Page 10 of Resurgent

“I put a tonic in the water to hopefully prevent that, but still, it's better to be safe," Sasha tells us cheerfully.

Slowly, I open my eyes, braced for the pain that's come every time I remember trying before now, but it doesn't come.

"There are those gorgeous eyes!” Sasha beams just before Matt lifts me into his lap, pulling me tight to his chest.

“I never want to hear you complain about me being overly protective ever again, you got that?” His words are chiding, but every word sounds as though he's breaking.

Sasha and Korr both start to scold him for moving me, but the second he kisses the top of my head, I burst into tears, and then he does too.

“I thought I lost you,” he whispers.

“I thought you did too,” I admit, which only has him holding me tighter. "I love you so much Mattey. I was so scared you wouldn't make it to me in time."

"Have I ever broken a promise to you?" he asks, but he continues without waiting for the answer he already knows, "I'll always find you."

A sobbed laugh escapes me as I nuzzle closer into his chest. "That was really corny."

"What do you expect? I've been stuck with them for company for the last week and a half," he laughs, nudging my face toward the audience I'd completely forgotten about.

Sasha has taken the spot I was just pulled from, radiant smile aimed at me as tears fill her eyes. I smile back as much as I can manage—and she loses it completely.

"Gods, do I really look that bad, Sash?"

"No!" she insists at the same time a brooding Korr says, "Yes."

I shoot him a glare as he leans against the doorframe like he owns the place. Glad to see he's still an asshole.

Matt barks out a laugh, and Sasha’s eyes go wide in shock.

"I guess I said that out loud? Oops!" I say, sending both of them into fits of laughter. Of course, Korr stays stoic as always, shaking his head, but not snapping at me for once. I guess near-death experiences have their perks.

“What happened?” I ask no one in particular, refusing to apologize when we both know it would be a lie.

“We've only pieced together a little bit, but you were attacked during land nav,” Sasha starts, but I shake my head, cutting her off.

“No, I remember all that. I mean what happened after I got out of the cave? Where are we?” Then a wave of fear hits me, my entire body going rigid in Matt's arms. “Where's Web?”

“Dead,” Korr states, so matter-of-factly, you would think he was telling me the day of the week…which I'll also need to ask Matt once I find out everything I've missed.

“I didn’t kill him. He couldn’t have died from the…injury…I gave him,” I wince, unsure of what all they know.

“You didn't kill him, I did,” he says. “And then Tyr wanted a turn so he shredded his and Platt’s bodies before incinerating them.”

“Tyr?” I say aloud and in my mind, too exhausted to focus on only sending it through our bond.

“I’m here. I’m behind the house in the woods.”

The sudden urge to run out back and see him hits me, but I don’t even think I can stand on my own right now.

“Tomorrow, Little Faren. I’m not going anywhere.”

“He hasn’t left since we found you," Korr answers, not privy to the conversation Tyr and I are having. “And before you worry, he hasn’t been starving. Kali has been bringing him food.”

“Who the hell is Kali?” I ask, torn between grateful someone is taking care of him, and upset anyone other than me is doing it.

Tyr chuffs, and Korr laughs out loud, the sound foreign, but not horrible. “Kali is my bonded dragon.”

“Okay..." I guess that's a little bit better than a person. Maybe?