Page 68 of Their Trials
Moving away from her, I put the wood into a pile before I sent a small pulse of flames to get the fire going. Once that was going steadily, the flames dancing on the small breeze that made its way inside the cave, I grabbed the rabbit and stepped outside to skin it.
Hopefully she would wake soon. I was afraid of what it would mean if she didn't. Going an entire night on her injuries without healing could result in lasting damage that we didn't need.
I ate half the rabbit while waiting for her to wake, but still she hadn't stirred. With nothing better to do, I made my way to the cave's entrance to keep watch. It was going to be a long night of remaining vigilant while also keeping my thoughts at bay.
Chapter Thirty: Rhowyn
I woke to a soothing, crackling sound and warmth that surrounded me like a comforter. A red haze danced on the other side of my closed eyelids as I squeezed them shut, not quite ready to fully come into consciousness. As I shifted, I realized that I was lying on a cold, hard surface without a blanket, my head pounding out a rock song without any sound.
Fuck, my head was killing me. I started to roll to my side but stopped when a sharp pain from my ribs shot through me, pulling a loud gasp from my lips. I take that back; my head was a walk in the park compared to this pain.
“Good. You're awake.” I heard a deep rumble sound from somewhere out of my sight. I wanted to laugh at the cliched words but held it back for fear of the pain it would cause me if I did.
The memories came back to me then, of the race from the pixies, falling paralyzed to the ground from their venom, and feeling every single bone snap as I hit the ground but unable to move. Then I remembered the flames and Callum rescuing me until he threw us recklessly into the river. Whatever he'd done, we seemed to be safe now.
“How long have I been out?” I asked, wiggling my fingers and toes before taking stock of the rest of my body. My right arm also wasn't cooperating, having been broken during the fall, so I pushed myself slowly to sitting with a gasp.
“Careful!” Callum snapped, rushing to my side, and helping me come to a sitting position. Watching as I breathed heavily from the pain, he demanded, “Heal yourself.”
When I could breathe without excruciating pain, I snapped, “Yeah, I keep forgetting about the wonders of magic since I've spent most of my life as a human. Silly me. I should automatically remember this stuff.”
He huffed a breath as he hovered, one hand resting on my back as he squatted next to me, his huge thighs dwarfing me. Damn, he was a big male. Licking my lips, I struggled to change my train of thought, closing my eyes to the delectable temptation that he presented to me.
I found the green magic that swirled around my core and started to slowly pull on it, sending it out to heal my many wounds. The concussion was the first to go, a slow bleed in my brain resolving in a matter of seconds to my surprise. Then the fractures, the two in my right forearm and the four along my right ribs followed closely by the muscle tears.
Finally, the bruises and scrapes from our mad dash closed themselves, leaving me panting in exhaustion, my magic depleted. I knew I had somehow been siphoning Arryn's reserve there at the end, but I didn't yet know how to pull the magic back. It was either all or nothing for the moment, at least until I learned how to control the finicky powers. I just hoped they didn't have any major injuries that he needed to treat.
“Where are the others?” I asked, just now realizing they weren't around.
“I'm not sure.” I straightened at his declaration, fear pulsing through me with the need to find them and make sure they were all okay.
Callum pushed my shoulder back into the wall. No, not wall, it was rock. Stone that curved into a cave of some sort. “Take it easy. You're still in no condition to go rushing out there after them. Besides, we can't leave now anyway.”
“Why not?” I demanded from him. Patience had never been my strong suit, and I didn’t see that changing anytime soon.
He sighed at my petulance, standing and moving to stoke the fire before answering me. “Because it's nighttime. The last place any of us wants to be is out there in the dark. Too many predators and threats. Better to wait it out in here.”
“Okay, then we'll go find them first thing in the morning, as soon as it's light out.”
“No. We'll wait here for them to find us. If we leave, then it will take longer for them to find us. Plus, they have the Raven, who will find us quicker than we could manage to find any of them.” He watched the flames, his tone firm and brooking no argument.
Not happy talking to his back, I pushed up to a standing position. “I need to find them. I need to know they're okay,” I told him, my fear leaking into my voice.
“They're all okay, Trouble,” he said soothingly, finally meeting my eyes.
“How do you know that?” Tears swam through my vision, and I swiped at them angrily. How did these guys get under my skin so quickly? I hated being this emotional. Nothing good ever came from reacting emotionally, but I couldn't seem to help myself.
“Feel the bond.”
“Why would I do that?” I demanded, frustrated with his non-answers.
“Just close your eyes and feel the bond.” Not happy about it, I capitulated and closed my eyes. When they were firmly shut, he continued, “Can you feel them? You should feel their relief that you're okay. They could feel your pain and were consumed with frustration, anger, and desperation until you finally healed yourself. Now, all I can feel from them is relief and resolve. Do you feel it now?”
As he spoke, I searched the emotions that were cascading through me, picking out each of their emotions easily. Each man was responding just a little differently. Arryn was relieved and determined, Baer happy, if not a little sore, a twinge of pain coming from him from time to time, and Lennox was relieved but disappointed and ashamed.
I frowned at that, but then Callum's emotions came to me. His frustration and concern evident. Opening my eyes, I said, “I do now.”
“You keep shutting us out,” he said simply, glancing away again.