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Seeing her struggling, grappling for air, making tiny noises that could be heard, anxiety took over. I had to calm her down. My thumb rubbed back and forth against the pulse in her neck, trying to ease her. I drew her in closer, encouraging her to use my body as an anchor as I ran my thumb over her skin, feeling her heart slow.
Feet scraped the dirt above, both of us stiffening. Dumitru’s boots hit the soft earth over us, causing the ground to dip overhead, barely holding his weight.
A torch flashed on, igniting the ground near us. The smell of cigarette smoke wafted over.
Not even daring to breathe, I watched the light move across the ground, revealing every nook and cranny along the sides. The light glinted at the edges of my muddy boots, my mind wishing us to become one with the earth.
Click.
The torch turned off.
He took in a heavy inhale of his smoke, exhaled it out, then tossed his cigarette down next to us. Gravel grated under his boots as he twisted around and walked away. A car door slammed and the jeep engine fired up, squealing as he pulled away, leaving us against the muddy trench.
My shoulders lowered in relief, though we were far from safe. Leaning back, I stared down at Scarlet, my hands cupping the sides of her face, forcing her to look at me.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” Her gaze fluttered, not landing. “Fine.”
It wasn’t a lie, but it certainly wasn’t the truth either.
“You’re okay to keep running?”
Brows knitted, her eyes finally met mine in irritation.
“Making sure.” My fingers brushed dirt from her cheek, my knuckles dragging down her neck, noticing she had bitten down so hard into her bottom lip that blood dampened it. My thumb slid over the wound, wiping the red stain from her mouth.
She went still, and it was then I realized what I did and the fact I was still fully pressed against her. Not even air could get between us. My body took notice of the heat coming off her, the rush of adrenaline pumping through my veins.
I stepped back, skating my fingers back through my hair.
“I know you’re in pain. But we need to get out of here as fast as we can. Staying off the roads.”
“I don’t need a pep talk.” She pushed off the dirt, annoyed with me. “I can keep up just fine.”
The howl of a dog pierced the air, snapping both our heads back toward the camp. It wouldn’t be long before they would be scouting this area again, and we needed to be long gone.
“Come on.”
Climbing out of the ditch, we got over a barbed wire fence and started to run.
And didn’t stop.
Heading deeper into the perils of Romania.
Chapter 7
Ash
We trudged across the flat farmlands and rolling hills, the smell of snow hinting in the night air that cut briskly through the fabric of our clothes. Walking for hours through abandoned villages and dense shrubs, we stayed off any major road, impeding any real progress we could’ve made, but I would not risk being caught. With each passing hour, Scarlet’s energy waned, her stumbling steps getting smaller. Wrapped up in her coat with her head down, she stubbornly pushed forward, yet her body was starting to protest. She would not be able to run or fight if we were found.
The desire to snap the goblin metal from her arm so she could heal splintered and sizzled in my chest as if my sheer will could make it so. Every time I turned back, the color had drained from her face even more, her brow pinched with pained determination. I felt the memory ofVerhaza,the torture from the House of Blood, wash over me with an icy-hot sweat.
If it wasn’t the nightmare of Kek and Lucas dying before me over and over, I woke up to the screams of dead prisoners, the wails of agony, the suffering still deep in my bones. My heart pounded, thinking I was still there and getting out had been a dream.
Watching Scarlet endure the goblin poison daily itched at every fiber of my being. It was in my nature to take care of people, to heal, to want harmony and well-being, especially for those I loved. I was the emotional protector of my found family, the one who provided comfort, stability, and reason.
Three things I didn’t have as a young child.
