Tears pool in my eyes and spill over.
Fear widens his eyes. “Cec! We need you.”
A moment later, Cec kneels at my other side.
“You’re the better healer between us.”
Without argument, Cec places his palms over the bullet wound—I cry out, scrambling for Bes’s hand. He takes it, gripping it tight in his. More tears chart a path from the corner of my eyes and down my temples.
His other hand brushes through my hair. “I’m here, I’m with you. It’s going to be alright.”
A moment later, a painful spark ignites from my wound, spreading to the rest of my body like wildfire. I writhe on the gravel and gasp for air, a scream building in my throat as the Amulet of Amun burns against my chest. Cec’s magic that I can no longer deny exists flays me alive, burning me from the inside out. I clench Bes’s hand like it’s the only thing keeping me on this earth, my other hand clenched into a fist so tight I know my nails have pierced through the skin.
For a moment, I regret not getting the leaf tattoo at the order; it can’t be worse than the pain I’m enduring now. And it could heal me, like it has with Bes. I’d do anything—anything—to end this pain.
The longer the agony persists, however, the harder it becomes to think.
I feel myself losing consciousness, and I wonder if something’s gone wrong.
“Miss Hawkins?” Bes murmurs.
I try to squeeze his hand to let him know I’m still here, but I’m not sure I’ve actually applied any pressure.
“Bes, what’s going on?”Cec.He sounds worried. “You have to tell me what’s going on. Did it work?”
“The bleeding has stopped, but we’re losing her.”
A pause. Then, “Something’s not right.”
“What is it?”
Suddenly, violently, the pain recedes. My eyes fling open again.
Bes sucks in a breath, hand tightening around mind.
“What is it? What’s happened?”
“I believe she’s out of the worst of it. Areyoufeeling alright?” Bes asks instead.
“A bit drained, but not abnormally so. Why?”
Bes is quiet for a moment. “It’s nothing. She’s beginning to heal now.”
I look for him, but I still can’t quite see.
“You have to go after her,” Cec tells Bes through his teeth. “Maramustbe held accountable for what she’s done. Kali too.”
“We have neither the time nor the manpower to do so. If there are no more God Men, we might make it out of this yet; if not, then there could still be some fighting left.”
Cec sighs. “We should head back down to the church, then.”
Strong hands start to lift me—
“Let me do it,” Cec says. “You’ll need both hands if we run into trouble, and I can simply follow the sound of your footsteps.”
Bes doesn’t argue; he hands me over to Cec, who carries me with ease as we start down the main path.
“Stay with me, Hawkins,” Cec whispers. My head lolls to the side in his direction. I think I see him smile, though the sky seems to have darkened, casting his face in soft shadows. “This is not the end for you, you hear me? It isnotyour fate to die this day.”
