'What do you think?' I ask him.

'She'll come with us if she wants to. It's up to her,' Nesbitt says, and he heads back to the camp. I stare out over the fields, wondering if Donna has run off and given up on the Alliance. She's spent the last few weeks as a prisoner, and today she came a metre away from being blown up. I wouldn't blame her for leaving.

I'm about to turn to follow Nesbitt when the sun comes out to my left, low in the sky and partially hidden by a long bank of clouds. The clouds are clearing already and the meadow in front of me is flooded with warm light. After the rain it's a good thing to feel sunlight on my skin. The land around looks lush, smells fresh. And even with all this death so close to us because of the death it's amazing to see the beauty of the world. It's so beautiful and so brutal. It's a reminder that every second of life is precious.

I turn to see Nesbitt disappear into the trees. And further to my right is Gabriel, waving me over to join him. I look back one last time the way the Hunters went and the sun dips below the cloud, turning it red and orange and lighting up the grass and trees and everything, and I'm lit up as well. It's all golden. It's beautiful. And then I realize where I've seen this glow before. I turn to Gabriel.

The blow to my stomach is a surprise, though I know it shouldn't be, and I'm aware that my body is flying up and backwards and through the air. I'm still in the air when the sound of the shot reaches my ears, and another shot follows as I fall and I'm not sure if I've been shot once or twice as the ground rises up and forces the air out of me.

I try to take a breath but my lungs won't do it.

I can't breathe. And I know it's the same as my vision. And I know I'm dying.

the magic bullet.

Can't breathe properly. Not enough air.

More shooting. Shouting.

Can't breathe.

Gabriel is above me.

Can't breathe. Can't breathe ... can't breathe ... can't breathe.

'Heal, Nathan. Keep healing.'

I concentrate on my lungs. Heal them ... fill them with air.

Better.

Gabriel's ripping at my shirt, saying, 'You're going to be OK. You're going to be OK.'

I can't breathe again. Already!

Heal my lungs again.

Better.

Breathe.

Breathe.

But my stomach's on fire.

I try to look at my stomach but can't lift my head. Fuck! Fuck! I move my hands to my stomach. It's hot and wet and Gabriel pushes my hands away, saying, 'Lie still, Nathan.'

'It's hot.'

And my gut burns and burns and I know it's a Hunter bullet and poison but worse than ever.

'It's burning me. Get it out!'

Gabriel holds my wrists down and shouts for Celia.

I heal again. I tell Gabriel, 'My healing isn't strong enough.'

And already the burning is coming back.

I clench my fists and stare at the sky and think of something that isn't burning.

Then when I can't stand it any more I heal again.

The burning goes.

'Gabriel, if I ' But the burning is back already.

I stay with it, let it build. I can heal once more maybe.

Let the burning build.

And build.

Shit!

And build.

Gabriel is looking at me.

Now heal. Relief. That's so good.

'Gabriel. I don't think I can do it any more.'

'Yes, you can. Celia's coming. She'll get the bullet out.'

'Gabriel ... I can't.'

'Nathan. Don't give up. You can do it, Nathan. Please.'

And the burning is back.

And building. Faster and hotter.

Why aren't they coming?

It's too hot. Too hot.

Concentrate on not screaming.

Don't scream. Don't scream.

Concentrate on breathing.

Count.

One.

Two.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Try to heal. Try.

Celia's calm voice: 'I'll be quick. Keep him still. Hold his legs.'

Celia's face. 'Nathan, try to hold still. I've got to cut the bullet out.'

And my arms and legs are pulled down and my stomach burns hotter.

And I don't want to scream.

'I said hold him still!'

I feel the knife in my stomach.

I don't want to scream.

'It's not here.'

'What? What?'

'I can't find the bullet!'

'It's still in there. It hasn't gone through him.'

'I know, but I can't find it.'

And the burning is spreading up to my chest.

Celia says, 'I think it's moving. I think the bullet is moving inside him.'

A magic fucking bullet.

And Gabriel is there telling me, 'We'll get it out. You'll be OK.' And our eyes meet and I try to tell him that I want to stay with him but I can't heal any more and it's so hot.

And I feel like there are flames burning through my stomach and chest.

And every breath is like fire inside me.

I don't want it to hurt any more.

And I close my eyes and Gabriel is shouting at me to open them and to heal.

I want it to stop hurting.

Celia says she's going to try next to my heart.

And Gabriel's shouts get fainter.

Wallend appears above me. I don't know how he got here. Wallend, who tattooed me and tested me; he must be back to do more. He's bent over me and I'm tied down on the ground. Wallend has a branding iron, its end heated to white. He holds it up to show me and then puts the iron to my stomach and I'm burning up, writhing as much as I can to get away from him, but the iron goes in further and deeper. And all I know is that I want to die. But I don't tell him that. It's my secret. I know I'll die soon.

Hurry up and die!

Wallend has gone. Gone! I need him to kill me and I scream at him, 'Kill me!'

Or am I already dead?

It's dark. I must be buried in the earth. Good.

It's cold.

Am I dead?

I'm in a cell in the Council building: no windows, cement floor, brick walls. It's gloomy but there's light enough to see a figure kneeling in front of me. I walk up to her. Annalise. Her hands are tied. I take the Fairborn out of its sheath. And she looks me in the eyes and says, 'I love you. You're my prince. You saved me.' And the Fairborn is in my hands, wanting blood. And I don't know what to do. Do I kill Annalise?

Blackness. Peace.

Am I alive or dead?

I hope I'm dead.

I'm cold. In the cell, not chained to the wall. I look for Annalise but she isn't here. There's a different figure kneeling on the floor. Soul. And now I see that kneeling next to him is Wallend and then I see Jessica and next to her a Hunter I don't recognize and next to the Hunter another Hunter. There's lots of Hunters. The cell is much bigger than I remember. I walk along the line of kneeling prisoners. They're all dressed in black. All kneeling. Heads bowed. I have to kill them all. But the line is long, never-ending. The Fairborn is in my hand but I can't do this with the Fairborn; I need a gun. Where's a gun?

'I need a gun.'

'Shhhh, Nathan. Shhhh.'

'Give me a gun.'

'Shshsh. Rest.'