AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I pull in a deep gulp of air as my eyes fly open. My insides feel as though they were removed and put back by some an cruel demon. Warm hands grab my face as I flail, gasping.
Cassius’s face is within an inch of mine. Red light sizzles off his fingertips. Beyond him, I see the dark material of the makeshift tent. The gentle crackling fire outside is soothing amid the heartache. Della and Lawrence’s voices drift into the covered space. They’re bickering, again, but strangely, even that sound is welcome right now.
“Your heart stopped for a moment,” Cassius explains, holding me against him. He kisses the top of my head and rocks gently. “You had me worried, little bird.”
Tears spring to my eyes again, and I don’t even try to fight them. Alaric feels farther away than ever. Remembering his words makes my heart ache. How can he think I would ever give up on him?
I will never give up.
Whatever it takes, I won’t stop until he’s free of Elizabeth.
Cassius runs his hand up and down my spine in soothing strokes until my tears run dry.
When I manage to compose myself, I am determined more than ever to get to the witch.
“Where are we?” I ask, each word feeling like it has to claw its way out of my already raw throat.
“We’re a few hours south of the forest to the east of the Sunfall mountains.”
Then we’re close. I drop a hand and brace myself against his knee and try to push up. Cassius shifts his leg, taking my support out from under me and holds me tighter.
“Let me go.” I wriggle uselessly.
“You need to rest, Clara,” he says.
“I can rest later.”
His fingers dig in as he lowers his voice. “First, you stop breathing, then your heart… It’s only been a few hours. You can’t keep pushing yourself without allowing your body to recover.”
I press a hand to my chest and feel my heart beating. For nearly dying, it seems strong. “It’s beating now. I promise I won’t eat anything else unless it comes from my pack,” I say mulishly.
Cassius growls and releases me. I fall from his lap to the ground then roll to my stomach. Lifting my head, I look up into his annoyed face. Red encircles his green eyes. Neither of us move or blink, as if this was a test of willpower.
“You need to understand the gravity of what happened. If you were not marked, you would have been dead within minutes of eating those berries. It is the reason you hung on long enough for me to aid in your healing.” Gradually, his expression softens, and he heaves a weary sigh. “Rest for me… and if not for me, then for Alaric,” he bites out the name. “He would want you to recover fully before continuing on.”
Pushing myself up to sit across from him, I glare, hating that he used Alaric against me. I take a calming breath then exhale through my nose. “Fine,” I say eventually.
“Thank you,” he says, moving to let me lay down. “Even vampires can’t stay awake indefinitely.”
“Where are you going to sleep?” It hasn’t escaped my notice that there is only one place set up in this tent, and it’s too small for the both of us.
He gestures to the dirt floor then lies down on his back, clasping his hands over his stomach. I instantly feel bad. Sharing a cramped sleeping space isn’t ideal, but he’s also not a dog and deserves better.
I poke his cheek. Cassius opens one eye and raises a pale brow in question.
“Move.” I sigh. “You don’t need to sleep in the dirt.”
The corner of his mouth twitches in a half-smile. I watch him sit up. His movements are strangely sluggish and human, as if he has lost the weightlessness of his immortal strength. We resituate the blankets, then lay side by side.
I curl up on my side, using my arm as a pillow and study his profile. “You really are tired.”
Cassius lists his head to the side and looks at me. “Yes. There is strong magic nearby dampening our powers. We’ll be weaker until we get used to it.” He straightens his head and closes his eyes again. “Get some rest now, little bird. What’s coming will not be easy.”
Chapter Thirteen
Clara
“You are much strongerthan could be expected after the reaction you had,” Cassius says as we ride several lengths ahead of the others. His words are quiet and partially stolen by the wind.
