AllFreeNovel
Share Us
This was the end. She knew it. All she could do was look death in the face and scream in defiance, so that’s what she did.
Only another sound drowned her out. A primal roar of challenge tore through the air, and Hera sent her a single image accompanied by a powerful surge of hope. The image was of Axe, the blade of his axe raised high over his head as he charged headlong through the trees.
The hawks fought until the last minute and then rose into the air as something huge and snarling slammed into the creature. Axe. He struck with enough force to knock it away from her, and she got a brief glimpse of him as he crossed through her rapidly narrowing field of vision.
Darkness crowded the edges of her vision as she collapsed onto the ground, the last of her strength draining away. She stared up at the canopy of trees above her, unable to move. The forest was beautiful from this angle, and Hera was in her head, sending thoughts of encouragement and concern.
Rin sent back thoughts of consolation and gratitude. Then the pain finally hit her in an agonizing flood that drowned out every thought but one. She had to see Axe one more time. If this was the end, she wanted to go looking at the face of the man she could have fallen in love with… if only they’d had more time.
Hera landed beside her, one taloned foot resting lightly on her shoulder as the bird chirped softly in distress.
“Axe okay?” she whispered.
Hera responded with a bob of her head Rin had learned was their version of a nod. If Axe was alive, the beast was dead. Good.
“If I die, you should stay with Amun and Axe.” Rin wasn’t sure if she actually spoke the words aloud or just held them in her mind. Either way, she hoped Hera understood. This place was safe, and Axe would take care of Hera.
The scientific part of Rin’s brain wanted to consider the ramifications of a bonded pair losing one of the partners and was frustrated she wouldn’t be around to find out. The rest of her just fought to stay awake long enough to see Axe.
She heard him hurry toward her, his footfalls hard and heavy.
“Rin!” She opened her eyes when he spoke her name and saw him leaning over her, his beard and face smeared with blood and his eyes dark with worry.
“You were right,” she whispered softly. “I should have let you come with me.”
“Yes, you should have.” He moved over her as he talked, every touch of his hands sending fresh waves of pain surging through her body. “That won’t happen again. I’m not leaving your side, sunshine. You hear me? You’re not to go anywhere without me.”
She reached up to touch his blood-splattered face but couldn’t lift her arm high enough. He saw what she wanted, though, and caught her hand in his much larger one, raising it to his cheek.
“Take care of Hera. Please?” Her words were soft and sounded mushy even to her own ears. Darkness filled her vision until he was the only thing she could see.
“You’re not listening to me. You aren’t going anywhere without me. That includes the fraxxing afterlife.” Axe squeezed her fingers and glared down at her. “Stay with me, Rin.”
“Want to. Don’t think. I can.”
“Yes, you can. There’s a way. You can stay here, but I need your permission.”
She didn’t understand what he meant, but she managed the faintest of nods and whispered, “I want… to stay. Please. Help me. Stay.”
“I will, sunshine. All you have to do is hang on.” He bent down to kiss her forehead. “I’m sorry, Rin. This next part is going to hurt.”
Before she could ask what was next, something wrapped around her injured leg and squeezed. As the pressure increased, so did the pain. She fought to free herself from the source of the agony, but she couldn’t make it stop. She heard a scream of pain that might have been her own. Then the darkness enveloped her.
11
Axe had seen enough of war and its aftermath to recognize a potentially mortal wound when he saw one. Rin’s left leg had been torn up so badly he could see glimpses of white bone beneath the river of scarlet blood flowing from the slashed flesh.
If he could get her to a med-center, they’d be able to do something, but would it be enough? Rin was an ordinary human with no nanotech or cybernetics to help her recover.
Fraxx, she couldn’t even block pain the way he could. She had to be suffering, but all she’d asked for was him to take care of Hera. Selfless, reckless fool. Why had she been out here alone? Where was her damned security detail when she actually needed one?
He tore through her pack until he found the basic first aid kit he knew she carried. He used the canister of wound sealant on her injuries starting with the areas above the tourniquet. Then he used every bandage in the kit to make a field dressing. It was the best he could do, but it wouldn’t be enough.
Fear and frustration tore through him as he cradled Rin’s limp body in his arms. She’d passed out when he’d used his belt as a tourniquet for her leg, and the remains of his shirt were now wadded up against the dressing on her hip. He held her so her injured side was pressed against him. It was the only way he could think of to continue applying pressure while he got her to the only place where she could get the help she needed, including some that would come at a high cost for both of them.
She’d have her life but lose her freedom, and she might blame him for it. He looked down at Rin’s pale, beautiful face and knew his decision was already made. If saving her meant she never forgave him? So be it.
He broke into a run, sprinting through the trees so quickly the hawks fell behind. “Going home,” he sent to Amun. “Bring the others.”
