“Stop rushing her,” Lionel cut in, earning himself a glare.
Nope, no time for their stupid banter again, as I picked a path and followed it.
“Don’t worry, I have your backs!” Ashley clarified, taking her place at the rear of the group.
My nerves were creeping up on me more and more the longer we walked. Was it because of the fever?
My head was spinning, the foliage looked an awful lot like it had done a while back. I was worried that I might’ve been leading them in circles for hours. The air felt thicker, it was getting harder to breathe.
My foot caught under a root, tripping me; as I fell, all I managed to get out was a lousy gasp, no scream, nothing.
Something grabbed my arm, the grip like stone, cold spreading through the fabric of my clothes, pulling me back to my feet.
“Lionel,” I began, looking back, meeting with red unbothered eyes. It caught me off guard— it wasn’t Lionel helping me, it was Malakai. His face was completely blank, yet his hand didn’t let go.
“Ethalyn, you okay?” Mey’s voice carried a soft urgency.
“She doesn’t look well,” Nate added bluntly.
“I-I’m fine.” My throat was dry. Why wasn’t I? I had fought the fever yesterday and won. Why couldn’t my body hold out this time?
“Can someone grab her bag for me? I’ll carry her,” Lionel said behind us, his voice calm.
“Are you kidding?” Eve hissed.
“Don’t look at me, I’m half your size buddy,” Ashley chimed, entirely unbothered.
Malakai’s grunt cut through the air. Irritation sharpened his features as he pulled me close, then, without warning, hauled me over his shoulder in one swift, unyielding motion.
“Hey!” Heat flared up my neck. “I’m not a sack of flour!”
“You’re right. Flour doesn’t squirm.” His voice was low, steady, almost too steady.
“Put me down,” I barked, balling weak fists and thudding them against his back.
He shifted his shoulder deliberately, jostling me and I gasped, clinging to him before I could stop myself.
“That’s what I thought.” I could hear the smirk in his tone. “Now hush before the demons find us, kitten.”
The fever stole my fire as much as it fed it. My heart thudded far too hard for someone being carried like contraband.
“My feet hurt,” Eve sighed, her voice suddenly honeyed as her eyes flicked to Lionel.
“Too bad,” Ashley cut her down instantly. “Means you’ve been lazy.”
Eve’s glare sparked, but it was wasted when no one looked her way. I almost pitied her.
Almost.
Relief came only when we happened upon a small alcove in a cliffside, offering us some shelter to pause in. Malakai lowered me to the ground, not roughly, but not gently either. He stripped off a glove and pressed his palm against my forehead. His touch was startlingly cool to my burning skin. He was too close, but I was too tired to yap.
“Thanks,” I whispered, not meeting his eyes.
“Don’t thank me.” His scoff sounded like armor. “Or are you going to beg me to be your blanket too?”
I slapped his hand away, cheeks too hot from fever alone, as my blood boiled in anger. “I take it back.”
His mouth curved, not quite a smile, but something equally as dangerous. “Your loss, kitten.” He stepped back then, as though he’d lingered too long already.
