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“Should I call Selina?” I ask as I see Braun getting weaker.
“No, I will carry him.”
I raise a brow. I know Drez is an Elf, and Braun might be thin, but he is solid like his oak tree. Drez won’t be able to carry him all the way.
Drez finally pulls back his hands and then looks at me. “Let’s go,” he mutters as he looks at Braun. He is about to pick him up when Braun shakes his head.
“I will walk. No one is carrying Braun.”
“Braun, you’re weak. You can’t walk all the way,” I say as we start making our way back the way I came.
“Braun can walk,” he insists. He accepts our support as Drez and I each place one of his arms around our shoulders as we walk, taking most of his weight. To be honest, Braun’s weight is tiring me out and I don’t know how long I will be able to continue. We are just coming over the last bend when we find Trek and Hope walking towards us.
“What happened?” Hope asks as she rushes towards us, her eyes accessing the damage on Braun’s body. “Oh, Braun, they hurt you.”
Trek inclines his head for me to step away, which I am more than happy to do, as I am nearly dropping with exhaustion. Trek and Drez quickly make their way towards home, Hope and I following them. I update them on what I know as we walk.
“Selina,” I call as we stop before the front door. Only now do I notice the deep grooves on the door from last night’s attack.
Selina comes to the door, gasping when she sees Braun between both men. “Quickly bring him inside.” At the door, Braun bends his head to get through, as he is taller than anyone else in the house. I wonder where Selina is going to put him, as he won’t fit on one of the beds. “In there,” she says, pointing towards the sitting room. “Hope, go get my medicines.”
When Braun is lying on his back on the floor, Selina kneels beside him, looking at his wound. “You cleansed it?” she asks, looking up at Drez.
“Yes.”
She nods before looking back at the wound. “We are going to need the others as we did with Brog. Trek, go get them. Dream, Hope, are you ready? As soon as I have cleaned his wound, I want you to work your magic on him.” I move towards Braun’s head; Hope kneels on Braun’s other side as Selina starts to clean out his gash.
“Now,” she says as she finishes.
Instead of closing my eyes like I did with Brog, I keep my eyes open and use the technique I used last night, seeing the light moving through my hands into Braun, through his body until it surrounds the wound. I don’t know how long I stand here, trying to expel the darkness from inside Brog. The next thing I know, there are strong hands holding my upper arms as they pull me back.
“Enough, Dream,” I hear Drez say from behind me as he continues holding me up. “You have done your part.” I look around to see Reality and Love now leaning over Braun. “Come, you need to eat something.” Drez guides me out of the room.
“But I need to see how Braun is doing,” I mutter.
“Let the others also help him. He will be fine in a couple days,” Drez says as we enter the kitchen.
“We have to stop this; they are hurting the forest and everyone in it.” I feel the tightness around my heart at the knowledge that whatever is out there isn’t just targeting us but everyone in the forest. We will have to come up with a plan to help them.
“We will find a way,” Drez says as he walks towards the basket of fruit on the counter
“I need to go see if anyone else is hurt,” I mutter, walking towards the back door, but before I can open it, Drez is standing in my way.
“You need to eat.”
I look at his hands to find one has grapes and the other has two pears. Lifting my hand, I take one of the pears. “You can get out of my way now,” I say as he continues to stand before the door.
“It’s dangerous out there,” he says as he does not move.
“Were you following me?” Only now do I remember that Drez appeared when I was with Braun after I purposefully left without telling him.
He frowns and then shrugs. “I saw you leaving. You know I am to accompany you when you leave,” he says in an accusatory fashion, which has me frowning.
“What if I don’t want you following me?” I ask.
“It’s my job,” he says.
I tense. I am only a job to him. Well, I am not a child anymore, and I don’t need a babysitter. “I can take care of myself,” I say angrily. I know it’s not his fault that I like him, but I don’t want him looking out for me as a duty.
