Page 20 of Liar Witch

It’s torture hearing the others react to her wounds. Each hiss, growl, and muttered curse spurs my imagination until I’m scared to even touch her.

Despite the warmth of the room and the long nightdress we wrap her in, she’s still clammy. So Cas and I climb wordlessly into the bed with her, cradling our witch between us.

I’ve never been as grateful for my shifter side as I am when she starts to warm up. But even then, she still doesn’t move.

It takes days. The time passes in a strange, terrifying fog. All of us are reluctant to leave her side in case anything changes, so her cabin is crowded. Even Val shows up every now and again, under the pretence of checking on Cas, who’s actually coping better with the whole situation than I am. My twin remembers things like meals when I would have ignored them and bullies the rest of us into doing things like showering. He’s even been in human form since he came back aboard, his beast as reluctant to leave her as the rest of us.

That’s a small miracle, but we don’t even mention it.

The last time he spent a full day without the change coming over him was decades ago, but I don’t think he even cares. His beast is in full-on alpha mode, defending and caring for his pack with a single-minded determination that’s rare for him.

All of my concentration is fixed on the motionless witch lying silently in the bed between us. Her soft breathing is the only indication that she’s still alive, and I curse myself over and over for not paying more attention to my visions. Surely I must have seen something that could have warned me. If I’d just paid more attention, I could have made sure we were prepared to deal with this.

It’s on the fourth night that something finally changes.

Cas’s snores fill the room, but I can’t sleep. I can hear Kier rustling every now and again. He slips out every few hours, probably checking on Rysen, who is still locked up in the brig. Nilsa’s cat follows him whenever he leaves, probably missing her unofficial favourite or hoping for treats he can’t give her.

The last time the vampire relapsed this badly, Kier managed to bring Ry back with constant company, quiet reason, and time.

But it tookyearsof time, and we don’t have that luxury now. If—when—Nilsa recovers, her scent will be all over the ship, making things harder for him. We’re not far from the coast of Idos, but the witches will be too busy with problems of their own to help him.

I cling a little closer to my mate, just remembering my visions of that place.

TheDeadwoodis fast, but she’s still only a ship.

My thoughts are cut off by the slightest hitch in her breathing. Her arm moves against my chest and everything in me stills, waiting.

“Nilsa?”

Is she awake?

“Is this the stars?” The question is so quiet I barely hear her.

“No, no, it’s theDeadwood.” I can’t keep the relief out of my tone. “You’ve been out for days.”

More movement, the slightest hiss of pain.

Cas jackknifes up in bed like he’s been stung, sending Nilsa jolting into me with yet another hiss.

“Careful, idiot,” I mutter, pushing up onto my elbows. “She’s just woken up.”

Cas, being Cas, just growls. The sound has no heat and is quickly forgotten in favour of fussing over our mate.

“Don’t move, Princess,” he says. “We slathered you in that stuff Elsie left and fed you Ry’s blood, but you’re still pretty beat up.”

I feel it before my twin does. The slightest hitch in her breath, the shaking of her limbs.

The salty smell of tears rips me in two. My beast lets out a weak, answering cry, stirring in the back of my mind for the first time in almost a week.

“Hey, hey. What’s wrong?”

“I’m not crying,” she insists, voice breaking. “I don’t fucking cry.”

“Of course you’re not.” I manage a weak smile. “It’s allergies right? Val’s mouldy old ship gives me them sometimes too.”

Cas hums in agreement. “It’s an allergy to asshole.”

Her tiny hiccup-snort makes my beast purr in approval in the depths of my mind before he disappears once more.