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“How is she?” I asked.

The healers ignored me, continuing their work

“Someone tell me!” I bellowed, and everyone in the room jerked to a brief stop. While the other healers exchanged hesitant glances and returned to their work, one approached me tentatively, as though I was set to detonate at any moment.

“Her arm is broken in several places, and the wolf venom is making healing… difficult.” He wrung his hands before him. “We are doing all we can, I assure you.”

“The Giant,” I said with a gasp. “He crushed her. What-what damage did that do?”

“Her ribs are broken, and one of her lungs is not functioning.” His tone was slow and measured, still afraid, no doubt, that I’d destroy every being in the room if I did not like his answer. “She is breathing, but it is difficult.”

“Will she live?” Asking the question sent a dagger of ice into my gut, because the healer’s eyes crinkled into an expression of mild defeat. I wasn’t sure I was prepared for the answer.

“We must hope,” he said softly, and ducked his head before returning to the table and Elara’s mangled body.

I sank into a chair by the window, watching, willing Elara’s eyes to open. I found myself praying to those gods again, the ones she was convinced were real, the ones who’d brought us together.

Please, let her live. Do not take her from me.

The coppery smell of blood was slowly replaced by healing ointments, and Elara was washed clean. I winced as the bones in her arm were set, feeling the snapping and grinding echoing through my jaw. I wasn’t squeamish, I never had been. Blood, broken bones, severed limbs - none of this had ever bothered me. But this was happening toher. This washerbody that was wrecked and ruined, her chest sucking in with every breath she took. It was torture to observe.

Her heart continued to beat next to mine, wavering every now and then as though blowing away on a soft breeze. I pressed my hands to my chest as though I could protect her, keep her contained there. As long as her heart remained next to mine, she was safe.

Finally, her bones were set, her wounds dressed, and the healers covered her in warm blankets.

The one who had spoken to me approached me with raised eyebrows. “She is not out of the woods yet. We must hope her body is able to heal.”

“I will stay with her.”

The healer gave a sharp nod of assent, wiping his hands on a cloth that hung from his wide leather belt. “Make sure she stays warm, and keeps breathing. If anything changes, call for one of us. We won’t be far away.”

“When will she wake up?”

He placed a hand on my shoulder. “We must pray the Gods see fit to return her.” He nodded his head towards my bleeding arms. “Do those need seeing to?”

I shrugged him off. “Don’t worry about me.”

The room emptied, the door closed, and I was alone with her. I moved the chair to the side of the bed, and reached out to take her hand. I pressed my lips to the back of it, smelling nothing but the harsh scent of the tinctures the healers had used on her. Her scent of roses was under there somewhere. Her hand warmed in mine.

“Don’t you die on me, Osunon,” I murmured. “I won’t let you.”

I held her hand against my forehead. “If you’re listening,” I muttered to the Gods, “if you can hear me - you can’t have her. Not yet. You can’t have her. She’s mine.”

Chapter34

Elara

All I was aware of was pain. Throbbing through my chest, through my arms, beating at my temples as I tried to open my eyes. At least I knew I wasn’t in Nav, because I was still sure there was no pain to be felt there.

Light overwhelmed me as I slowly woke. I wriggled my toes tentatively, relieved that I could feel them. I flexed my left hand and winced as shockwaves radiated through my nerves. I still wasn’t healed. It can’t have been that long since the trial. Gods fuck it all.

I opened my eyes and blinked twice, three times, trying to focus. My vision cleared enough for me to see a figure seated beside me, arms crossed over their chest, head slumped forward. I could sense that it was Rook.

I tried to reach out to touch him, but the pain from moving even my right arm was so sharp that I sucked in a breath and let out a low groan.

Rook awoke instantly, dropping to his knees beside the bed I lay on. He leaned over me, his brow furrowed with concern. His face was almost ashen, and his blue eyes were dim with fatigue.

“Elara?” He stroked my forehead gently. “My love, it’s me, I’m here.”