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Before I knew it, my dress was hiked to my thigh and the blade was in my hand as I sprinted for the riverbed, praying the diadem stayed put in the ruffles.
The sound of Miles’ frantic gasps from under his mask and the gentle rush of the stream masked my footsteps as I approached, leaping through the air and desperately clawing onto the creature’s bony back. I stabbed the beast in the side of the ribs, dragging the knife back with a feral scream that matched its furious screeching roar.
It bucked, releasing Miles, who rolled and sprung to his feet as I clung to the animal.
I wrenched my dagger from its side, reaching around to jam it into the thick skin of its neck. It was running in circles now, frantically trying to buck me off as black blood sprayed across the bank of the stream.
Anywhere I could make contact, I drove the blade in. I lost track of Miles as dizziness began muddying my vision, and still the beast lived. I neededonesolid slice across its neck,onedeep enough to sever something vital…
A primal scream bellowed from its mouth as Miles threw his own dagger, the blade piercing one of its eyes, the blood spurting like the geyser. I clung to it as it sank to its front knees, then its back, moaning as the blood flowed and flowed.
I managed to hop off as it toppled over, chest heaving, legs kicking weakly. Sorrow sent a bolt through my chest for the beast that was just acting in its nature, for the beast that didn’t know any better.
A final groan and its chest stilled.
“What are you doing here?” a thick, gravelly voice growled from behind me, panting.
I spun to face Miles, his maskstillin place despite the fact that he was half naked and dripping water, sweat, and blood. I was able to make out the tattoo now — ocean waves with two ships between them, wrapping from his shoulder to his chest. “Whatwasthat thing?”
He was breathless, an odd warmth moving through me at the sight of his chest heaving, at the fact that he was still alive. His tone quickly cut that warmth into pieces. “Whatareyoudoing here?”
Snapping me from my stare, I raised a brow at him. “You said we were allowed to ‘wander.’”
“Why would you do something sostupid?”he snarled.
I began to straighten my gown, my chin inclined slightly.Nothing to lose.“Came out looking for food.”
“Food?”
“Yes. Food.”
His shoulders loosened. “The leechthorn sustains. Some people don’t break the habit of eating at first. You don’t need food anymore.”
Fuck. Fucking Saints damned cocksucking shit.
Iwould certainly need food. Which meant I would not only need to find food but a way to eat it without being seen. I schooled my features into neutrality and gave a slight nod. “What happened to me last night?”
“Seems you already know.” He reached for his tunic, splattered with black blood, and began to pull it over his head.
I shook my head, his words sticking in my brain but making no sense. “But…what did you do to me?” I swallowed hard, the gravity of the situation beginning to unfold in front of me. My body was no longer broken.
“I did nothing.” His words were short and dismissive, and he didn’t look up at me as he adjusted the hem of his tunic. He tied the cord at his neckline, sighing at the putrid blood stains that had soaked in.
“How am I healed?”I pushed.
Bending down to the stream and splashing water over his forearms, he was silent for a few moments. “You’re very talkative, you know that?” I stepped back, his words biting. “Too talkative. I don’t know why you’re healed. It’s not something you nor I should know,” he grumbled, “and things will be a lot easier for you if you don’t know. Keep your head down. Not a word of it to anyone else. Understand?”
I was blinking rapidly, looking like an utter idiot as he turned to face me. Not something I should know? “What are you talking–”
“Keep your fucking mouth shut. Or I will inflict every wound upon you once again and savor every Saints damned moment of it.Understand?And keep that thing hidden,”he spat, pointing at the dagger. He stood over me now and I swore I could feel his stare through the metal mask. I wanted to rip it off, to see the expression underneath. My throat bobbed as I nodded at him. “Next dose is–”
A horn sounded, echoing through the forest, birds flying from the trees. “Now,” he muttered, storming past me and heading back up the slope to the edge of the valley.
“You’re welcome for saving your life,” I yelled. The words had left my lips before I realized I was speaking. He stopped in his tracks, turning slowly to face me. He stalked toward me and I recoiled under his stare.
“You’rewelcome,” he snarled through a clenched jaw, “for savingyourlife.” I inhaled sharply, praying he would back off, that he would turn back to camp.
The beast lay in a stinking heap as I strapped the dagger back to my thigh, tore the diadem through another layer of fabric, and followed Miles back to camp.
