“I do—” I started but he cut me off.
“You’re my weighted. Leaving you would kill me too.”
CHAPTER 39
Iopened my eyes, a groan reaching my ears.
It was my own.
The world was blurry, and it took several blinks for the fogginess to clear.
The first thing I noticed was the wooden beams over my head, strung with everything from peppers to flowers, all of them hung to dry. My memory was still recovering, and I pinched my eyes shut again, desperate to remember where this place was and why it was familiar.
“You’re awake.” It was a feminine voice.
I turned my head, unable to find the energy to do anything else, though I did clench my fist opened and closed a few times.
“Is this the afterlife?” My voice was light and airy.
A chuckle, then, “No. Well, maybe, but I would hope the afterlife is better than this.”
At her words, pain filtered into my senses, most of it coming from my throat and shoulder.
“What happened?” I asked the voice.
That’s when she leaned over my head, revealing the black hair and blue eyes that were all too familiar.
“Friar,” I recited, proud I had remembered her name. Butthen the dream I had been having came back and I felt my cheeks flood with color. This was going to be awkward.
“You were injured pretty badly, but Otho was able to get you back to camp. Unfortunately, you weren’t stabilizing, so we had to bring you back to Adis’s where I had more supplies.”
My heart stuttered.
“He doesn’t know you are here,” Friar added, though I wasn’t sure how she was so easily able to deduce my panic. “Even if he did, I doubt he would recognize you.”
I swallowed. I knew she was correct, but it didn’t really quell my fears.
Then her hand was behind my back, helping me to sit up as she tipped a glass of water between my lips. I pinched my eyes closed, the water burning a path down my throat.
“It will probably hurt to eat and drink for a while. You really did almost drown.”
Well, at least that part was real.
“And Ena?” I asked, even though I was reasonably sure she was fine at this point.
“Fine.” She helped me take another sip. “She’s been settling in well and is currently helping Askel with training.”
Even though I was actively drinking, my throat felt dry as I asked the next question, “And Otho?”
“A bit worse off than Ena, angry that he had to rest his leg for a few days, but I sent word to him that you are awake. I am sure he will be here as soon as possible.”
The way she said the words left a weird feeling in my stomach. On the one hand, I had been dying, and it was likely I was misremembering some things. But, if what had happened was real, I needed to let Friar know. I owed her as much.
“Friar.” Her name was a breath as she placed the cup down and turned her full attention to me. It was a struggle to force the words out, but I knew I had to. “Otho . . .when I was dying, he . . . he told me I was his weighted.”
A ghost of a smile flickered on her lips. “I’m glad he finally told you.”
My brows furrowed, and I had to clear my throat before I could continue. “You knew?”
