Page 119 of Moon Chosen

He nodded again.

“Okay, good. Sora, I’ll lead. Let me know when you need to rest, but don’t make it too often,” Mari told Sora.

“What if I get tired often?”

“Look at the sky,” Mari said.

Questioningly, Sora glanced upward, then looked back at Mari.

“Where’s the sun?” Mari prompted her.

“Oh, Great Goddess! It’s moving down the sky. If we get caught outside at dusk with him, his blood will bring roaches, and beetles, wolf spiders, and—”

“And that’s why you’re not going to rest often,” Mari said. She took hold of her end of the litter, telling Sora, “Remember to lift with your legs.”

***

Mari would never forget that terrible journey back to the burrow, though out of it came two promises she made to herself. The first was that she was going to figure out how to get Sora into decent shape. The girl was all curves and softness with, Mari was sure, not one single muscle beneath her smooth facade.

The second promise she made to herself was to simplify her life—no Sora. No Nik the Companion. No nothing that would cause stress and confusion and angst. She was going to patch Nik up—get answers to her questions—send him on his way. Then she was going to be sure Sora could call down the moon—and send her on her way as well.Thenshe and Rigel were going to find some much deserved peace.

“I can’t,” Sora gasped, dropping the foot end of the litter and causing Nik to groan through the biting stick—again. “I’m sorry, but I can’t carry him any farther.”

Behind her, Rigel whined softly. More carefully than Sora, Mari put her end of the litter down and caressed the pup, reassuring him wordlessly that they were almost safe—almost home.

Mari looked at Sora, assessing the truthfulness of whether her energy was really spent or not. The girl was dripping sweat. Her thick, dark hair was plastered to her face and neck. Her arms were shaking and her breath was coming in gasps.

Thankfully, she’d dropped the litter just before the entrance to the bramble thicket. More carefully, Mari bent to speak to Nik. “Do you think you can walk? It’s not far now.”

He was so pale and still that with half of his face covered Mari wondered for a moment if he’d died during the last part of the trip. She was reaching to check his pulse when he mumbled, “Don’t know.”

“Well, you’re going to have to try. Sora, get my stick. I’ll help Nik walk. You’ll have to listen to my directions, and we’ll get through the brambles. I hope.”

“Anything to be able to sit down and rest and have a nice cup of tea,” Sora said.

Mari almost told her that resting wasn’t going to be on the agenda for either of them that night, but when she met Sora’s gray gaze and saw the honest exhaustion there, she thought better of it. Instead she smiled and said, “You’ve done a really good job helping me. We’re almost there. Sit over there near the entrance and out of the poison oak. Rest while I untie him.”

Sora nodded wearily and dropped to her butt. Mari worked the knots undone quickly. Then, murmuring encouragement to the semiconscious man, Mari draped his arm around her shoulders as she grasped him around the waist.

“Once you’re inside turn immediately to your left. When you lift up the first branch you’ll see the path. Follow it about ten paces, then it’ll look like it turns to the left again, but it won’t. It dead-ends into more brambles. Instead, go to the right.”

“Okay,” Sora said, reluctantly stepping into the brambles.

“Nik, lean on me. We’re walking now.”

It was harder than Mari had thought it would be. Nik kept stumbling and swaying. Mari was positive he almost passed out a couple of times, but she kept talking to him, and calling directions to Sora and, to her surprise, they actually made it to the door of the burrow with only a few scratches.

“Where are you putting him?” Sora asked as she collapsed in front of the hearth, poking the fire tiredly so that it flamed to life.

“On my bed. He needs to be close to the fire.”

“I thought that was my bed now,” Sora said.

“You sleep in Leda’s bed. I’ll make up a pallet for myself by the hearth. He’s going to need tending all night.”And I need to be sure he doesn’t wake and try to find his way out of here,Mari added silently to herself. She guided Nik to the narrow pallet she’d slept on for most of her life. With a long sigh he lay back. “I’m going to take the blindfold off now,” she told him. She unwrapped the cloth, and he blinked blearily up at her.

“Where am I?”

“Home. Well, my home. Rest while I get things ready to take care of that wound in your back.” Mari went to Sora. “Start boiling water.”