She only had her strappy sandals and with her sprained ankle, she wouldn’t be able to walk far.“Rest here.”He handed her the canteen of water.“I’m going to scout the island, see if there’s anything useful.”And ensure it was deserted.“I might be an hour.”
Her wide eyes showed her concern, but she nodded.“Plan F?”
Beyond exhausted.
“Something like that.”He pulled her in for a hug.“You’re doing amazing, Mila.Hang in there.We’ll be out of here soon.”
“Damien?”
He liked hearing her say his name.Most people called him by his nickname, but it felt right hearing his name from her.
She pressed her lips together.“Are your team likely to come back for us?”
“They’ll want to.”That he could guarantee.
“But they may not be permitted to,” she answered for him.“Where were they headed?”
“We were doing friendly manoeuvres off the coast.They’ll have gone back to the ship to stabilise Hawk.One of the doctors on board should be able to help him.”
“The government will send a relief team to the area,” Mila said.“They’ve done it before.”
He nodded.“They may have dropped personnel in the main village as cover for picking up the team.If that’s the case, the boat will be back to support them, but it will take time to arrive.”
“And if they didn’t?”
“Then the ship will sail past and head for the mainland.”The relief efforts would be concentrated on the more populated areas, rather than the three small islands around them.
She glanced around.“So we wait here until it arrives?”
“I’m going to find the highest point so I can get a clear view of the surrounding ocean to see who’s around.Then I’ll call the ship.”He wasn’t sure what his reception would be and he didn’t want to worry Mila.
She sank down on the ground.“We’re not safe yet, are we?”
“Not yet.Not until we get you on the ship.”
She closed her eyes.
Guilt sparked in his chest.He’d asked a lot of her over the past twelve hours.“Scootch down on the floor and rest.”He dug into his pack and handed her a camouflage sheet.“Lay on this.”
“When are you going to rest?”
“Don’t worry about me.I can go days with no sleep.”He smiled.
She groaned.“I don’t know how you do it.”She lay down and looked at him.“Thank you for saving me, Damien.”
His heart pinched.“Any time.”
Trixie lay down next to her, and she put her arm around the dog, drawing comfort.Dobby gave the dog the sign to guard, but it didn’t respond.
Still he was fairly sure the dog would protect Mila if its earlier growl was any indication.
He waited until she closed her eyes before he exhaled.He was far too attached.
He left her with the water and a protein bar, and gave some jerky to Trixie, but took his pack and rifle with him and travelled inland.The cliffs which faced the main island would give him the height he needed, and the ground sloped in that direction.
About ten minutes later the ground shifted up at a steep angle so he walked along the base until he found somewhere he could keep climbing.
Checking his compass, he adjusted his course and ten minutes later reached the edge of the tree line.
