CHAPTER 38
The remaining days blended into one. I spent my nights sitting with Collum, who, despite my best efforts, was only marginally better—her fever unwilling to break. During the day, I got what sleep I could, but Leif was often there, telling me all about his research.
We’d kissed some more, but as far as I could tell, my feelings hadn’t changed. Rather, I found myself more worried with watching the moons, nervous for Otho’s return, over what Leif would or wouldn’t find out about our weighted relationship.
But now, it was time.
The moons were near their peak, and it was all I could do to pace my room, waiting for the shout that indicated Otho and his men had breached the wall. Something in me felt comforted knowing that I would be returning back to the front lines, while something else twisted at the thought that I would be leaving a part of myself here.
The silence of the night broke in an instant, chaos reigning outside my bedroom as guards rushed past, some not quite dressed, pulling on their pants or jackets on the run. I debated looking out the window to see just how close the Ralheimsoldiers were, but then a guard who had probably been stationed nearby, was pulling on my arm, trying to yank me from the room.
“Wait!” I shouted at him, my heart pounding.
“There isn’t time! We have to get you to the safe zone!” His eyes were wide and my empathy gift revealed that he was afraid, likely because he hadn’t ever been in battle before. But there was no time for cowardice in war.
“I know where it is! Save the others!” I demanded, waiting for his nod of acknowledgement. He appeared to debate it for a moment, probably wondering if Leif would have his head for not saving me, but then he must have come to his own conclusion, as he released my arm and turned away.
The moment his back was facing me, I was off.
I’d spent enough time with Collum to know I would need help, thus, instead of heading directly for my cousin’s door, I dashed to the servant’s quarters, preparing to count the doors, but there was no need, because Ena was ready, a pack tossed over her shoulder.
I didn’t know how we would carry both the pack and my cousin, but there wasn’t time to figure it out now. Instead, I waved my hand at her before turning my back and sprinting back to the courtyard.
I couldn’t have been in the servant’s hall for longer than a few seconds, but in that time, all hell had broken loose. There were many of Otho’s men in direct hand-to-hand combat with Hansen’s men. In the dark, despite the light the two moons provided, it was difficult to tell the dark blue uniforms of Ralheim from the dark green of Malheim.
Which was how a knife ended up in my back.
One moment I was running, the next, there was a searing pain in my shoulder. I turned to face the soldier, only for his face to whiten as he recognized me, his blue uniform revealing he already knew his mistake.
His mouth opened and closed.
There wasn’t time for a discussion.
He knew it too, spinning to leave before speaking a single word. I reached over my shoulder, my hand coming back covered in blood.
I really didn’t have time for this.
“I thought you said you had immunity.” Ena’s gaze was fixed on what I was sure was a gnarly wound.
“I do; he made a mistake.” Grabbing Ena’s hand, I led her toward Collum’s door. I would worry about the injury later.
“What are we doing?” Her hiss was nearly lost in the sounds of the struggle behind us.
“My cousin.” It was the only explanation I could choke out before pushing open the unguarded door and ducking into the room.
Collum was exactly where she had been the nights prior, sweat still beading on her brow. Ena just shook her head.
“We can’t take her.”
“We have to try,” I argued, already pulling the blanket aside.
“No.” Ena’s hand landed on my forearm. “She is too sick. If we try to move her, she will certainly die. Her best chance is here.”
It was logical, I knew it was, but my heart still didn’t want to accept it.
“But she’s my family.”
“And she still will be, once we are out of here, and they heal her. They won’t kill someone this badly wounded.”
