“My arm,” I call to Larkin, my voice barely a whisper.
“I know.” He offers a reassuring smile that I don’t believe. “We’re almost there.”
The passing seconds feel like hours as the agony sets into my bones. I can’t help but thrash against the pain and grind my teeth, not caring if they shatter any moment. The darkness of the mountain starts to take over, and I close my eyes.
“Don’t close your eyes, Briar,” Larkin orders. “Keep them open.”
Even in pain, I’ve heard those words before. I’ve spoken those words to Barlowe when I begged him to hold on. He did the one thing I asked him not to do. He let himself slip into the darkest realm. I’m not one to follow orders, but I’ll try. I keep my eyes cracked open as much as possible and catch Larkin glancing down to check every few seconds. His face contorts through the haze, and sweat beads on his forehead as he pushes harder to get me somewhere safe.
He starts to slow down near a shadowy patch of stone. A few candles rest on the ground as he lays me down on a smooth surface. The cold stone sends a shiver through my body, and my teeth begin to chatter. I quickly realized that the warmth I felt was from the thick blood running down both Larkin’s and my entire body. A chill begins to creep up my core, and a concerning numbness tingles in my legs. Larkin works quickly to light a fewcandles using basic Lumor magic, granting us access to a dim light around the mountain cavern.
This tiny room is well used. Many items line the far walls, and I now believe Larkin when he said he’s been here numerous times before. He rushes to my side, removes the axes, and peels away the shirt stuck to my blood-soaked body. I grit my teeth from the fabric taking my skin with it as he lowers it down my arm.
“I’m sorry,” he says, as he flinches. “I need to look at your shoulder.”
I give him a nod, not really concerned about what he does right now, as long as it puts an end to the pain. The chill seeps in deeper, and my eyelids grow heavier, flickering shut occasionally. The tingles travel up my legs, settling into my chest, and moving outward to my arms. I know once it covers my entire body, I won’t be able to hold on.
Sleep. I want to sleep.
Larkin snaps his fingers in my face. “No way. Don’t you dare go to sleep.”
“I’m tired,” I mumble.
“I don’t give a shit. Keep your eyes open.”
He touches the wound, causing a jolt of pain to shoot through my body. I thrash against his touch and arch my back. A scream escapes my lips this time, and my eyes fly open. My eyes find his, and concern sits in his dark eyes.
“That’s more like it,” Larkin says.
“Fucking,” I barely rasp out, “asshole.”
He works silently for a moment, using his own outer shirt to wipe the blood away. His hands move calmly, as if he’s done this many times, and even though his nerves are shot, he keeps them steady.
“Tell me a story.”
I blink at him.
“Tell me something about you and Barlowe as children,” Larkin insists. “Something that makes you happy.”
“I. Can’t.”
I can’t tell him any stories that are happy, because the only thing that fills my mind these days are thoughts of all the despondent things that have happened. Tears begin to roll down my face, and I sit on the edge of consciousness, my eyes fluttering closed for a second, then snapping open seconds later. Larkin attempts to roll me more on my opposite side, and another flash of pain tears through my body.
“Then, I’ll talk, and I want you to nod after everything I say so I know you are still with me.”
I stare at him.
“Okay?”
I only blink.
“I said, nod, Briar,” he demands.
I gently move my head up and down, battling the pain, sleepiness, chills, and nausea that hits me.
“I grew up in Eddris,” Larkin begins. “My parents are both healers at the House of Havengart, which you’d think would come in handy right now for patching you up. I wish I had listened more.” He leans over, checking to see if my eyes are open. “Sorry, I shouldn’t say that right now. You’re going to be fine.”
He glances at me with a fake smile, and I nod.
