ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED
You defeated?—
I don’t even pay attention to Cipher’s pre-recorded message this time. I’m exhausted and can barely keep my eyes open to see the interface light up with the notification. The next time I crack my eyes open, it’s already gone, nothing but a small exclamation mark that disappears a second later. I can only focus on the ice in my lungs, on the way my body seizes with cold, on the way I can no longer feel my limbs. This is worse than the frostbite from before. So much worse.
“Heave!” someone shouts. “Hurry it up, lads! They’ve got one foot in the grave!”
“T-this i-i-is not-t my . . . g-g-grave,” I say on instinct, fighting the chill in my veins.
“That’s right, las. Keep that up.”
A minute later, the door is being lowered onto the deck of the ship and we’re surrounded by people administering aide. Someone tips my chin back and pours a disgusting mixture down my throat that makes me cough and hack before they do the same for Locke. Someone else starts stripping my heavy winter gear off as it starts to freeze, leaving me in just my trousers and top.
“Warming potion!” someone yells and shoves something else in my face. “Drink this!”
I open my mouth on instinct and it’s poured in. This one is so hot it burns my tongue, but the taste is closer to that of an apple. I take it all as everyone fusses with us, and within a few minutes, I’m able to feel my skin again, though it feels blistered and hot.
“To the rooms to heal, you go!” someone orders, lifting us to our feet.
“Wait!” I say, touching my head. “My familiar?—”
“Now isn’t the time, las. You’ve gotta get out of these clothes.”
“Svetlana,” I say, finding her tangled in my wet hair. “Svetlana!”
She’s not moving.
“Get her out of my hair!” I cry, trying my best to untangle her. Some of the crew surrounding us must realize I’m not going to move until I can see her and start to help, pulling stands of hair from around her. Finally, after what seems like forever, they set her across my hands, and I get a good look at the forearm-sized praying mantis.
Her body is stiff, her little arms frozen in the air.
“Svetlana!” I cry, dropping to my knees. “I need more warming potion! Please”
“They don’t work on familiars, las. It’s gonna be okay?—”
“No!” I cry. “I refuse. Save her! Please! Svetlana! Wake up!”
Locke watches, his expression sad even though he didn’t like her. Tears prick my eyes as I cradle her in my arms.
She turns her head so slowly, it makes my chest hurt.
“Svetlana!” I say, teardrops slowly rolling down my cheek. “Wake up!”
“Umnitsa,” she wheezes. “It . . . was . . . too . . . cold.”
“I’ll save you,” I say through my tears. A sob threatens to fall from my lips but I just barely hold it back. “Hang on for me, okay? Just hang on!” I turn. “The warming potion!”
“I told you, las,” a man says, his brow raised. “It doesn’t work on familiars, but it doesn’t matter?—”
“Doesn’t matter!?” I snarl.
Svetlana starts to stiffen further. “Ves . . . per?”
“Yes?” I sob. “I’m here. I’m right here.”
She tilts her head back. “Re . . . mem . . . ber . . . me.”
She stops moving.
