She only crosses her arms, staring me down. “And how are you going to get down the hill?”
“I got up it earlier,” I remind her.
“Which is crazy. Now listen. You’ve already proved you’re tough. We get it. Now just let us help.”
I finally give her the bag. “You heard how to use it?”
“Yes, but I’m giving it to Shane and Thorne to do.”
I watch as she gives them the bag, and they start the descent. “You’re not going with?” I ask.
“I’ll stay with you.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” I remind her.
“Yeah. I know. The big red dragon behind you is more than enough reminder.”
I’m in pain and testy. “Then why are you up here with me instead of with them?”
“Because.” She turns to me then. “Harper, you have a broken leg. I'm here just in case you need help.”
I scrunch up my nose at her words but stop myself from saying something. What she’s saying is the truth. And while I detest being weak, if I really did need something, I can’t really do anything about it. I watch as the guys get close to Rauk.Is he still passed out?I ask Redara.
No.
There’s something about the way she says it that catches my attention.He’s in a lot of pain, isn’t he?
Yes.
I watch as Thorne grabs a hold of Rauk’s shoulders as Shane puts the stuff on Rauk’s back. Shane’s flung back a moment later. Reneta sighs. “Looks like I’m going down after all.” She walks down the hill to join them. It's a slow process, but it’s made a little easier in that she can follow the path the guys made.
Chapter 49
Reneta finally makes it down and helps hold him down. I’m pretty sure that’s only because he’s letting them. I wipe the sweat from my forehead and push all thoughts of the pain in my leg away. I watch as they put the stuff on Rauk’s back. I can tell even from here how stiffly he’s holding himself; I can’t imagine the pain he’s in. Anger rushes over me again that he got injured trying to protect me. He should never have done that. The stuff must start working because eventually he gets to his feet. They must say something about me because he suddenly looks up. I can’t see his expression from here, but I can literally feel the intensity of his gaze. I don’t look away as they start up the hill, with Rauk leading the charge. I don’t miss the way he moves—stiffly, so different from how he normally carries himself. Between the pain and the anger at seeing him in pain, by the time they get to the top of the hill, I’ve worked myself into a fine fit of anger. As soon as he crests the top of the hill, those dark eyes lock on mine. I don’t miss the way his eyes scan my body, like he’s checkingto see if I’m okay. But I don’t for one second miss the pain in his eyes. And just like that, I snap. “That was a really stupid thing to do, Rauk.” He doesn’t say anything. His eyes burn into mine as he gets close, and I have to tip my head back to be able to see him. “What were you thinking?” I demand. He shocks me into silence when he wraps an arm around my back and pulls me gently to his chest. I’m acutely aware of his arm around me, his chest under my cheek...and yet, somehow it registers that he’s being careful of my injured knee. My entire body goes rigid, and I don’t know how to hold myself. His large hand spans nearly my entire back. He doesn’t say anything, and I don’t...can’t. When he pulls back, his eyes stare into mine.
“Can you fly back?”
I arch a brow. “CanIfly back? You’re the one missing half your back.” He just stares at me, waiting. “Yes, I can fly back,” I tell him with a scowl.
“Reneta,” he says without looking away from me. “Can you wrap her leg so it’s at least stable.”
“We tried, but she wouldn’t let us,” she responds.
“Try again,” he says. “She’ll let you.” He stares me down, daring me to challenge him. I open my mouth to argue, but he beats me to it. “She’s going to wrap your leg; deal with it. Go ahead.” He moves so that his arms bracket my elbows, and he pulls away slightly so Reneta can bend next to me. She starts wrapping my knee, and I do my best not to grimace. Where she came up with wrap, I have no idea. She tightens the wrap, and I nearly bite my tongue in pain. “Careful,” Rauk says in a low, rumbling voice. I don’t look away from him the entire time. I’mnot sure why. To prove to him I can handle this, maybe?
She stands up. “It’s done.” Her words seem to break whatever weird spell Rauk put on me.
I face her and pull my arms from his grasp. “Thank you.”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s get back,” Rauk says. He turns and starts speaking to his three soldiers while I turn around and face Redara. I look at her back and feel like it’s grown twenty feet. I wipe my forehead again and wonder if I can do this one more time. I try to take a step on my leg, and it bends under me, causing a wave of pain to run through me. I close my eyes and breathe through the pain, resting my forehead against Redara’s back leg.
“Don’t put weight on it,” a voice says much closer than I realized. Then arms slip around my waist and lift me, turning me at the same time. Before I realize what’s happening, Rauk has me against his chest for the second time in my life.
“Put me down, Rauk,” I demand.
He ignores me and strides towards Nox. “You’re flying with me. Wrap your arms around my neck.”
