I’d brushed it off then, chalked it up to the shock of a new realm, a body adjusting to magic it was never built to hold. But what if I was wrong? What if something in The Far Place reallywaskilling her? What if it’s too late now?
I gather her against my side, doing my best not to let the anxiety claw me apart as she curls into me and falls asleep.This can’t happen. I just found her. I finally thought things were going to be okay…
I swallow my emotion, gazing back toward the exposed roots. They’re still pulsing that horrible red color, and I have no clue what it could mean.
It can’t be anything good, though.
29
Willow
I slept for three cycles.When I woke, my mates were nearly beside themselves with worry, bouncing off the walls with the sheer amount of pent-up anxiety. Now, Rhune won’t stop hovering, and Nyx keeps checking my pulse every few minutes like he doesn’t trust his own eyes to tell him I’m still breathing.
And the worst part is, it feels like I didn’t sleep a wink. I’m just as tired as when I passed out, and my body aches in places and ways I never knew it could. My head feels like someone is slowly hammering a rusty nail into the center of my brain, and my skin is crawling with ants. I’m burning up and freezing cold all at once, and my nailbeds itch something terrible. Rhune has caught me several times trying to claw off my own nails in my sleep, and the only way he got me to stop was by bundling my hands into mittens with some fur scraps.
On the bright side, when I woke, I found that Dravik was able to salvage some necessary items from the lair. He managed to pull some furs and bowls from the wreckage, plus a few bottles of welwig sap and an ancient tome that Nyx specifically asked him to look for. In addition, Dravik has kept himself busy foraging, so now I have a good supply of healthy, hearty foods that I enjoy.
Not that I’m all that hungry. I’m mostly just counting down the minutes until my mates deem it acceptable for me to fall back asleep. It’s all I want to do lately, though it worries them terribly. I’d probably worry too, if I wasn’t so damn sleepy.
I raise my head, finding all four demons staring at me like I’m a fragile piece of china that might fall to pieces any moment.
I let out a deep sigh. “What’s wrong, guys?”
“Your eyes…” Nyx’s brow narrows in a frown.
Oh. Shit.“Are they bleeding again?” I reach up and touch the skin around my eyes, but there’s no fluid leaking from them.Silver lining, I suppose.
“They’re not bleeding. Theyareglowing, though.” Nyx’s lips press into a thin line. “How do you feel? Are you hungry? Thirsty?”
“Honestly? I’m just so damn tired.” I reach out, stretching in a wide yawn. “I feel like I could sleep for a year.”
“Please don’t.” Rhune leans in, a low whine echoing from his throat. “I am so worried about you, pup. I don’t like how much you’re resting.”
“Maybe I need some fresh air? That actually sounds really good now that I think about it…”
The demons exchange nervous glances.
“I don’t know,” Dravik says slowly. “What if we encounter another arachnyx?”
“If we do, we can run down into the tunnels again.” Now that I’ve said it out loud, the thought of tasting the sunlight and breathing fresh air has taken root, spreading through me like wildfire. I’m obsessed. Ineedto go outside. I have to see the sky, feel the fresh air in my lungs. Beanywhereelse other than this small cave that reeks of ancient magic.
After a few more minutes of hushed, worried muttering among themselves, they finally cave.
“Okay,” Dravik grumbles. “We will take you to the surface. Butonlyfor a few minutes.” He lobs a pointed glare at Rhune, and adds, “That is an order for you too, Rhune. I know you will cave if she so much aslooksat you. Remember, this is for her safety.”
Rhune huffs like he’s offended, but I don’t miss the guilty smile tugging at his mouth. Pushing on my toes, I press my lips to Rhune’s cheek. As soon as I make contact, the bond thrums, and a delighted purr rumbles in Rhune’s throat. He curves his wing around my shoulder, pulling me in tight to his side. “What can I say? I am weak for you.”
I chuckle, leaning my head on his broad chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. “I’m ready to go whenever you are.”
Rhune scoops me into his arms without asking, and the four of us fly through the tunnel and up toward the surface, Cin following far behind and checking for threats.
When we finally emerge, I have to blink hard against the assault of light. The silver sun hangs high overhead, casting everything in that strange, shimmering glow. Rhune holds me in his lap as he settles at the edge of the cliff, and for a moment, I just sit there, soaking it in. But it doesn’t take long for the unease to creep back in.
Today, there are no birds to speak of. There is no animal life at all, really. Even the creepy tentacle creatures I saw the other day don’t seem to be active.
I gaze around, noting the stillness in the air. It presses against my skin, heavy and wrong, and for a moment, it feels like I can’t breathe.
Wasn’t it just storming? The flurries seem to have stopped entirely, like the sky is holding its breath.
