Tuva joined her, silent for a time. "You carry their pain with them. It's a heavy thing."
"It is," Elara admitted. "But I can't turn away. Not when I might help even a little."
The flaw lay bare between them. She could not accept that some suffering was beyond reach. It drove her to the edge of exhaustion and sometimes beyond. Tuva didn't offer empty comfort. She simply stood beside her, sharing the quiet.
Inside, the healer's halls held steady. The corrupted man breathed easier. The children slept. The keep endured. Elara drew a slow breath, letting the cold air clear her head. Tomorrow would bring more wounded, more shadows from the east. She would meet them with open hands and a heart that refused to harden.
Magnus passed on his way to the guest quarters, offering a respectful nod. "Your work today saved lives. Frostfang is lucky to have you."
