Someone else was in the barrow with him.

Gene tried to focus his eyes, which were glazed over with pain. It was...Wan? What the hell was Wan doing here? Dimly he realized that Wan must have heard the commotion and come over. He was going to try and tell Wan to run, that Valdis had snapped, but he couldn't speak, could barely breathe.

The pain seemed to abate a little, but he didn't know how. He couldn't move, couldn't see the spirit water. He thought he was truly dying.