Page 58 of Bitten & Burned

Thirty

RESCUED

From Dun Drummond to the Veilwood, Sol, Verdune

I heard him arrive. His voice was like cool water on a burn.

I was still on the floor, unable to move.

He’d told me to back away from the door. Good thing I wasn’t near it, because I couldn’t move. Not in the state I was in.

Pain everywhere. Just… white hot pain. No way to describe it beyond that. Excruciating. All-encompassing. The only relief, if you could call it that, came from knowing Quil was here. Of course, he was here. And he was going to save me.

I tried to call to him. To tell him the door was unlocked. But I couldn’t make my voice loud enough.

It took him a few tries, but he finally broke through the door. It was thick wood. I was impressed he was even able to get through it without an axe.

The look in his eyes explained it. I’d seen him like that once before: in the library, his gaze wild with bloodlust as he bit me. This was the same raw intensity, but it wasn’t hunger that drove it now. It was fear. For me.

I tried to reach for him, but my hand wouldn’t lift off the ground. All I managed was a slow, fish-like flop in his direction.

“Quil,” I murmured.

“Oh, sweetheart…” he whispered, shuddering before coming to me.

“The amulet…” I whispered. “I need it off.”

When his fingers closed around it, the truth hit me—the heat radiating through my chest wasn’t just from the sigil; it was the amulet itself, blistering hot. He hissed, snatching his hand back, then lunged for it again, grabbing the pendant and yanking hard.

Instant relief flooded me when the silver chain snapped. I was still in pain, but it wasn’t all-encompassing. I would be able to leave.

He dropped the gods-forsaken thing to the ground. Finally, it was gone. Off of me.

He lifted me easily. I gave no resistance, just inhaled sharply when he did. Pain twinged in my joints, my muscles—like I’d run a marathon. I winced.

“Better?” he whispered.

I nodded. Moving no longer sent me into body-wracking pain. That was a good sign. I glanced at the amulet on the ground; he did too—then slammed his heel down on it.

My father had been right: that rock wasn’t bloodstone. Hells, it shattered like glass.

I inhaled again, choking on the air—not from pain, but from the shock of a weight lifting off my chest.

“S’better,” I murmured.

“Good,” he said, turning to go—then stopped dead in his tracks.

I turned to look, and panic rose like bile in my throat.

Silas stood in the doorway.

Quil tightened his hold on me. “Move,” he hissed.

And Silas did. Gods, he did. Moved aside without a word, watching sadly as Quil carried me past.

“Goodbye for now, Dearheart,” he called after us.

Gods, I hated that nickname now. It made me feel dirty. I shuddered and buried my face in Quil’s chest. I kept it there as he carried me out of the house.

Outside, he paused for a long moment before moving again.

“Where are we going?” I asked softly.

“Someplace safe,” he replied.

“Someplace safe,” I echoed.

I’d be safe. Quil would keep me safe.

I nestled closer, focusing on his scent instead of the pain still coursing through me. Woods. Rain. Sweat. Iron.

My eyes fluttered closed.

Drip.

I was someplace damp.

Drip.

Someplace… cool.

Drip.

Damp. Cool. And—

I opened my eyes. A cave.

I blinked, looking around, finding the source of the drip: a small puddle near where I was lying. In the distance, I heard rushing water.

I blinked again and tried to sit up.

“Whoa, wait a second, sweetheart.”

Quil was at my side in an instant, dark eyes full of worry. “Finally,” he breathed. “I was starting to think you’d never open your eyes.”

I nodded as the previous events came back in jagged pieces—

The cold stone floor.

Dun Drummond.

Silas.

How had he found me?

Oh, fuck. That’s right.

He’d found me at Blackthorn. I’d been naive enough to think I’d be safe there.

Gods, I was so stupid sometimes.

The tears came unbidden, but I wasn’t surprised to find myself crying. I sobbed, and Quil immediately pulled me into his arms.

That made me sob harder.

“Shh, baby, it’s okay. You’re safe now.”

I shook my head. “No, no… not that…”

His brow furrowed.

“I’m sorry… I was so… stupid. I thought I knew better than him; I thought he wouldn’t come for me in public like that. I should have listened to you, I’m so… gods…”

“Sweetheart, stop,” he said, tightening his grip on my hands. “You’re here. You’re safe. That’s all I give a damn about.”

“But it was my fault,” I sobbed, collapsing against him. “My fault.”

Quil held me close. “It’s not your fault. It’s his. Okay? It’s his. Please don’t cry. Please calm down, baby.”

I hiccupped. “I can’t. All I can think about is how shortsighted and foolish I am.”

“You are neither of those things,” Quil said firmly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and pulling something from his pocket.

The black embroidered handkerchief I’d given him. He used it to dab at my eyes and nose until I took it from him and did it myself.

