Page 150 of The Reaping Rose

Elorie

The pass between the hills trims our travel by a day. Sweat pours down Perame’s face as Callum sets her down, and Esen drops to the forest floor to cradle her head in her lap. We planned to push farther this afternoon but were forced to stop when Perame started crying out in pain.

Callum explained it was an effect of the bleeding blade. It’s worse than having your magic stolen in a Fae realm, where it can be replenished so long as there is some left. The bleeding blade carves it out so brutally that it damages a Fae’s ability to access their magic the way they once did. There’s a chance Perame won’t be able to wield it again, but I hope that’s not the case.

“Perame.” I take her hand; her palm is sticky with sweat. “We’re here with you.”

“Atlas.” She shakes her head from side to side; tears roll down her cheek.

“We’re going to get you back to him.” I clutch her hand in both of mine, pulling it to my chest. Callum squats at her other side, taking her other hand.

Perame’s eyes blink open. Her purple irises are so dull they’re more lavender than violet. The flecks that once made them sparkle are gone. The blade stole more than magic or strength; it cut out a piece of her.

“Elorie, it’s you.” Perame’s smile is weak as she blinks her eyes into focus.

We’ve told her many times we escaped the overlord, but each time she wakes, she’s forgotten.

“It’s me.”

She smiles. “We found you. You’re okay.”

“Of course I am. Don’t worry about me. I need you to hold on.” I squeeze her hand.

“Where are we?”

“Traveling back to the Arch. We’ll be there soon.”

Callum’s gaze lifts, but I don’t meet his stare. Our journey is far from over, with the hardest part ahead if what the overlord said is true and the Arch is being guarded. But for Perame’s sake, I keep that to myself.

Perame looks around, from me to Callum, until her gaze sets on Esen, sitting over her. “Thank you.”

Esen’s eyebrows furrow, her head shaking. “Why are you thanking me? I did this.”

“No.” Perame’s voice is soft but firm. “This is not your fault. You helped us.”

Something must shoot through her side because Perame winces, tugging her hand from my grasp and grabbing her abdomen.

“What’s wrong?” Callum asks.

“Besides everything?” Perame’s smile is dull. “I’ll be fine. Gods, if Atlas could see me now. He’d gloat about how he could outmatch me in the ring for once with the state I’m in.”

“He’d be wrong.” I smile, and Perame chuckles, but it ends on a cough.

“He always said I was the bleeding heart of the family. He’s a liar though.” Her smile is wistful as she glances up through the trees. “My brother is the best of us. Honorable. Loving. Always putting others before himself and caring with his whole heart.”

“You’re all those things too.”

Her gaze darts to me. “I lied to you, Elorie.”

“About what?”

“It wasn’t Seren who was pushing me away. I was the one who stopped talking to her, who told her we shouldn’t see each other anymore. It’s just—why cling to one more thing that will inevitably die? I can’t watch that again.”

My eyebrows pinch, and her expression softens.

“I said I’d never dated. That was a lie too. There was a girl once in the Mortal Realm—Daisy. It’s ironic: a girl named Daisy, and now Seren collects flower petals. Talk about the fates trying to send me a warning.”

“You loved her?”