“How long?”Taio asked.
“Hard to say,” Finnrey answered.“Might be hours or days.”
I could feel the raised veins had reached her hand.Her flesh was so warm it felt uncomfortably hot against my own.The bite had been deep, and the poison worked fast.“Hours,” I said.“Three, mayhap four.”
“One,” she said.
“Finnrey, no.”
She began coughing again, squeezing my hand hard as her chest convulsed.When she finally stopped, red spittle covered her chin and the front of her tunic.The disease was already invading her lungs and taking over.She was dying, organ by organ, limb by limb.
“One hour,” she said through gasps.“Taio, do you understand?”
“I understand, my lady.”He glanced at me.“I will leave you to say your goodbyes.”He rose and led Omira away.Dimly, I was aware Yung and Kintle were covering the body of the Hollow woman.Omira and Taio went to do the same with the man.
“This must have been their home long ago,” Finnrey said.Her gaze was on the Zulenii’s care of the Hollows as well.“How long do you think they’ve been wandering the forest neither alive nor dead?”
“Decades,” I said.
“Finally at rest,” she said.“Look at your Zulenii.They are so respectful.”
I had to agree.We never attempted to bury the Hollows we killed.We left them or burned them.Taio and his people didn’t have shovels, so they used leaves and tree branches to cover the bodies.Finnrey’s words finally penetrated the haze in my brain.“They’re not my Zulenii.”
“They are.I saw how they became loyal to you the moment he chose you.They are a good people.”
“The rumors about how they are artists and musicians were exaggerated,” I said.
“I think they sent their warriors, but what you find in Zulen might be different.I wish I could be there to find out.”
My breath caught as pain lanced through me again, just as painful and fresh as the first moment I realized Finnrey had been bitten.
“Come here,” she said, moving aside slightly to make room for me on the bedroll.I lay beside her, our faces inches apart, our noses almost touching.Tears rolled down my cheeks, making the material beneath my face damp.“You will survive this, Mara,” she said.“You are strong.”
“I am supposed to be comforting you.”
She smiled.“Go ahead then.”
My mind went completely blank.Of course, I knew no words of comfort.I’d never comforted anyone in my life.I put my arm over her waist and just held her.She was so hot, like a small fire under my arm.“I love you,” I said because I’d never said it out loud.
“I know.I love you too.I always loved you best.”
“I always loved you best.”
“I didn’t think you loved Broga best.”
I laughed quietly.“I don’t love Broga at all.”
“Oh, you’ll miss her in Zulen.”
I wouldn’t.I wouldn’t miss anyone except Finnrey and my parents and Gaz—no, not Gaz.I couldn’t think about him right now.
Finnrey started coughing again, and I pushed up on my elbow so her shoulder wouldn’t hit me in the face.Her neck showed the first signs of raised red veins.She swiped her sleeve from her uninjured arm across her chin, and I saw the smear of blood.Her lips were red with it too.I lay back down, pressing my forehead to hers.
“Will you do something for me, Mara?”
“Yes.Anything.”
“When you can, will you send word to my brother about what happened?Tell him I love him, and he can have any of my daggers he likes.”
