“Baby, I need you to tell me where you’re hurt, so I can help you out,” I breathed out, trying to stay calm and collected for both our sakes. Her body began to tremble as full sobs came over her. It was like a dagger to the chest. I couldn’t tell whether the tears were from her physical wound or emotion, but every fiber of my being was screaming to fix them both.
“Focus on me,” I demanded as my heart raced within my chest. “Where are you hurt?”
“My wing,” she managed to answer between deep sobs. “It’s caught.”
I should have told her to put them away. I was too busy being caught up in my lust and confusion and wanting her to go at this course alone like the rest of my cadets would. How was I supposed to find the line between training her to the extent she needed—while not coddling her like everyone else would—and feeling like I was simultaneously falling apart on the inside seeing her like this?
“Just hold still for me, Baby,” I breathed out, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Hold very still. I’m going to get you out.”
She nodded and I jumped to my feet, setting to work with drawing another rune to split the tunnel down the top. As it glowed and began to work, I jumped to the top of it, watching it slowly crack open. My eyes quickly assessed where the barbed wire was coming from as the tunnel moved and revealed her wings. I had to act quickly or the barbed wire being dragged open would hurt her more, taking her wing with it.
I didn’t hesitate, shoving my hand into the mangled black feathers, ignoring the spears of pain as the sharp barbs tore into my skin in the process. Wet crimson flowed from my hands as I carefully peeled back each piece of metal. I tried to be as gentle as possible, but the blood was making the barbed wire slippery to handle. As the metal tunnel popped open entirely, I eased my feet down to get into a better position behind her.
Her soft cries continued, and I found myself saying whatever came to mind to try and soothe her as I worked on the worst part of the barbs stuck into the bone running into her shoulder blade.
“You did great, Kieran.”
She slapped her hand over her mouth as a small scream bubbled up. My mouth pinched tightly as I pulled out the worst of it in one swoop.
“You never gave up. I’m so proud of you.”
Her head lowered to the flat metal beneath her, shaking at my words.
“Don’t shake your head at me, Princess. You don’t get to tell me when I am and am not allowed to be proud of you.”
Finally, I got all the barbs out of her and quickly tossed it away from her. Her body went limp, and I knew I needed to get her to the healers to alleviate the agony she was in as quickly as possible. Gingerly scooping her into my arms, I murmured, “I know this might hurt, but I’m going to get us to the healers now. Leave your wings out, so the bones don’t shift any more.”
Her head rolled against my chest as I situated her. She didn’t bother responding to me, and there was something subtly meaningful in her trust in me at that moment. I jogged us to the exit doors as quickly and carefully as I could, trying to not jostle her, but it was impossible.
She burrowed her face against my chest as she tried to muffle her sounds of pain. Finally, the sky came into view and I snapped my wings out, launching us softly into the air and toward the medical center.
“I’ve got you,” I whispered over and over again until my feet touched down outside the building.
Eyes were trained on us, and I bore my teeth at the onlookers as I growled, “Look away if you know what’s good for you!”
It wasn’t fair to yell at our people like that, but all logic and rationale had gone out the window recently. I didn’t want anyone to see her in any sort of helpless state.
Someone ran to hold the doors open for me so I could quickly move us into the lobby. Healers jumped onto their feet the second we walked through the doors, but as their hands reached for her, I took a step back and screamed, “No! Do not touch her.”
My chest heaved with my labored breathing and overwhelming desire to keep her in my arms.
“Hold the doors for me!” I snapped, walking down the familiar hallway. “I’m taking her to the healing pool. The doctor can see her afterwards.”
“Sir, we really—” a woman began to say as she took another step toward me.
A growl ripped out of my throat. “I don’t care what you have to say. Get out of my way.”
I wasn’t handing her over.
Another nurse took over, stepping up and gesturing me forward. “This way. Let’s go, quickly.”
Soon enough, I felt the warmth of the pool saturating the hallway as we approached the west wing of the facility.
“No one else is in there,” she informed me as she held the door open. “I will ensure it stays that way unless there’s an emergency.”
With a nod of my appreciation, I stepped into the room and kicked off my shoes as the door fell shut behind us. Kieran had fallen silent. I dropped my eyes to her, finding her staring up at me, blinking as tears streamed silently down her cheeks.
My heart squeezed, wondering if this is what it felt like to feel her trust in full. If so, I never wanted to give up the warmth flooding me from it.
