My whole body stilled. My breath caught. My knees nearly gave out. She was limping. Pale. Blood in her hair. But she was alive. Alive. A piece of my soul snapped back into place just seeing her.
“Elira,” I breathed. Louder now. “Elira!”
She spun.
And for one heartbeat, she just stared.
Then she ran.
“Phoenix!” she sobbed, stumbling into me so hard we both nearly fell. Her arms wrapped around me, and the pain meant nothing. I held her like I’d been drowning and she was the only breath left in the world.
“I thought—” she gasped, “—I thought he killed you—”
“Not yet,” I managed, pulling her tighter. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”
She was shaking. So was I.
Behind her, Jasper hovered warily, eyes scanning the ruins for threats.
“You’re bleeding,” she said, voice breaking. Her hands moved to my side, to the dark wound spreading beneath my ribs.
“I’m fine,” I lied. “Where’s Finn?”
She winced, tears falling freely down her face. “I … he…” she stopped and looked away.
Jasper stepped in gently. “He was hurting her, so I …I had to stop him.”
“Is he dead?” I asked carefully, watching Elle. Her eyes shuttered and she wouldn’t look at me. Shame and heartbreak radiated off her.
“No. I hit him with my blade, but he could be following us right now.” Jasper sighed.
“Elle? Are you ok?”
She forced a small smile. “Would you believe me if I said yes?” she asked quietly.
“No.”
She paused, breathing hard. “Then don’t ask. Not yet. I just… I can’t.” She shook herself and put more pressure on my wound. “We need to fix you up. Can you heal yourself?”
“It takes a lot out of me. I’ll need time to rest.” I said, but I was already feeling weak. Blood was steadily dripping from me. “I’ll be fine.”
When she saw the blood, Elira went white.
“Don’t lie to me,” she snapped. Her voice shook, but her eyes were blazing. “I can’t lose you, Phoenix. Do you understand?”
“I know someone,” Jasper cut in quickly. “At the safehouse. She might be able to help him—if we move now.”
Elira spun, scanning the rubble. “We need something. A cart, a horse—anything!”
“There’s a carriage shed, not far,” I said, voice thin.
“Where?” Her eyes locked on mine—urgent, demanding.
I told her.
Then we were moving—Jasper on one side, Elira on the other, dragging me between them as my legs began to fail.
I forced a pulse of magic through my ribs to seal the worst of the wound. It slowed the bleeding, but the price hit hard. My vision blurred. My lungs burned. I could feel it—my body fading.
