Page 26 of Spirit Trials (The Spirit Kingdoms #1)

“Farrah, you need to get that arrow out,” Lox says.

Realizing I’m not going to be able to climb these steps in the shape I’m in, I head back towards him.

“I know. I just need a cloth so I can wrap it.” I take one slow step after another back into the entryway.

Jamik disappears and comes back soon with a cloth and a big man.

“Hey, Hector,” I say with a tight smile.

“You made it back.”

“I told you I would,” I remind him. He looks down at the arrow in my leg pointedly.

“I know.” By this point, I’m in so much pain between my wrist and my leg, I feel like I’m going to just pass out right here.

I tug at the arrow but can’t get it to budge.

“Lox,” I say in a breath of air. “Can you get it?” He looks at the arrow and then back to me.

When he makes no move to come help me, I feel my face burn. “Never mind. I’ll get it.”

“I’ll help you,” Harper says suddenly, sounding angry. She stops in front of me. She starts to tug at it, and agony erupts inside of me. I’m pretty sure this one is deep in my bone.

“Here, let me,” Lox says suddenly.

“Oh, sure now you want to help,” Harper says snidely.

Lox looks over at the front door, and I watch as he sniffs the air a moment. “We should have time.” His words don’t mean anything to me, but not much does at this point.

“Farrah,” Kinsley says, gripping my shoulder. I can hear the worry in her voice. I want to reassure her, but the room is sort of spinning.

“Sit down before you fall over,” Lox says, pushing me down gently into a chair that Jamik carried over. Hector walks over to us, carrying a cloth and two bottles of something. Lox kneels on the floor next to my injured leg. “Ready? This is going to hurt.”

“You don’t tell people that,” Harper says, shaking her head.

Lox looks up at me. “Ready?” I nod. “One, two...”

I hear the front door open just as Lox pulls.

Pain explodes in my leg, and I scream and grab my leg in utter agony as chaos erupts around me.

I hear a huge crash and sounds of a scuffle.

I'm gushing blood, so I grab the strips of cloth and tie them tightly around my leg before looking up. I can’t believe what I’m seeing.

Rysden has Lox pinned to the wall. Jamik grabs Rysden, but Rysden flings him off far too easily.

Even Hector gets in on it. Together, he and Jamik each get an arm.

For just a moment, they pull Rysden’s arms back.

I watch in horror as Lox drops to the ground, holding his throat.

Was Rysden choking him? Rysden throws Jamik and Hector off him like they weigh next to nothing.

I watch in horror as Rysden goes after Lox again.

I think it’s shock that makes me call out his name.

“Rysden!” It comes out weaker than I thought it would, but it has the effect of a shout in a silent room.

His entire body stiffens and seems to lock up.

I manage to get to my feet, hissing through my teeth as I do.

But when I go to take a step, my injured leg goes out from under me; it’s like the muscle is just dead.

The floor comes rushing up at me, but strong arms keep me from hitting the ground.

The world spins around me, but I know that it’s Rysden that lifts me.

He shifts me, and I cry out in pain when it causes my leg to bump into my other one.

He goes still for a moment, and then we’re moving.

He whistles low and slow one time. I close my eyes because I feel like I’m going to throw up.

I keep my eyes closed as he carries me up the stairs, mostly because I’m worried I’m going to throw up all over him.

Finally, he sets me down gently, and I moan and lean my head back.

“Gentle, Shade.” I hear Rysden say in his deep rumble.

His words confuse me until I feel something wet and cold on my leg.

I jump and jerk my leg, causing pain to explode in my leg again.

Rysden puts his hand on my leg. “Stay still, Farrah.” His voice is so low and deep with a raspiness to it that I don’t really remember.

“Shade is going to help heal your leg.” I open my eyes and stare at the huge wolf in front of me.

He’s got a dark gray coat that matches his dark gray eyes.

Those are the same eyes I remember from the night in the forest. I thought I was dreaming, but now I know for sure I wasn’t.

I mean the girls told me, but it was hard to believe.

Even now, I don’t know what to do but stare at the wolf.

I tense as he opens his mouth. “Easy,” Rysden says in a calm voice.

Shade, as Rysden calls him, licks my leg again.

Instantly, I feel relief. After three more licks, I can barely keep my eyes open.

“You should find a way to bottle that up and sell it.” My words sound garbled even to my own ears. “What’s happening?” I manage to get out.

“Shade’s saliva has healing properties in it that also acts as a kind of sedative. It’s going to knock you out.” His voice still doesn’t really sound normal. I think he says something more, but I feel myself slipping away.

“My fr—iends,” I say slowly.

“They’ll be safe here.”

“Ammm...I?” I finally get out.

“Are you safe here? From harm? Yes. From me. No?” His words don’t make any sense, but I feel warm and pain free for the first time in days. I close my eyes and put my head back and give in to the floating feeling.

I’m not sure how long I sleep. It takes effort to open my eyes because they feel so heavy, but I finally get them open.

