I couldn’t lift my arms, not enough to wrap my chain around his throat. But I could?—
With a stumbling step, the warrior’s ankle met the iron. I bit my cheek to keep from screaming at the pain driving through my body, and he crashed backward to the floor with a cry that cut off in an echoing thud.
Mila crouched before me, hands on my face, knees in my blood. The others continued to fight, but she was here. I nearly collapsed at the relief.
“It’ll heal quickly,” she said, voice wavering as she reassured both of us. “It’ll heal, Malakai.” She pressed her forehead to mine, hands shaking against my cheeks. “I’m going to get you out of here. You saved me before… I’m going to save you now.”
I saved her?
I tried to ask what she meant, but I moved too quickly and a bolt of pain went through my back.
It didn’t hurt as badly as it should. Not when I could see she was safe. But even opening my eyes was hard. So much blood was on the floor. My head swam.
I had no concept of time as the fighting silenced. I didn’t try to count the seconds. Just tried not to move too much with each rasping breath.
“Malakai,” Mila said softly.
Everything hurt, that last effort to stand draining all the adrenaline keeping me upright. My back was flayed open, raw skin sticky and throbbing.
“Mila,” I muttered, keeping my eyes closed.
“Yeah?” she asked shakily, and I forced my eyes open. Looked into her watery, ice-blue ones. So fucking beautiful, even with the tears. If she was the last thing I saw before dying, I would go happily. One day, perhaps…but I wasn’t done living with her yet.
I croaked, “We have to look up, right?”
Mila bit back a sob, tears tracking down her cheeks. “Look up, Warrior Prince.”
“Is he okay?” Barrett’s voice was close and piqued with panic. Everyone had to be alright if he was checking on me.
“We need to get out of here.” That was Celissia.
“Malakai, we can’t carry you,” Barrett said. Spirits, they couldn’t even put their arms around me for support without my back screaming.
“I can walk,” I wheezed. “Help.”
Barrett and Mila helped me out of the rest of my torn leathers so the fabric wouldn’t brush the wounds. Then, they stood on either side of me as I ever-so-slowly rose, holding each of my arms, bracing steadying hands against my ribs, but not daring to move any closer.
I draped my arms across their shoulders, hissing at the pain of lifting them even that much. Every shift sent daggers through my back.
Dax was carrying Vale, who looked on the brink of unconsciousness. One hand gripped her shoulder, the other clenched to her chest. Whatever that tattoo severing had done to her was drastic.
“Aren’t you coming?” Celissia asked, her curious stare on Harlen.
He shook his head. Three of the Starsearcher guards stood behind him, three who had fought with us. That small reminder that there was good in this manor unwound a knot in my chest and made me grateful I stood for my friends so they could remain unharmed alongside that good.
“I’ll take care of this,” Harlen said, waving a hand at Titus’s prone body. “You all get somewhere safe.”
“Thank you,” I slurred as we slowly fled.
And Vale mumbled a faint, “You’re a good friend, Harlen.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ophelia
“Lookslike it isn’t broken and it set well,” Rina said, gentle fingers assessing my wounded ankle. She fluttered hastily about the dining room of the inn, barely taking time to stop before any of us.
She’d gotten Lancaster seated atop a table in the back corner, Mora laying on two pushed together beside him. The male, his shirt off and wound ghastly in his side, tracked his sister’s every breath as she tried to hide the pain lancing through her shoulder.
