I clutched her hand with every strength I could feed on. “Take me…take me there.”
“Sanora—”
Merton cut her off. Without another word, he shifted, lifting me carefully from the ground. My body dangled like a broken doll in his arms, but he was steady. He pulled me upright, slinging my arm around his neck, his other arm circling my waist to keep me anchored.
She shot to her feet, panic etched across her face. “Merton, what are you doing? We can’t take her there. She’ll die.”
“She’s already dying,” he said flatly, stating the truth neither of us wanted to hear. “She must have a reason. If we can’t save her, the least we can do is give her what she wants. Lucky us—it’s not far.”
Amelia exhaled a broken sigh, torn in two. But then she was at my other side, lifting my limp arm over her shoulder.
“Shouldn’t we pull the knife out?” she asked.
“Don’t touch it,” Merton snapped. “It’s the only thing keeping her alive. You pull it, she’s gone.”
Amelia’s arm circled my waist, bracing me against her body.
And then, slowly, they began to walk. Carrying me between them, step after agonising step.
I tried to move my legs, to match their rhythm, but I had nothing left. My body was boneless, drained, slipping in and out of consciousness. Every breath was a struggle, and I leaned entirely on them, letting them drag me to the one place I needed to reach.
A part of me longed to see Thrax. To hold him one last time. But I knew him. If he came, he wouldn’t let me do what needed to be done. If he came, he wouldn’t let me give him my soul, even knowing I’d end up dying either way.
As much as I loved and wanted to see him one last time, It was better not to. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I died and left him to live on till eternity when I could’ve done something to free him.
A fat drop of rain splashed against my cheek. Then another. And then the sky broke open, rain pouring down in sheets, drenching us in an instant and soaking through my skin and into my bones.
“Fuck,” Amelia hissed, groaning with the strain as we tried to quicken our pace.
The cold sank into me, deeper than the knife ever could. My body trembled violently, each shiver a thief stealing more of my strength.
We walked. And walked.
And walked.
So long that I thought about giving up. But when I remembered who I was doing it for and how much he meant to me, I pushed forward.
Lightning flared, bright enough to blind, and a crack of thunder followed so violent it rattled the ground beneath us.
It was then I heard the screech.
My stomach dropped.
Creatures.
Selvanyra wasn’t done. If killing me had failed, then she would send her monsters to stop me from reaching the cave.
At all costs.
She was fighting till the end.
“What the fuck was that?” Amelia whispered, eyes darting around.
“Faster,” I croaked. “They…they’re coming.”
“Who?” she demanded, but even without an answer, she and Merton began to hurry. “Is something else after you?”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t speak anymore. My strength was leaking out of me with every breath. My body shook, my vision flickering in and out, and all I wanted was to rest. To sleep.
