Then, heedless of her fear, this incredible woman summons water from the ground. I drop my hand. The thin ribbon of water briefly glimmers in the moonlight before she forces it into Tormik’s nostrils.
He coughs but wields it out easily.
Mayah has an ice spear waiting for him—it hurtles through the air toward his chest.
The spear slows midair, then comes to a halt.
An eternity passes in scant seconds, then—
It careens back toward Mayah. There’s a shrill blaring in my ears, a horrible fear swallowing me whole, but she doesn’t seem concerned. Knees bent, hands raised, she’s poised to defend herself.
Except it never reaches Mayah.
A split second—it veers right.
Toward me.
Excruciating pain in my chest, then numbness radiating through my limbs.
Thethunkof my sword against the ground.
Knees hitting the earth.
Then, darkness.
Chapter Seventy
Somethingwetlandsonmy cheek.
A dense fog envelops my senses like an oppressively heavy blanket is draped over my mind. A dull ache throbs in my chest, and I have to fight for every shallow breath.
It’s a monumental effort to crack my eyes open.
But I’m glad I do. Mayah hovers above me, face wet with tears, hands poised over my sternum.
I follow her gaze and—Skies damn.
There’s a hole in my chest.
Why doesn’t it hurt more? She must’ve numbed the pain. How did I end up with—
Then I remember.
Tormik. Where is he now? What hap—
“My reserves are empty,” she whispers, eyes wet. A tear drips onto my jaw. “Stay here. Don’t die. I’ll—I’ll find food—”
She starts to rise, and from somewhere deep inside my broken body, I find the strength to touch her hand. I try to grasp it, but I can’t convince my fingers to close. It’s enough, though. She stops. Waits.
Slowly, so slowly, I reach into the pocket of my cloak, spread out beneath me. My fingers find the apple I stashed away earlier in the night. Hand shaking, I manage to retrieve it. I nearly drop it twice as I press it into Mayah’s open palm.
A broken sob tears from her throat as she takes the apple from my trembling hand.
I remain awake long enough to see her bite into it.
Then darkness claims me once more.
“…over here!”