“You’re not a fool, Rowena. You look for the good in people, even when the rest of us have stopped trying. We’re a bunch of old cynics, but not you. Please don’t lose that.”

“Yeah, but…” I sniffed. “Vael was right.”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I hate that too. Gods know I do. Vael being right makes this all so much worse.”

I laughed, and he smiled—just a little. I handed back the handkerchief. “Thank you.”

“Thanks are not necessary. It was yours to begin with.”

“It was a gift. It’s yours now. And you’re getting thanks anyway. Deal with it.”

He chuckled and rose. “Are you hungry? I could go hunt something… do you like rabbit?”

“I’m not hungry yet,” I said. “But please don’t feed me rabbit when I am.”

He laughed. “Fine. What do you like? Quail? Pheasant?”

“You’re going to serve me pheasant in a cave?”

He laughed. “Yeah, I was planning on it, if that’s what you want.”

“It’s a date, then. I love pheasant.”

“Then that’s what you’ll have.”

I pulled the furs around me more, watching him as he walked around the cave, checking things he had lying around.

“How did you find me?”

“I smelled you. Also, your friend, Thalia, came by. She was worried when you didn’t keep your lunch plans.”

“Oh no! Thalia!” I leaned back. “Gods, is she alright?”

Quil scratched the back of his head. “I honestly… don’t know? I left her with Vael at your apartment and came to find you.”

“QUIL.”

“Sorry! I needed to save you! Would you rather I stayed there with her until she was comfortable and got there to save you a half hour later?”

I remembered how it felt lying on that floor and shook my head. “No.”

“Well, okay then. I’m sure everything’s fine. You can send her another letter, and it’ll be fine.”

He was probably right. I settled back into the furs, rolling over on my side like a worm all wrapped from head to toe.

I glanced towards the entrance. “Are we behind a waterfall?”

Quil nodded. “Yeah. This is a cave I found a while ago. Back before I lived at Halemont. It’s nice. Close-ish to home. We can go back whenever you’re ready. I just thought you should rest first.”

“I did rest. And… I sort of want to stay here for a bit.”

He smiled like that’s what he’d been hoping to hear. “Alright.”

I looked around. The cave should be cool, but it wasn’t. Not sweltering either, just warm.

“Why’s it so warm in here?” I asked.

“Hot springs in the back.”

Hot springs? That sounded lovely. I could already feel the heat easing into my aching joints.

“How hot?”

“Not enough to burn you. Do you want to get in?”

I nodded, maybe too quickly. “Yes, please. Everything hurts. That would feel so good.”

He smiled and stood, offering me his hand. It took me three tries, but I finally got up. My legs were weaker than I’d expected, and the walk was a struggle. I didn’t want him to carry me everywhere, though.

Once I reached the springs, I stuck my arm in to feel the temperature, perfect. Just this side of too hot. I sighed happily and began to undress.

Quil was doing his best to be a gentleman, gaze fixed somewhere near-but-not-on me — but I needed help, not chivalry.

“I could use some help…”

He looked like he wanted to cry. “What kind of help?”

“Getting undressed. Getting in. Staying upright once I’m in.”

“Yeah, I figured as much,” he admitted, “but I didn’t want to presume…”

“Presume away, Quil.”

He helped me out of my clothing — all of it likely ruined now — without letting his gaze linger.

I stopped mid-motion. “Wait…” I turned to him. “What about Fig?”

“Fig?”

“My cat. Small fellow, brown fur that glows?”

He rolled his eyes. “I know who he is. What about him?”

“Did you leave him alone?”

“Of course not, Rowena. Vael was there. I’m sure he is taking care of him.”

“What if he’s not? What if Fig’s hungry and starves to death?”

“Gods, he’s not going to starve. There’s cat food there. And Vael won’t leave him. You worry about the most weirdly specific things, Rowena.”

“I wanted to go get him some fish.”

“He loves fish, but he doesn’t need fish.”

“I know, but…” I bit my lip. “What if something happens?”

“He’s fine, baby.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“Positive?”

“That cat is a phoeline. He’ll be fine. Remember back at Halemont? He’s a fighter. He’s going to be fine. He’ll miss you, but… ” He cleared his throat and looked up at the cave ceiling.

Only then did I realize I’d been arguing about my cat while completely nude.

“Quil. Come on. You can look.”

“Rowena… you’re injured.”

“Doesn’t mean I don’t have breasts.”

“Rowena.” His voice cracked on my name, low and pained—the kind of pained that made an unshakable smile tug at my lips.

“Don’t be such a gentleman,” I teased.

“Believe me, I’m not.”

“Not what I saw. You were a perfect gentleman with my father.”

“Don’t… talk about your father now…”

“But seriously, you know how to do all the courtly things, don’t you?”

“Yes. But I had to learn. My parents were going to marry me to some girl from an influential family in the Pines. To do that, I had to know how to mind my manners. Clean up. Dance.”