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When I could finally take deep, even breaths without wincing, I knew the worst was over. Judging by the look on Edrich’s face, I wasn’t sure which of us was more relieved by that.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
He was still cradling me gently in his hands.
I sighed, bleary-eyed and light-headed. With the pain ebbing away, exhaustion swooped in.
“Yes. I think it’s over,” I said, sheepishly.
Edrich seemed to relax at that, until Ucafre spoke, at least.
“The herbs help mitigate the pain, but depending on the wound, the healing process can be quite brutal.” He studied me for a moment. “How long have you had these spasms?”
“As long as I can remember.”
“I thought you said they went away years ago, that you were better.” Edrich’s tone was accusatory.
“Well,” I responded. “They didn’t. And I am not.”
Edrich stiffened. While his color didn’t give away his feelings, I could read his expression clearly. He was disappointed, maybe even angry with me.Again.
Ucafre cleared his throat, nodding at whatever thought that came to him, and made his excuses. Pointing to a bedroll by the fire, he assured us that we were welcome until morning, and that he would be sleeping in the adjacent alcove of the cave.
Edrich didn’t say much in response. Putting me down, he quietly unrolled the blankets, setting up his bed for the night.
I decided to do the same with my roll, losing myself in my own thoughts in the process.
Every move I made was illuminated by a soft blue light, my emotions on full display in the darkness. Maggie followed me around until I found a spot close enough to the fire to stay warm, but far enough away not to swelter.
Taking her small bit of cloth, she rolled around until she was sufficiently wrapped in it. It wasn’t long before her nose was buried under her scrap of blanket and she was snoring.
If only it was that easy for me…
My mind ran wild with a million scenarios for how differently the day could’ve gone. I had hoped this whole thing would be one last adventure for Edrich and me. That maybe it would heal the rift between us… but instead, I had almost gotten him killed.
All for what?To find a people that I may not even belong to?
What have I done?
20
Edrich
Sleep was never going to come. Not when Lina was lying there like a tiny beacon of pain. Besides, Ucafre’s imposing presence may have been enough to frighten away the other predators in the forest, but the smaller critters could kill Lina as easily as the large ones.
That is the reason I gave myself when I sighed audibly, getting her attention. Not because she was a deeper, grayer blue than I had ever seen, the color flaring brightly with waves of pain, and what I suspected were sobs.
No, this is only about her safety.
“Lina, why have you put your—” Was it really a sleep roll when it could fit around my thumb? It was for her, I supposed. “Sleep roll so far from mine?”
She had her back to me, so I only saw her stand up to pull her sleeping roll a couple feet closer to mine. Well, at least she was within arm’s reach to protect her now.
She lay back down without a word.
Over the years, I had begun to understand her color system a little better. The color itself represented a base emotion, then she would glow with the intensity of it.
Right now… blue meant sadness. But the way it shone so brightly it cast sparkly shadows on the wall, that went far beyond feeling a little down.This is grief.
