain follows and gives her a chance to back down, but she does not. The Captain tells her that her Trial is to jump from the watchtower to the eastern wall, which is 30 feet away. Kiva is reluctant to do this, but she will be pushed if she does not. Kiva takes a running leap and briefly believes that she might make it, but she starts to fall. She closes her eyes and thinks of her father. Then she feels overwhelming pain, and everything goes dark.

Kiva remembers the day that she and her father, Faran, were arrested. The guards surrounded them and told her father that he was under arrest because he had been seen with a rebel. Faran tried to argue, but the guard told him to step away from his children, Kiva and Kerrin. The rest of the family had already fled, and their cottage was set on fire. When the soldiers approached, Faran pushed Kiva away from him. Kerrin reached for a dagger and ran toward a soldier, who speared him with his sword. The Captain picked up Kiva as she screamed, and although Faran tried to save Kerrin, the boy died.

In the present, Kiva wakes to intense pain. Princess Mirryn is at her side in the infirmary and gives her poppymilk. Kiva does not understand how she survived, but Mirryn tells her that Prince Deverick saved her because she was pretty. Mirryn tells her that her girlfriend would approve of Kiva’s spirit. After Deverick saved Kiva, the Warden chastised Mirryn and Deverick and told them to leave before the other trials.

Mirryn uses her magic to create an air bubble so that they can talk privately, then asks Kiva how confident she is that she can survive the other trials. Mirryn gives Kiva an amulet and explains that she has an affinity for air and fire. The ruby on the amulet can absorb fire, which might help Kiva to survive the upcoming Trial by Fire. Kiva asks why Mirryn is helping her, and the princess explains that she owes her brother a favor. Deverick finally appears and tries to charm Kiva. She thanks him for saving her. As they leave, Mirryn tells her, “I still think you have a death wish. Feel free to prove me wrong” (129).