Page 80 of Explorer’s Revenge

Logan eventually passes out, which is a relief. He won’t be in pain this way, but it also gives us the chance we need to stop the bleeding.

“Here,” Wilder says, but I’m so focused on Logan, I don’t react. “Carter! I need you!”

I jerk my head up to see him holding the gun. “You’re the best shot. I’m the best with medicine. Swap!”

Nodding, I grab the rifle with shaking, bloody hands and get to my feet, protecting them as I cry.

My grip slips on the barrel, and I glance from the jungle to Logan. Rick is on his knees, panting and pale, with Aiyaret helping him as Wilder and Way work on him, using my bag and supplies.

No matter what they do, he lost a limb—for me.

The atmosphere is tense and quiet as they work, and eventually, Logan wakes up, screaming once more, before he passes out again, and Wilder sits back. “That’s all we can do for now. We need to get to the beach immediately!” He climbs to his feet. “Way, help me carry him. Carter, stay behind us with the gun. Aiyaret, help Rick. We need to run.”

“I can keep up. Focus on Logan,” Rick argues.

Wilder nods and turns to me.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I chant. “It’s my fault. He tried to protect me.”

“Carter!” I startle as Wilder grips my cheeks. “I need you to focus. We have to get him out of here before we lose him. I can’tdo that without you, okay? We can cry later, but for now, we need you.”

Nodding jerkily, I wipe my face, smearing Logan’s blood across it. “I’m good. Let’s move.” I force myself to be okay. He needs me.

Logan saved my life, and now we need to save his.

We move fast. Logan wakes from the jostling, and his weak, pained moans are worse than anything. He lost a lot of blood, and his wound is life-threatening. I’m just praying Ajax will be there when we get to the beach.

Please, please be on your way.

Everything went from happy to shit in seconds, and I blame myself.

I can’t lose him.

That thing doesn’t come back, but we move fast. Sweat dries on me as I run, my stained hands flaking with Logan’s blood. We don’t stop to rest, and he tries to bite back his screams.

“Is Carter okay?” he rasps.

“I’m fine,” I tell him, my voice tight. I’m scarcely able to believe he’s worried about me right now.

“Rick?” he asks.

“He’s fine, stop worrying,” Way barks as he helps carry Logan. “Just focus on yourself, okay?”

“It was pretty badass, right?” he says through gritted teeth. “All heroic and shit. What do you think, Maeve?”

I force back the tears that want to fall. “So badass.” My voice sounds weird, but I know he needs a distraction right now. “My hero. I’ll have to find a way to thank you.”

“I can think of a few ways,” he jokes, but it falls flat when he screams in pain, and a shudder of horror passes through me.

We move faster after that, and we finally break out onto the beach, only to find it empty. Wilder looks at me, his eyes wide. “Where are they?”

“I don’t know.” I yank my bag open and grab the GPS and phone, searching for a signal. “They should be here.”

They lay Rick and Logan down side by side, and I have to close my eyes for a second as they hold each other’s hands. Rick turns to watch Logan as Wilder paces, and Way comforts Aiyaret, who is crying.

“Fuck!” Wilder roars at the ocean before he turns to me and drops to his knees. “Carter, please, where are they?”

Tears well in his eyes as he stares at me, looking so hopeless and lost. “Carter, please, I can’t lose him.”