“Yeah, I saw her.”
My mind reels, and all I can do is think about the bruises littering every inch of her skin. Or about the vacant echo of her words. She sounded so lost. My body heats as anger rises in response.
“And? Where the hell is she?” Carver lowers to the ground at my side, tipping toward me, trying to cut into my vision once more.
A short breath fills my lungs as I shake my head, forcing myself to sit up straight. Blinding pain pounds behind my eyes, pulsing with every heartbeat. The smoke still lingers, trying to drift through my mind and burning my lungs. A ragged cough relieves the ache in my chest, but in return, threatens to split my skull in two as my headache grows.
That can’t be a good sign, can it?
“I have no good news. I couldn’t tell where she was. She wouldn’ttell mewhere she was. I think she thought I was a hallucination.”
“What makes you think that?”
My mouth opens, and I consider telling him about my sexy veins, but I can’t bring myself to repeat it. It probably wouldn’t sound as nice when I say it.
“I don’t know. She... she told me she wished I was ‘really there.’” I shrug as he tilts his head suspiciously toward me.
I wince from my headache and emit a low groan that shakes within my torso.Inhale. Exhale. Slow. Controlled. Focus. I’ve lived through pain far worse than some dumb headache.
“Maybe you should take a break.” Pale eyes study me, and I have to force myself not to show how much everything hurts.
I promised her forever. I checked out four fucking hours into forever. I know what that feels like. I know what it feels like to depend on someone, only for them to turn their back on you.
I’m not about to do it to Violence.
“No, I need to get back.”
The worry in Carver’s eyes softens to a look of almost regret. He stares at me for several long seconds. He wants to be with her, and he can’t. It must be killing him inside to just sit here and wait while I’m there. If the roles were reversed, if Carver was able to see her, and I couldn’t... It would be madness.
“She’s okay, though?” The quiet tone of his voice carries away on the cool night’s breeze.
I nod, trying to find some sense of normalcy as I settle back into this body, these bones.
“You know she’s okay. She’s always been stronger than she looks.”
His nod starts to mimic mine.
All that’s left to do is pray to the goddess that what the Reveries gave us will take me back to her.
It doesn’t though.
Hours pass, and I’ve contemplated eating these fucking dried herbs just to force the process. Each second that ticks by weighs on me. My hands tremble as I lift a smoking bundle of herbs to my lips and inhale deeply. A fit of coughs follows quickly, tearing its way up my raw throat.
I close my eyes, wheezing from the aftermath. My eyelids are so sore, I’m not sure I can open them again. Sleep is only a moment away if I allow myself to drift. Weakly, I force my eyes back open.
Carver turns with a huff and walks away from my pathetic attempts. He’s shaking his head, mumbling under his breath, but I don’t have the energy to ask what he’s saying. I didn’t have much faith in it the first time. I didn’t believe much of anything would happen.
Then it did.
What if it was a one time use?
Fear starts to trickle in, but I shove that shit down.
I promised her forever.
I’ll spend forever trying to get back to her if that’s what it takes.
Chapter Five
