“You’re askingmethat?” My voice sounded too high, reaching hysterical territory.
“You’re trembling,” Joriel said, not making any move to come closer to me.
I honestly hadn’t even noticed. I couldn’t feel anything physical right now. Every bit of my brainpower was going into trying to process what I was seeing and what had just happened.
“Laila,” Joriel whispered. “Please say something.”
“I… Are you…? I…” My brain wasn’t working. I couldn’t even think in complete sentences, never mind actually say something coherent.
Joriel took a careful step toward me. “Snow angel, can you look at me?”
I was looking at him. I couldn’tstoplooking at him.
“Please, Laila.”
Slowly I realized what he meant and dragged my gaze from the marks on his skin to his face. His tortured expression took me aback. His blue eyes seemed to be pleading with me, but I wasn’t sure what for.
He took another step forward, studying me closely as he did. He stopped when he was close enough that he could touch me if he reached out but not near enough formeto touchhim. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.
I just stared at him. What in the world was he apologizing for?
He lifted his hands, palms up, still watching me as if he expected me to break down or bolt. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I know,” I said, not trying to hide my confusion. Joriel had just stood between me and a couple dozen demons and hadn’t let a single one touch me. He was covered in blood, at least some of it his own, and gruesome burn marks, and I didn’t have so much as a scratch. If he’d wanted to see me hurt, all he’d had to do was let the demons have me.
Joriel frowned. “You don’t have to lie to me.”
“I’m not,” I said, my voice getting stronger. I was still in shock and more than a little horrified by his injuries, but I wasn’t going to let him think that I was afraidofhim.
“But—”
“Come here.” I reached out to him, not sure my legs would hold me if I moved away from the cave wall. “Please,” I added when he didn’t move.
“I’m covered in blood.”
“I don’t care. Please, Joriel.” My voice cracked, and he moved.
He wrapped his arms around me, holding me in a cocoon of comfort. I was the one who was supposed to have calming powers, but right now I was pretty sure he did too. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “It’s over.”
We stood like that for a few precious seconds before he pulled back.
“We can’t stay here. It’ll only be a matter of time before word spreads that you’re here.”
“Please don’t try to tell me to leave you again,” I said into his chest. I didn’t have it in me to argue with him right now.
“I’m not,” he assured me. “I’m saying we should both get out of the prison realm.”
I stared up at him, not daring to breathe. The last time I’d asked if he ever thought about trying to leave, he’d told me this was where he belonged. He’d also told me my belief in him was misplaced and then had stood between me and danger without a second of hesitation.
“It’s going to be a long, hard road,” he warned me. “Things are only going to get more dangerous from here on out, but I promise I’ll do my best to get you out.” His eyes bored into mine, demanding my full attention. “Do we have an alliance? We help each other through Hell and don’t put any metaphorical knives in each other’s backs?”
“It’s a deal.”
“Good. Now let’s go.”
“What about your injuries?” I asked. “Also, I’m not entirely sure I can walk right now.”
He didn’t answer as he slipped one arm around my thighs and lifted me as if I weighed nothing.
