Page 180 of Of Masks and Fury

“Isi.” He spoke my name in that rough voice I’d thought I might never hear again. “Come give me…a kiss.”

A sound escaped me, half-sob and half-laugh. I wanted to throw myself at him, to feel his arms wrap around me and confirm that he was really, truly alive.

When he tried to sit up, I pressed my hand to his chest, holding him down. “Don’t you dare.”

His hand came up to cup my face, his fingertips brushing away tears. “You look terrible.”

“You nearly died.” My voice shook. “You don’t get to critique.”

That devastating smile spread across his face, the one that made my heart stutter and my knees weaken. “Didn’t die. Still here… Followed your voice. Always do.”

The tenderness in his gaze made my breath catch.

He pulled me down until our foreheads touched. “I adore how fierce you are, Minx. But what did I tell you about protecting me?”

“What did I tell you?” I shot back.

We smiled through our tears.

His gaze dropped to my tunic, to his blood dried to brown. Something primitive flickered in his eyes. “Marked you.” The satisfaction in his voice made heat pool low in my belly.

I showed him where I was still gripping his hand, my fingers cramped from holding on all night. “I didn’t let go. Not once.”

He brought my knuckles to his lips, kissing them. “Not done loving you. Not even close.”

He rested some more, waking some time later.

Behind us, someone cleared their throat. I’d forgotten we weren’t alone.

Derren stood at the cave entrance, his arms crossed on his chest but his eyes warm. “Glad to have you back, Your Majesty.”

“Glad…to be back.” Trew’s voice sounded scratchy, but it was stronger than it had been. “I bet I owe you all my life.”

“Kerralyn in particular for bringing healing supplies,” I said.

She shot me a grin.

“You can pay us back by not almost dying again,” Lexie said, appearing behind Derren. “It was very inconvenient of you.”

Exhaustion cratered Kerralyn’s features, but relief shone in her eyes. “You survived mortal wounding. They’re going to tell stories about you. You’ll be legendary.”

Trew’s laugh turned into a wince. “Legendary sounds better than dead.”

“Much better.” I helped him settle back against the cave wall. “Now rest. We’re not moving until you can walk without bleeding everywhere.”

“Bossy.” But he didn’t argue, his hand still wrapped around mine.

Outside the cave, dawn painted the wasteland in shades of gray-tinged gold. The wasteland looked almost beautiful in the light, almost like it could be healed.

Almost like we might actually survive this.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

TREW

Aday of flying over the wasteland had taught me exactly how much I hated being injured.

Not because of the pain, though my shoulder throbbed with each of Lakast’s wing beats and my abdomen felt like someone was slowly ripping me apart from the inside out. No, I hated it because Isi wouldn’t stop fussing over me