Something else caught her attention. His pigment had changed color, the green now far less intense, her own pigment’s colors now prominent and intermingled.
“What happened to you? To us?”
“Our blood,” he began, confusion in his voice. “Our pigments…I-I can’t say exactly. Something strange has happened.”
“Tell me about it.”
“You feel it too?”
“I don’t know what it is, but my runes are acting all kinds of crazy,” she replied, showing him the swirling marking on her chest.
“Your Infala,” he said softly, emotion welling in his eyes. “It grows. And your other runes are changing as well. Becoming more.”
“But what does it mean?”
“I cannot say for certain. But my body is behaving in a manner I have never experienced, and the only variable is our shared blood. Something is happening, Margot. I just don’t know what it is.”
The look of love and confusion in his eyes threatened to break her heart right out of her chest. Here was this strong and confident mountain man, and now he’d been brought to his knees, and all because he’d been willing to sacrifice himself to save her. There’d been no guarantee he would even survive the arrow. He had simply moved on instinct when he sensed danger, placing her life above his without a second thought. And now? Now he was a confused mess, and all because of her.
Margot pushed herself back to her feet and extended her hand. “Come on, Mister. We both need some fresh air.”
“But your?—”
“No lip from you. I need out of this place and you’re my escort. You said you’d always keep me safe, right?”
“I did,” he replied, rising to his feet.
“Then let’s go. I could really use a bath, and it looks like you could too.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The two walked hand-in-hand, taking it slow, happy to simply be spending this wonderful time with each other, though Margot was paying far more attention to their surroundings, scanning for any signs of hidden traps. Funny how being impaled like that tended to make one a bit hyper-aware.
Braxxos tried to put her mind at least a little at ease, explaining that the trap she had triggered was actually an old one left by normal hunters, definitely not Gromm’s people.
“Regardless, that was truly careless of them,” he said with clear disdain. “To leave any trap when finished with a hunting expedition is unforgivable. Anything could have been caught by that, left to bleed out in agony.”
“Or it could skewer people, let’s not forget.”
“As we know first-hand, it would indeed beveryhard to forget. Which reminds me, if I may, I would like to examine your wound.”
“Shouldn’t we leave it wrapped?”
“Normally, for most races I would agree. However, I have reason to believe the changes you have felt might extend to wound healing as well.”
Margot lifted her top carefully, allowing him to peel off the plant paste and bandage.
“What is that stuff, anyway?”
“Chewed Mangarrus root and Zilavian leaf. A potent combination to stave off infection and stimulate healing.”
“Did you saychewed?”
He chuckled softly. “Do not fear. The Mangarrus is a natural antiseptic. Any organisms in my mouth would be eradicated in the process. That is what makes it such a good healing compound. Now hold still a moment.”
With great care he pulled the bandage up, lifting the partially dried paste to examine where the hole in her side had been. He smiled, relieved, and lowered it back in place.
“As I had hoped. The skin is healed enough to prevent anything from getting inside.”
