Page 47 of Taken By Shadows

And then the beating stopped. Or I stopped feeling them.

Blood spilled past my lips and my heart rate slowed. The edges of my world were a little darker than the sky above me, which was now slowly peeling back to reveal the dawn.

Shadows fell over my lids.

A roar echoed over my body until my entire being shook from the force.

Noises I couldn’t place echoed around me; they were frantic as they faded into the distance.

My eyes blinked open, wet with tears or blood. It stung to open them.

Kaed held me.

Kneeling over me, he cradled me to him. His body was tense, strained, and seemed ready to rive.

Whether from shock or delirium from the blood that was now spilling freely from me, I tried to push from his grip on me. “Get off me!” My demand was strangled by a cry of pain as every broken bone and split section of skin screamed in agony at the movement.

His grip tightened around me.

“What are—you doing—” The words felt heavy on my tongue.

“Imogen! Imogen. Open your eyes.”

My head lolled.

“What in the hells happened?”

It sounded like Gavrin, but my ears were buzzing like I’d stumbled into a hive.

“I need you to take care of her. Get her to Celeste.” I understood none of what Kaed said.

“What are you going to do—Kaed. No. You can’t.”

I was moving as someone held me in their arms.

“Kaed, listen to me. You can’t go after them. There isn’t time. You’re faster. Take her yourself.”

I felt a heartbeat thump beside my ear. Once. Twice.

A low growl sounded around me, and the arms that held me strained and flexed.

“You do not have my permission to die.” The words were for me, but I barely heard them over the thundering blood in my head. “You are under my protection.” His voice was mordant.

I didn’t want to die. Didn’t he know that?

His hands were sticky with my blood. That felt important.

Or was it?

What was he doing here?

“I’m not … yours to protect.” I tried to push off of him again, to get free of his grip.

I don’t want to die.

“I won’t let you die.”

My eyes fluttered open to see his jaw tic. Had I said that out loud?