“They’re flesh wounds,” Theo says, but he’s not fooling anyone.
“Get her on the bed so I can examine her,” Nash coaxes.
Theo bends and gently picks me up in his arms. I lock my jaw and grind my teeth to keep from crying out. He lays me on the bed as the four knights surround me.
“I pictured this very differently,” I say. My voice sounds stronger than my body. Go me.
Here lies Daphne Stone, poked to death by four shards, just not the fun kind.
“Stop it. You aren’t dying this diurnal,” Hart growls.
I blink. “Who said anything about dying? I meant being naked with the four of you. Am I dying? I can’t. I’m still a knight virgin.”
“You are not dying,” Nash snaps with a warning look at Hart.
“Should I get a healer?” Malachi asks.
“You do appear a little pale,” I say, peering up at him.
“The healer’s for you,” Theo says softly.
“So I am dying?”
Nash presses his lips together as Theo paces at the foot of the bed. He swipes his hands through his hair, making it messier and sexier.
“Daphne,” Nash says, drawing my eyes back to him. “I’m going to try removing a shard from your leg, okay? There are no major arteries around there.”
No arteries are a good thing, right? “Okay.”
“It might hurt.”
“Okay,” I repeat with a nod as Malachi sits on the bed beside me and grabs my hand, squeezing it. Hart does the same on the other side.
Nash grimaces as he grabs one of the glistening pieces of broken glass and pulls it free. My back bows, and I cry out.
He drops it onto a towel and scowls at the wound. “It came out easily enough, but I don’t like the way it’s bleeding. How did this happen?”
“Malice,” I snap, the pain making me grouchy. “She did something, and the glass shattered and flew at me.”
“I was too late,” Theo roars. The vibration from his volume makes me wince.
“Calm down, Theo,” Hart implores. “You’re hurting her.”
Theo freezes and looks at me with wide eyes. “I’m sorry,” he chokes out.
“Retrieve the best healer the Hallows has,” Nash says, ushering him out. “Explain the situation. I don’t want to move her and risk making it worse.”
“Yes, I’m firmly against making it worse,” I add.
Theo grumbles something to Nash and disappears out the door.
My heavy eyes slide closed. I’ll rest for a moment... The darkness beckons me with open arms, and I wrap myself inside of it.
“She’s fading,”someone unfamiliar declares. “I’ve removed the glass and administered the healing potions, but her injuriesare too much for a maiden. There’s magic at work here I don’t understand.”
“No, I don’t accept it.”
Gwyneth, my sister, is here. I smile in the darkness. She’s always here for me.
