Beks rested her cheek on his chest, sighing.Her eyes traced over his muscles before tracking to his arm.Her brow furrowed and she frowned when she saw little blue veins extending out from the bottom of the moss gauze she’d placed there the previous night.
“Lihvan, let me see your arm,” she said, sitting up, the mood suddenly shifting.
His gaze cut to her before looking down at the veins.He waved his hand and urged her to lie back down.“It is how we heal, female.”
“But, Lihvan—”
“You should rest,” he said, cutting her off.“Later, I can take you to go bathe.Tev?”
Beks blew out a breath and nodded.He didn’t seem concerned about his arm and as she looked over him, she saw the multitude of scars across his body.He knew his body better than she did.
“Okay,” she said.“Let’s rest.”
* * *
But as the day wore on, after they’d woken from a brief nap, after they boiled more water, and collected more moss and fire fuel, Beks was beginning to think that Lihvan was lying to her.
Even after the sun descended in the sky, there was a fine sheen of sweat on his body.His skin didn’t take on the golden light from the fire, as it did most nights.Instead, it was a dull bronze.And those blue veins underneath his gauze were still spreading.
Finally, she put her foot down, after many attempts to let her take a look at his wound.
“Lihvan, show menow,” she said.They had just finished up what was left of the roasted meat, except she couldn’t help but notice that Lihvan hadn’t finished his share.“I’m serious.”
Her heartbeat was pounding in her throat and the bad feeling that had been sneaking up on her all day made her feel like she would choke.
His eyes had taken on a glassy look in the past few hours and they regarded her closely.Finally, he held out his left arm to her and with panic churning in her stomach, she gently unwound the moss gauze with trembling hands.
Her lips pressed together when she saw the wound.
“It’s infected, isn’t it?” she whispered, staring, tears beginning to pool in her eyes.
But there was no doubt about it.
The edges where the thread held his wound closed were inflamed and seeping.The dark blue veins she’d spied from afar grew in width the closer they came to the slash and his skin felt hot to the touch.It looked worse than when she’d stitched it together.
“What can I do?” she asked, her eyes darting up to his.“What can I do to help you?”
“Luxiva…” he trailed off with a sharp exhale and her heart dropped.
“Youknewit was infected this morning, didn’t you?Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It had already set in.I felt it setting in during the night,” he admitted quietly.“There is nothing we can do but let it run its course.I did not wish for you to worry.”
“Did you think you couldhidethis from me?” she asked, tears spilling over her cheeks.This was dangerous.They had no medicine, no help.What would an infection this gruesomedoto him?“Lihvan…oh my God, I feel like this is my fault.”
His brows drew together.“Of course it is not your fault.”
“M-maybe I didn’t boil the moss long enough to kill all the bacteria.Maybe I didn’t flush it out right.”
He cradled her face in his hand, leaving his other arm in her lap.“Youdid notdo this,luxiva.I was the one who made an error during the hunt.Without proper supplies…it would have been lucky for the wound not to become infected.It was most likely inevitable.”
Her forehead met the crook of his neck.His body felt hot, damp.
“What are we going to do?” she asked.
“Wait,” he replied.“That is all we can do.Earlier this morning, I placed hunting markers throughout this area.Luxirians will recognize them.If they scout out anywhere near here, the markers will lead them right to the cave.”
He’d planned this.He knew that he’d become ill…possibly too ill to do anything.And still, he’d made preparations.Just in case.