I stare up at the unfamiliar ceiling for a moment before movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention.

I stare at the large wolf standing next to the bed.

I yawn and try to fully wake up. “Hi, Shade,” I say softly.

He doesn’t move, and I’m not sure what to do.

I look around Rysden’s room, wondering why I’m still in here.

I climb to the side of the humongous bed and put my feet down.

I close my eyes at the feel of the soft fur beneath my cold toes and stand up and take stock of my body.

I feel good. Really good . I run a hand over where the arrow penetrated my leg, shocked that I don’t feel anything.

Even my wrist feels so much better. It’s definitely not healed all the way, but it’s nowhere near as painful as it was.

It’s been reset; I can tell. I walk over to the fire and put out my hands to warm up.

I keep a wary eye on Shade, but he doesn’t move any closer.

Still, it unnerves me to be in a room with a predator.

There’s a quiet knock and then the door opens.

Rysden closes the door behind him. “Shade told me you were awake.”

“How?” It’s the first thing that comes to mind.

“Through our bond.” His tone is all business. He’d told me that before, but it’s another thing altogether to actually see it take place.

I glance down at the largest wolf I’ve ever seen. “And he won’t hurt me? Or anybody else for that matter?” I ask when Shade’s mouth opens, and his fangs pop out.

“You? No. Anybody else? I can’t be sure.”

I wait for Rysden to say he’s kidding, but he doesn’t. “Why?”

Rysden finally meets my eyes, and I nearly flinch at the anger there. Then I take in the rest of the details—the dark circles under his eyes, the pale skin. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” His words are almost harsh. I let it go. “How’s your pain level?” His words are little more than a growl.

“Much better. I guess I have you to thank for that,” I say, looking at Shade. He stares at me, and I feel like his eyes can see into my very soul.

“Who did that?” Rysden nods at my wrist. I glance down in surprise; I hadn’t realized I was rubbing it.

I pause a moment before answering. “I just hurt it while I was out there.”

He stares at me, and I get the feeling he doesn’t believe me. “I’m not going to ask you again. Give me a name.”

I lift my chin. “I’m not giving you a name.” I hold up my good wrist “I don’t even know his name anyway. And what are you going to do? Hurt him? You can’t do anything to any contestants when we’re not in the trial.”

“ You can’t.”

I stare at him. “What?”

“ You can’t do anything to him; I, however, find it completely within my jurisdiction to end his life.”

I stare at him in horror. “What? You can’t do that?”

“Stop telling me what I can and cannot do.” His words are slow, each word distinct, almost guttural even.

“Okay, then stop acting crazy,” I return.

He stares at me so intensely; I turn away and stare into the fire. “The trials are a lot. How are you handling...everything?” He asks, breaking the silence.

I don’t really know how to answer him. “My wounds are healing,” I finally settle on.

“Your outward wounds,” he points out.

I don’t have a response to that, so I try to lighten the mood instead. “No spirit wolf yet. Of course, we both know that’s not going to happen. But I made two friends; so that’s a plus.”

“They’re from the banished community.” There’s no emotion in his voice, and I can’t tell if he’s okay with it or not.

“Yes, they are, and they’re my friends.” I turn around and face him head-on.

He does that thing where he just stares at me before he finally opens the door and leaves. I blow out a breath because he’s a little...no, a lot intense. I notice that he left his wolf here, and I stare at Shade a moment.

“I’m going to go take the longest bath ever recorded.

Don’t let anyone disturb me.” I stare at him a moment before laughing deprecatingly.

I’m not really sure what I expected the wolf to do.

I shake my head and make my way to the bathing room.

I stare at Rysden’s huge tub with wide eyes as a slow grin fills my face.

Minutes later, I decide I’ve died and gone to Heaven.

I'm pretty sure nothing in my life can compare to the bliss I’m currently feeling.

When I'm sufficiently prune-like, I wash my hair and my body before finally climbing out and wrapping in a long fluffy towel and peeking into his room. When I see that he’s not in there, I walk back into his room in my towel.

I’m planning on returning to my room for clothes.

I just need something to wear to get there.

My old clothes need to be burned from my four days in the wild.

I open his wardrobe, hoping to find a shirt I can wear.

I stare in surprise at several pieces of clothing that I recognize as pieces the tailor made for me.

I choose not to think too hard about why they’re in here and not in my room and put on some underclothes, a soft cream tunic top, and a pair of soft black trousers.

The clothes are nicer than anything I’ve worn before.

I wander back into the bathing room and find a comb.

After getting the tangles out, which takes way longer than I want to admit, I braid my bright red hair and flip the braid over my shoulder.

I turn back to Shade, who hasn’t moved this entire time. “I’m starving; I’m going to go eat.” I walk over to the door and open it and step out into the hallway. Before I can close it, he slips out next to me. “Oh, you’re going too? I bet you’re hungry as well.”