Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 153795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 769(@200wpm)___ 615(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 769(@200wpm)___ 615(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
We gallop through a clearing, past a roaring waterfall, and don’t stop until we can see a two-story building, lit with gold lanterns in the distance—probably an inn. Thane climbs off Pearl’s back first, reaching a hand up to help me down, but when I drop to my feet, I stumble.
“Sorry,” I wheeze. I cling to his arm, trying to stand up straight, but dizziness takes hold of me.
“Quinlocke,” Thane says. “Can you stand?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I let go of his arm, but that’s a mistake because I crumple. Well, would you look at that? Turns out I’m not fine.
“Hey, hey! What’s going on? Where are you hurt?” Thane yanks his mask down and drops to his knees next to me.
Another person appears above me, panting wildly.
“What happened to her?” Algar asks.
My arm. It burns. It burns so much. I groan in pain as Thane touches the arm of my shirt where the fiery arrow cut through. He rips the fabric open wider.
“Shit.” He presses his fingers to the wound. I cry out as the pain heightens. The dizziness becomes stronger, bile climbing up my throat. I’m going to vomit. I can feel it.
“It’s poisoned. We have to get it out of her system now,” Algar urges. “Pick her up. I know the owner of that inn up ahead. She can help.”
“Okay,” Thane replies quickly. “Get the horse while I carry her.”
He sounds almost…concerned.
“Thane.” My voice comes out a whisper as he lifts me up and carries me in his arms. I try speaking again, but my tongue feels heavy and thick in my mouth. I look up at Thane’s face and notice that darkness has started seeping in at the edges of my vision.
“Hold on, Zaira,” Thane encourages.
I hear a door creak open, and Algar’s voice booms as he calls for someone.
“Rynthea! Has anyone seen Rynthea?”
The dizziness transitions to blurriness. My eyelids droop, and my heartbeat reduces to a terribly slow rhythm.
“Zaira, look at me. I need you to keep your eyes open.” Thane’s deep voice echoes in my head. He repeats himself with a firmer tone, but I can’t fulfill his request.
I close my eyes and let the darkness consume me.
Chapter 14
The sound of crowing roosters pulls me out of sleep.
Wincing, I roll onto my side as sunlight stretches over half of my face. Oh gods. Why does my head feel so heavy? I try moving again but hiss through my teeth and flop onto my back.
“What the…” Hot, fiery prickles course through my right arm. I give it a look to find it wrapped in bandages. Confusion plagues me. I have no clue as to why I’m bandaged…
Until it hits me.
The men chasing us through Ruvain.
Dulan dying.
The fires the arrows started and that Thane made worse.
The nausea.
The dizziness.
I catch movement in my peripheral vision and gasp when I spot Thane standing in the corner of the room. His mask is lowered and arms folded as he leans against the wall—a shadow in daylight. I don’t even want to know how long he’s been standing there, all quiet and lurking.
“Thane.” I blink at him before taking in the unfamiliar details of the room. A fire gently crackles in the hearth. The walls surrounding us are made of deep-brown wood. Beige curtains hang on either side of the two windows to my right, where rays of sunlight stream in through the gaps. Dust motes float in the filtered light, and there is a sweet berry fragrance wafting in the air.
It’s all so cozy and comforting.
“Why are you standing there?” I ask.
“Waiting for you to wake up,” he answers.
“If it wasn’t so creepy, I would think it’s sweet. How long was I out?”
“Three hours that we’ll never get back,” he deadpans.
My mind circles back to Analla.
The stones.
“At least it wasn’t three days,” I reply as he uncrosses his arms and steps away from the wall. “It’s not my fault I needed time to recover from who knows what.”
“The cerwen.”
“The what?” I wheeze. “Cerwen? But that’s only used for—”
“Poison, yes,” Thane confirms. “You were shot with an arrow doused in cerwen. You’re lucky it was only a minor graze on the arm.”
“Yeah, lucky me.” I refrain from rolling my eyes at him.
He shrugs. “Just letting you know.”
“Well, thanks,” I mutter, shoving the quilt off my legs. I slide to the edge of the bed and stand, or at least try to, but I’m met with dizziness.
“Better that you slow down for at least half an hour. The cerwen is still wearing off.”
I press a hand on the nearest wall, drawing in a few deep breaths to relax my body.
“Where are we?”
“A little beastial-owned inn, right on the edge of Winstoft. We’re not far from Gadonia. We can head south in the next couple of hours or so. Then we’ll be out of Ruvain.” He grabs my good arm to remove the bandage wrapped around it.