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“Don’t hurt him,” I tried to say, but it came out too weak to be heard.
I pulled away from my aunt and uncle. The islanders sprinted toward Graham, but he didn’t stop.
I gathered a breath and shouted with all my remaining strength. “Run!”
Cael reached him first and smashed his fist into his stomach. Graham reeled back and doubled over.
I screamed, but Elin and Oliver held my arms back again, taking me with them.
Cael slammed his fist into Graham’s face. Again and again.
I couldn’t pull my eyes away.
Graham fell to the ground, his face spattered with blood.
They pulled me behind a house, and he disappeared from my view.
“Stop.” My pleas were weak and useless. “Please stop.”
They pushed me inside the house and put me on a bed. Elin rested a hand on my shoulder, and I sank down helplessly, my vision spotty and clouded. My heart still pounded furiously.
“Calm down or you’ll bleed to death.”
I gasped as Elin pressed a cloth to my side. I wanted to fight, to get out, but even the hand on my shoulder was too overpowering for me. Elin stepped over to me with a strip of cloth and some water in a wooden cup. She propped my head up and brought the cup to my mouth. I gulped it down.
“Get the medicine Orrin gave us,” said Elin, removing my soaked bandage and wrapping the fresh cloth around my waist with deft fingers.
I perked up at the mention of my father’s name—at least one of his names.
“Here,” said Oliver, handing her a brown glass bottle.
They poured a few drops of the foul-tasting liquid into my mouth and I swallowed, gagging at the taste. It was followed by more water.
Shouts came from outside, but I couldn’t hear the words.
Oliver squeezed my hand and left the house in response.
My aunt leaned over me, her cropped dark hair framing her brown face and serious eyes. “What happened? What did he do to you?”
“It wasn’t him. Enforcers found us,” I whispered, “on Ash Island.”
“So he didn’t hurt you?”
“No.” I shook my head, then winced at the pain. “He’s the reason I’m alive.”
Elin’s eyes widened.
I sat up, but she pushed me back down. “Let me get to him,” I said, pushing her hands off. “Let me see him!”
“Be calm. It will be okay.”
Her hands pinned my shoulders against the mattress, but I didn’t calm down. Instead, my ragged breaths shook my body. “The plan was only to capture him!”
“I know, but when we saw you like this, we thought—”
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to focus. “Cael wasn’t supposed to hurt him! I’ll kill that man . . .” I squeezed out of Elin’s grip and dropped my feet off the bed.
“Honey, you’re losing blood,” said Elin, reaching for me.
