She meant everything to me.
“Don’t do this, Rye. More hunters could be right behind us.” Whether they’d be rogue hunters or the king’s men was a question I didn’t want answered right now. Or ever.
“And we need the balm,” he said, glancing over his shoulder.
The balm? Why would we need the?—
Right.
I’d been shot with another laced arrow before we escaped. The last time this happened, I’d come the closest to dying in my immortal life. Orion’s healing balm had provided enough relief for my supernatural healing to catch up.
My arm still stung from the arrow wound, but none of the effects of the poison were setting in like last time. And I knew why.
“I’m fine,” I said.
“It was a poisoned arrow,” the healer said.
“I’m fine,” I repeated. I didn’t want to reveal what I’d figured out. I couldn’t voice the truth—so terrible and shocking, it carried an automatic death sentence if anyone else figured out I was a pureblood phaanon. Ace had probably already pieced it together, because nothing slipped by him, but would Orion figure it out? Did he still think I was a pureblood galeon?
“Let me see.” Orion caught up and grabbed my arm. We both stopped running.
Ace snarled but also stopped. He set Nala on the ground gently and shook out his arms. Sweat dripped from his face and his hair stuck to his forehead.
“You’re right.” Orion pressed around the wound, his brow furrowed. “Maybe the arrow wasn’t poisoned.”
“Told you.” I shouldn’t sound so smug, not when I knew the true reason the arrow had no effect.
“I’m still going back,” Orion said.
“Why? Those hunters were burning down cabins and attacking us. Some of them may have survived. They may have seen you leave with us.”
His set jaw told me he heard my words but wasn’t listening.
“It’s dangerous,” I said.
He shook his head and looked back in the direction we’d come from. “That’s exactly why I should return. Like I said before, I might have a chance to intercept any surviving hunters before they alert the king of your survival, and there could be injured townspeople. I can’t help anyone by running away with you.”
“Ry—”
“I’m a healer, Emi. I don’t leave the wounded behind.” He looked over and nodded at Ace. “Take care of her.”
Pffft. I could take care of myself, thank you very much. I bit down on my annoyance and attempted a smile.
Ace chose that moment to glance in my direction. His gaze snagged on my mouth, and he smirked. Nothing got by him.
“I’ll try to find you guys once I figure out a way to help Nala,” Orion said.
Before I could say anything else to point out the stupidity of returning to a town that was just attacked, Orion took off, jogging back the way we’d come.
Dread settled over my shoulders. The path Orion had taken stared back at me while the birds darted among the tree branches overhead. He was making a big mistake.
“Such a phaaning Boy Scout,” Ace muttered.
“What does that even mean?” I’d never heard that expression before.
“Did you learn nothing in school?” Ace asked. “Boy Scouts were a group of overly, well-behaved boys.”
“I was schooled on the streets, Ace,” I said.
