Die.
Die.
Die.
Her steps faltered and came to a halt. Trembling, she leaned against the rough stone wall as the shadows thickened around her and crept along the edges of her version.
“No,” Callie whispered. “No.”
“Callie?”
Urkot’s deep voice reached her through the encroaching darkness, full of care and concern.
But she couldn’t answer him. Couldn’t get any words out through the tightness of her throat. She couldn’t…couldn’t breathe.
Callie clutched at her chest as she gasped for air, tears spilling from her eyes.
Large hands clasped her face, tipping it up. “Callie! Look at me.”
Urkot.
Her name, spoken in his voice, so full of fear, broke the shadows’ grasp on her. His sapphire eyes came into focus, glowing bright. A beacon.
“Breathe.” He gently combed his claws through her hair. “Good, female. Listen to me. Come back to me, my suncrest.”
My suncrest.
Callie latched on to that endearment, that voice, that touch. With his coaxing, she took one deep breath after another. Not once did she look away from him. He was her rock, strong, powerful, and steady.
“Good, female,” he repeated, brushing his thumbs across her cheek and wiping away her tears.
With his lower hand, he gently pried the crystal from her stiff fingers, then slipped her pack off her shoulders with an upper hand, setting it on the ground.
Softly crooning, Urkot touched his headcrest to her forehead. “We will rest here.”
Releasing her, he eased down into a sitting position. He folded his forelegs in front of him, drew her down atop them, and tucked her into the crook of his left arm, allowing her legs to drape across his lap. His lower right hand curled around her knee.
Once she was settled, he opened her bag, took out the waterskin, and uncorked it. “Drink. It will help.”
Callie took it with both trembling hands, grateful for his help steadying it as she drank. The water was cool against her hot, parched throat.
Through blurry, tear-filled eyes, Callie watched him close the waterskin and return it to her bag.
And then the dam broke.
A cry burst from her, startling Urkot. It was followed by a series of sobs that she could not contain. Her shoulders shook and her chest convulsed as tears ran down her cheeks.
A distressed buzz emitted from Urkot. He tenderly cradled her jaw with his upper hand, forcing her to look up at him. “Ah, my suncrest.”
Callie clutched at his arm around her waist, trying to rein in her hiccups. “I’m sorry. I-I’m so s-sorry,” she said, her eyes flicking between his. “I don’t m-mean to be a burden. This isn’t like me. I’m j-just so tired and scared, and…and it feels so hopeless. I-I just had this thought that we were going t-to die here and I felt this…panic. And I couldn’t let it go. Couldn’t stop it.”
She drew in a shaky breath. “You’re probably feeling the same, but y-you’re holding it all in for me. You’re strong. And I…I’m just this blubbering mess.”
Urkot slid his hand up, wiping away her tears with his thumb as his fingers caressed the side of her face. The low, calming sound of his crooning vibrated into her through his chest, a slow, simple melody she’d heard from him before. That familiarity was another thing for her to grab onto.
She leaned into his touch.
“We fall,” he said gently, “and we stand back up. If you cannot stand, I am here, Callie. I will carry you until you can stride again.”
