Cadence did so, quickly, tugging at the hem of her white shirt, not that he’d moved it. “What is it? Am I going to die, Doc?” The amount of drama infused in her voice got the laugh she was looking for, but part of her was truly beginning to question how serious this situation might be.

“Someday—but not from this. Cadence, I’m not sure I want to tell you right now, since we’re headed into a pretty big battle, but you’re not sick.”

“Huh?” she asked, bracing her hands on the edge of the table. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

“It could be. But I also don’t think you’re going...