But it wouldn’t last long if I didn’t get him dried soon.
“Ren,” I said, patting his cheek. “Ren, wake up.”
He didn’t stir.
I grasped his shoulder and shook harder. “Ren! Can you hear me? You must wake up now!”
A moan escaped his lips. His eyes cracked open and found mine. “Siying?”
Relief flooded my bloodstream.
“Can you walk?” I asked, sliding my arm behind him to push him up.
“I… think so. Where are we?”
I squinted past the tree line. “Based on the position of the mountains, Sian, I think.”
He sighed. “Thank the heavens.”
“But we can’t rest yet. We must move away from the river and find shelter. I need you to get up.”
He nodded, leaning on my arm as he peeled himself off the ground and found his feet. Together, we shuffled into the enclosure of the forest, moving away from the river where our enemies likely prowled.
We walked for as long as we could bear the cold. Ren, fortunately, was less bothered by the low temperature thanks to his unusual state between life and death. Though his skin was cool to the touch, he hardly shivered.
As for me, I hunched into myself, jaw clenched, muscles tensed. My body screamed for me to stop, to build a flame Icould jump into or to bury myself inside the earth, safe from the sharp teeth of the evening breeze. But the rational side of me insisted we keep moving, to increase our distance from Wen.
Eventually, Ren brought us to a halt, saying, “That’s enough. We should stop here.”
With my body and brain both numbed, I could hardly think to argue. Spurred by the need to survive, I got to work gathering wood and building a fire. I nearly wept at the warmth rolling over my face.
Ren gently prodded me to sit, then removed my bag so he could bring out its contents and arrange them by the fire to dry. While I peeled off my outer layers to allow for quicker drying, Ren boiled water in a small pot. He added a few slices of ginseng and poured me a cup.
“Thank you,” I murmured, taking it between my hands. My wounded wrist, still frozen from the cold, ached. My teeth, at least, had finally stopped chattering every time I drew breath.
“You’re welcome,” he said, gaze politely averted, cheeks flushed from the fire—so I assumed. Discreetly, I tugged on the fabric of my underclothes so that they didn’t cling so scandalously to my skin.
It was then that I noticed the missing Fu talisman on Ren’s forehead. My hand moved without thought, and I snatched his wrist as he started to turn away.
“Your talisman,” I said. “It’s gone.”
He touched his brow. “Unfortunately, your slip of paper was no match for a thundering current.”
I frowned. “Why didn’t you mention it sooner?”
“Well…”
He shrugged, and I realized he hadn’t wanted to trouble me. My heart softened. I said firmly, “Sit.”
The corner of his mouth tugged upward, but there was a noticeable tiredness around his eyes. It’d be a terrible waste if he lost the qi that remained in his body. He must’ve used plenty of it surviving a powerful current and trudging through the forest.
At my motion, he obediently sank to the ground beside me, legs crossed.
I searched for my box of talismans. Luckily, the sheets inside were only slightly damp. I held one near the fire, letting the paper dry before placing it on Ren’s forehead. Again, I left room for him to see out of one eye.
After ringing my staff and reciting the proper incantation, I said, “How do you feel?”
“Alive.”
