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Ash and dirt crunched under my knees as I crawled to her, calling her name. The scent of fresh blood and singed flesh turned my stomach as I placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to tip her over.
But I was too weak. All strength had drained out of me with the last burst of stalagmites.
“Please,” I whispered, unaware if I was petitioning Zoei’s unhearing ears or the omnipotent powers of my Goddess. “Please, please, please.”
Several pairs of hands appeared mere seconds later, shifting Zoei with ease. The red and gold colors were a welcome sight, and I almost sobbed as they spoke.
“Your Highness, are you hurt?”
I shook my head, reaching for Zoei’s hand. I clasped it in mine, hating the sudden coolness of her skin. She was always warm—alwaystoowarm.
“She’s hurt,” I said, although I assumed they could smell her open wound. “Our hovercraft crashed yesterday, and she was trapped under a piece of metal. It tore into her thigh.”
A soldier knelt in front of us, an intense frown on his brow. One of the three badges on his uniform indicated that he was also a medic.
“Her Majesty has lost a lot of blood,” he murmured, feeling for Zoei’s vitals with his fingers. “She’s breathing, but it’s shallow. We need to get her back to the palace for an immediate blood transfusion. The wound needs to be cleaned and monitored for signs of infection.”
I agreed voicelessly, letting the soldiers lift her to a standing position. Zoei made a soft sound like a restless breath, but was otherwise silent.
“Are you hurt?” The medic directed the question at me again, and I shook my head, pushing to my feet with a noticeable stagger.
Their arms shot out to steady me, but I refused the help, holding my head high.
I dragged in a shallow breath, wiping my damp palms on my stained and torn trousers.
“I need these bodies transported back to Highblade Palace,” I said in a voice that would have made my mother proud. “Contact Vetri’s borderland sentinels and order them to stand guard in Boroville. No one goes in and out of that village until a full investigation is complete.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“There are Agnivale soldiers lying dead in a clearing about one mile south. We need to make arrangements for them.”
The soldiers shared a quick glance.
“We can handle that.”
“And…” I swallowed, brushing tangled curls out of my face.
“Yes, Your Highness?”
I forced one foot in front of the other, following the small group of soldiers, presumably to their transport.
“Inform my mother that I’m alive and… well.” I almost choked on the last word.
“Should I arrange for one of the hovercrafts to take you home to Summerstream Fortress?” one of the soldiers asked courteously.
I shook my head quickly, and regretted the dizzy spell after.
“I’m staying,” I insisted, my lips numb. “I’m staying with Zoei until she wakes up.”
Until. Notif.I refused to think aboutif.
As they bundled her into the hovercraft, elevating her feet against the window, I grasped her fingers between my own, attempting to rub some warmth into her cool skin.
Perhaps it was hopeful thinking, or simply the yearning of my soul, but for a moment, I believed her fingers twitched, assuring me that everything was going to be okay.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Olympia
