She didn’t stir the entire trek home.
A huge crowd had formed at the oasis, people milling about, helping the injured while others kept sentry. A murmur rippled through the crowd, people pointing in our direction as I came toward the oasis. Everyone parted as I carried Emma through the throng to rest her next to the oasis. I crouched again, checking her breathing. I still couldn’t tell if she was feeling better.
Rachel and Sam both rushed forward.
“Is it over?” Sam asked, glancing around, taking stock of everything, checking me for injuries. Rachel stared down at Emma, her eyes wide with worry.
“For now,” I said. “Emma injured it badly, and it retreated before we got the chance to finish it once and for all. But it won’t be making any appearances anytime soon.”
“Do we need to take her to the healer?” Rachel asked.
“It’s worth summoning one,” I told her.
Rachel darted through the crowd, disappearing as the rest stared at me.
“Is it dead?” one person yelled. Everyone fell silent, staring at me, waiting for my verdict.
“No,” I said. “But we gave it some serious injuries and ran it off for a good long while, and we know how to destroy it next time it comes around. When it shows its face next time—ifit shows its face—we’ll be more than ready.”
A joyful, triumphant cheer echoed through the crowd, one that would have infuriated the sand wraith if it heard it. Any ounce of despair or dread that had plagued the town earlier that day had evaporated. There was nothing here for it to feed on.
Not quite, an unpleasant voice in my head reminded me.
I glanced down at Emma, still unconscious, and unease rippled through me. She hadn’t stirred.
The healer emerged from the crowd and hurried forward, Rachel at her side. She crouched by Emma and began checking her vitals.
I kept my expression stoic even as fear rippled off me. I didn’t think I could stand it if I lost her. But I couldn’t alarm the rest of the pack. They were looking to me for guidance. We had just had a major victory. If they were able to sense my own panic and despair, then it could ripple through them, and we’d yet again be a beacon for the sand wraith. It might be injured, but it was still out there, still dangerous. So I needed to put on a brave face and keep my own panic in check, even as my mind continued spinning and my wolf paced anxiously back and forth.
Then Emma let out a soft moan, head moving to the side before her eyes fluttered open. Her brow furrowed as she glanced around, clearly trying to figure out what she was doing here. Then her eyes landed on me.
“Elias?” Her head went to her temple as she pushed herself to a half-seated position. She winced.
“Don’t move too much.” I crouched next to her, stroking her hair as I looked her up and down again. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I got hit with a sledgehammer,” she groaned, still rubbing her head. Her eyes flew open as more memories came flooding back to her. She stiffened, looking up at me, her eyes wide with worry. “The wraith—”
“Is gone for now,” I promised. “Thanks to you. You did fantastic, you know that?”
She gave a coy smile, her eyes sparkling a little through the obvious exhaustion. “You could stand to say it again.”
I pulled her closer, kissed her on the forehead, and leaned down until my lips brushed against her ear.
“You did fantastic, Emma,” I said.
A sleepy, exhausted smile spread over her lips as she looked up at me. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, a tiny figure slammed into her, wrapping tiny arms around Emma’s neck.
“Mommy! You’re okay!” Grace hugged her mother tight.
Beaming, Emma pulled Grace into an even deeper hug. “I’m so glad you’re all right, sweetie,” Emma said. “You did so good.”
She glanced up at me with a questioning eyebrow.
“Wraith is still out there,” I said, responding to her unanswered question. Her jaw tightened as fear flickered through her gaze. “But you seriously hurt it and scared it. It’s going to go into hiding for a while and lick its wounds. And when it shows its ugly head again, we’ll be ready.”
She swallowed, hesitating briefly before nodding, her chin jutting out in determination. “Damn right we will,” she said.
Grinning, I bent down and kissed her on the forehead. I wanted to do far more than that for her, but for the time being, this would have to do.
