AllFreeNovel
Share Us
No.The word rolled around in his mind, gnawing at his heart.
Morozko’s boots pounded on the ground, and as he approached Eirah, he fell to his knees, heedless of his own injuries. She lay on her back, sprawled, hair covering her face, but that wasn’t what he focused on. It was the unsightly gash on her chest, exposing sinew, bone, and blood. So much blood.
This… wasn’t at all how it was supposed to be, how it was to play out.
“Eirah!” He brushed her hair back. “Eirah, for once, listen to me. You are to live.” Morozko ducked his head down, pressing his lips to her chilled forehead. She must have fought—he knew she would have.
Eirah wheezed, unable to talk with her lips.As best as I could.
“You did well, little bird.” He dragged a finger down her cheek. “And now I command you to fight for your life,” he whispered, voice breaking. “Because this isn’t how it’s supposed to end between us. This is where it begins.” Morozko didn’t think she’d heard him, for her head rolled to the side, and quiet echoed in his mind. “We were to rule side by side, infuriating one another.”
Anger rushed through him, swift and fierce. He gingerly scooped Eirah’s head up, placing it on his lap. “I vow they’ll burn. All of them will burn and suffer for this.”
He brushed his fingers over her pulse, weak but there. Morozko wasn’t a healer, and his skills weren’t enough to patch her up. Despite her immortality and inclination to heal, the wound was too great, and she was losing too much blood to heal on her own.
“Come on, Eirah.” Small tendrils of blue skated across her throat, down to the gash, pouring into it and weaving flesh together. The act strained Morozko’s magic, pulling it taut.
A moment later, Andras ran into the clearing, huffing. “Your Ma—” His gaze dropped to the body in Morozko’s arms, and he didn’t hesitate to move into action. “I will do everything I can, but we must bring her to the palace. Stitched together or not, her body suffered greatly.” The frost demon removed his black cape and gently wiped away the excess blood from Eirah’s chest.
“Are they dead?” Morozko’s voice was void of emotion, even to his ears.
“All of them, Your Majesty.” Andras’s brow furrowed in concentration as magic spilled from his fingertips to Eirah’s body. Little by little, the wound healed, tissue knitting together once more, staunching the blood flow.
Eirah sucked in a breath, but her eyes didn’t flutter, nor did she speak. However, her body shifted closer to Morozko in search of his comfort.
He loosed a breath, relief flooding him as some semblance of life returned to her. Morozko’s gaze flicked to Andras, and he mulled over the words. The changelings were all dead. For now.For now. Until they rose again, and Morozko would ensure they died over and over. Horrifically at that.
“Eirah and I will return to the palace with a handful of guards, but the rest will remain behind with the villagers.” Morozko shook his head ruefully. “This has only begun and will worsen as more changelings slip through the cracks.”
Andras nodded. “I’ll ready a sleigh for you two.” The frost demon stood, bowed his head, then turned on his heel, leaving Morozko with Eirah.
He slid his hand to her throat, reassuring himself that she was, in fact, still alive. There, beneath his digits, her pulse thrummed stronger than before, but still too weak. She’d lost so much blood. Too much.
“You’ll be cross with me for leaving everyone behind, but you’re in need right now.” Morozko slid the cape beneath her body, wrapping it around so it hid the split clothing. Her father would need to know, as would Saren, and they didn’t need to see how grievous the injury had been.
When Andras returned with the sleigh, Saren and Eirah’s father were with him. Morozko lifted Eirah into his arms and carried her to them.
“Oh, my stars, no.” Her father leaped from the bench and cradled Eirah’s cheek. Tears sprung to his eyes. “Is she…”
“She’s alive,” Morozko supplied.
Saren rushed forward, clutching onto Eirah’s hand. “Not you, too. I can’t lose you, too.”
Morozko brushed past them, placing Eirah onto the cushioned seat. “Eirah isn’t lost. She is resting and in dire need of it.” He sighed heavily. The exertion of fighting, the weight of his emotions, his fear of losing Eirah, everything threatened to chain him into place. But he shook it off. Eirah needed him, so did the villagers, and now… Frosteria needed a king ready to fight for it.
“Take her away from here then,” Fedir pleaded. “Hole her up in your palace!”
Morozko’s lips thinned. “I aim to.” He pulled a fur blanket up, tucking Eirah in with it, even if she couldn’t feel the cold. “And, unfortunately, I’m bringing the both of you with me.”
“What? Why?” Saren blanched and stared at him with wide, tear-filled eyes.
Morozko laughed mirthlessly. “Because if I leave you behind, she’ll never forgive me.” He motioned to the back of the sleigh. “Now get in. I don’t plan to stop until we arrive at the palace.”
The battle had been won for now, but that was it. Only one battle down while a war awaited them.
24
EIRAH
