Page 24 of Unravelled

Mira loaded another arrow, her breath a controlled pace.

She mirrored Tharion’s movements, shifting to the left, her eyes fixed on the wagon.

If she could draw the guards' attention, just a moment’s distraction, that was all they needed.

She aimed, her focus narrowing to the sliver of wood between the guards.

The arrow was in flight just as she sensed something wrong.

Her fingers still curled against the trigger as time stretched, the arrow slicing through the air. It struck the wagon with a hollow thud,

The cart erupted. The explosion tore through the night, a violent storm of fire and shrapnel.

The world tilted, sky and earth tangled into a blur, until she hit the ground.

Pain radiated through her, a shockwave of agony.

For a heartbeat, everything was still. The flames licked at the sky, shadows dancing across the wreckage.

Then Mira'sworld rushed back, in a wash of heat and nothing but a high-pitched buzzing where the sound should have been .

Mira’s limbs felt distant but she forced them to move. She rolled onto her stomach, coughing against the grit and ash. Tharion lay just ahead, crumpled.

“Tharion…” She clawed at the earth, dragging herself forward. Each pull of her arms sent fresh stabs of pain through her chest. Her fingers found the edge of his sleeve, and she used it to haul herself closer. “Tharion…”

His face was slack, a thin line of blood trailing from his closed eye. She pressed her fingers to his neck, his pulse beat strong beneath her touch. Relief flooded her heart.

Brahn appeared through the smoke, his figure a blur of movement. His lips moved, his hands grasping her shoulders, but the ringing in her ears swallowed his words. She blinked up at him, his face etched with fury, his mouth forming shapes she couldn’t understand.

“Mira!” The sound broke through, sudden and raw. “Move! Now!”

She shook her head, the world tilting, and Brahn’s grip tightened. He pulled her up, her knees buckling. The ground beneath them trembled, and the heat of the flames clawed at their backs.

“Tharion,” she started, but Brahn was already reaching for him. He knelt beside him, hefted Tharion onto his back, and rose with a grunt, the weight heavy but manageable as he staggered forward.

The forest lay beyond the flames, a promise of shadows and safety.

Her legs moved, though each step jarred her bones.

The trees swallowed them whole, the firelight fading behind like a dying star.

Branches clawed at Mira’s arms, leaves slick with dew catching her skin as they moved through the forest. The horses waited where they’d tethered them, restless and snorting, ears twitching toward the smoke and chaos behind.

Brahn reached them first. He shifted Tharion’s weight with practiced strength, long enough to ease him down into the bed of moss and leaf litter. Brahn cradled Tharion 's back against his chest.

Mira collapsed to her knees beside him, lungs burning. “He’s breathing,” she gasped, brushing his hair back, fingers trembling.

“He needs water. Pack’s behind the brown mare, get it."Brahn;s growl held none of his usual sharpness.

Mira hesitated, watching him. Brahn’s hands moved steadily over Tharion’s body, checking for broken ribs, wounds, burns.

He was thorough, careful in a way she hadn’t expected.

When he found the gash under Tharion’s eye, his jaw tightened.

He ripped a strip of cloth off his shirt and pressed it against the bleeding, muttering something under his breath .

Mira stumbled toward the horses, still reeling from the blast. The forest felt too quiet now, every sound muffled beneath the dull ring still echoing in her head.

She found the pack, her fingers fumbling over the buckles, and returned with the waterskin.

Brahn took it without a word, lifting Tharion’s head slightly to trickle a few careful drops between his lips.

Mira knelt beside them, her hand brushing Tharion’s cheek.

“Why… why did it explode?” she whispered.

Brahn didn’t answer immediately. His gaze remained on Tharion, his hand still cradling the back of his skull. When he finally looked up, something like guilt flickered behind his eyes.

“A trap. Or fuel. We didn’t scout it close enough.” Mira’s breath caught.

“He could’ve died.” she whispered, her voice trembling as tears welled in her eyes.

“He won't" Brahn said quietly.Tharion stirred, a soft grunt escaping him as his eyes fluttered open. Mira leaned in, clutching his hand.

“You’re alright,” she reassured. “You’re okay.” His gaze was hazy, unfocused, but he foundher for a moment before drifting on to Brahn.

“You dragged me out?” he rasped over his shoulder.

Brahn gave a short, humorless huff. “You’re welcome.” Tharion turned his head, blinking slowly toward the blur of Brahn’s silhouette. Silence settled between them, tense, layered, but oddly grounding.

“He needs to rest, we all do.” she said softly, replacing Brahn’s hand with her own "recover for a moment. Then we can ride.”

Brahn gave a small nod. “We’ll move in an hour”.