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That thing stabbed me in the side with something, I’ve just remembered.

Chapter 62

I’m going to be okay. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. It’s almost morning, I can feel it coming. We should be arriving at the small village soon.

Back in Ellyar.

I’m trying to remain upright and not alert Rhydra to anything yet. If I let Daegan know I’m hurt, he’ll stop right here, and I can’t be responsible for holding us back. We need to keep moving.

I’ll be fine.

We’ll get to town and we’ll bandage me up, no problem. I feel fine, just a little… tired.

I slump forward, then catch myself. I don’t think there’s any venom in the wound, I just feel weak. Like the ghost of death is approaching my door from a distance, but he’s not yet entered the gates.

Reaching my hand down, I feel the wetness surrounding the wound. It’s not too bad. I can do this.

I picture myself swimming in the sea near the island, trying to recall the mix of hopelessness yet determination I felt with every stroke. When I went under and thought that was the end, I didn’t feel much fear even then. But I was so numb, even though the last thing I saw in my mind was Daegan. Now it’s different. I’m not numb anymore, and I’m determined to make it. I have things to live for. People to live for. I breathe through the slicing pain, in and out, in and out.

The darkness is subsiding, and I know somewhere above the veil, that yellow, bright sun is shining somewhere, giving us just a little bit of light after it gets filtered through the haze. In the distance, I see a circular black wall thatsurrounds the small village. It grows bigger as we approach. They should probably shift back soon…

As if reading my mind, Daegan slows to a stop.

“Ready?” Rhydra asks me when I don’t immediately stand.

“Yes…” I take a deep breath and stand up, then fall back down, into my sister’s arms.

“Shit!” There’s a panicked look in her eyes, and the world moves as I feel myself being taken somewhere. Down, I think. She’s carrying me down Daegan’s leg with her strong arms. I continue to look up at the hazy gray above, mesmerized by it, because it seems to reflect exactly how I feel.

My eyes feel heavy, then fall shut for a moment. But with more strength than I feel like I’ve ever used before, I pull them open again, and dark blue eyes are staring down at me, frantic and… scared.

He’ll take care of me.

This feels familiar, yet entirely different. This time, I have hope and a will to live. This time, he’s really here, and he’s not just a memory in my mind. Knowing that I’m in the hands of the person I trust most in this world, I let my eyes fall, no longer fighting it.

Chapter 63

I feel sore all over. What happened? Did I drown? I remember going under…

No, that’s not right.

I did feel like I was close to death, but I also remember feeling completely safe, because he had me.

At the sound of a grunt nearby, I open my eyes and turn my head slightly to find the source of the noise.

Daegan.

He’s sitting in a chair beside my bed, staring off into the distance while he bites his lip. His eyebrows are knitted together so tightly I imagine it must take tremendous effort to maintain the expression.

I shift, causing him to glance down, and his entire face loosens in an instant. He’s at my side, kneeling by the bed, taking my hand in his. He places a kiss on it, never taking his eyes off mine.

“Hello,” I say.

His lips pull back and he almost laughs a little. Almost.

“Hello.”

“How long was I out?”