It smelled like something that had grown out of his father’s armpits. Nasty.
Maybe death would be preferable, after all. That was his thought until another wave of pain washed through his body. Yeah, fine. Either this would heal him or kill him. Either way, he’d be happy.
Holding his breath, he swallowed it whole.
Then cursed as he realized it tasted even worse than it smelled. That was bad. Worse? It went through his body like a lightning bolt. Or fire. Every part of him burned.
Until suddenly all the pain stopped.
Every bit of it.
Thorn lay there, waiting for it to assault him again. There was no way so much agony could just go away. It didn’t seem possible or right.
Yet as he waited, he felt stronger. Then stronger still.
Rolling to his side, he pushed himself carefully to his feet.
Simi was there, helping him to stand.
“I’m too heavy for you, Sim.”
She blew him a raspberry. “You not heavy, akri-Thorn. Friends help friends.”
Not in his experience. God, he loved how she viewed the world so clearly. What he wouldn’t give to have her abilities.
Just as she opened a portal for them, Apollymi’s voice intruded. “Be glad, Leucious.”
He frowned at her tone. “Glad of what?”
“Had you harmed Adarian, I would have killed you. While he might not be my Monakribos, he is still my bloodline. And in my eyes, blood is blood.”
“I’m your nephew,” he reminded her.
They, too, were blood.
“Son of a traitor who condemned my children. If I ever have the chance, I will kill Noir and Azura for what they’ve done. And if you get in my way, I’ll kill you, too. They are not to know where I am or how to travel here. If they do, my wrath will be absolute.”
“Noted, Auntie.”
And with that, Simi took him through the portal to his home in Azmodea. Not to his formal room where he normally sat. She actually took him to his bed chambers.
Using his powers, he removed his armor. “Thank you, Simi.”
“I would say any time, akri-Thorn, but the Simi hopes you don’t get so hurts like this in the future. It’s not a good thing be so badly wounded, and the Simi might not hear you next time you fall down. So don’t do this again.”
She had a point with that. “Well, I appreciate you. I don’t know what I’d have done had you not shown up.”
“Probably bleed some more and that would have made Simi even sadder. Goodnight, akri-Thorn. Gets some rest.” She flew up and kissed his cheek, then vanished.
Stunned by her sweet actions, Thorn waited a few minutes in his room before he decided to return to the battlefield.
He was hoping to help his men.
What he found there was that the Malachai’s army had returned while they were gone and finished off any survivors. The sight that greeted him would haunt him for eternity.
But not nearly as much as the fact that if Simi hadn’t come to him when she had, he’d be one of the desecrated bodies lying on this field. He owed her much more than someone who’d simply helped him.
He owed his life to her.
