Page 31 of Shadow Wings
He didn’t sound fine, more like he’d lose consciousness any moment. I waggled the water skin over him. “Any pointers on making Drae juice? You said that wouldhelp.”
Tyrrik shut his eyes, shifting on the flat rock. “Yes. Put your fingerin—”
“Triedthat.”
Several moments passed before he continued. “And think of how much you want to help me. Remember you just need to willit.”
“I did,” I growled and then scrunched my nose at my own hypocrisy. Sure, I’d saved Tyrrik’s life. And yeah, in the moment, with blood everywhere and his sputtering breathing, I’d been frantic to save him. But most of the time, I didn’t want his help; I wasn’t even sure I wanted to be near him, yet part of me felt like I may need him. This Drae business was serious, what with turning into a Drae and making nectar. And, the sparkly object obsession . . . I absently patted my pocket to make sure I still had my trinkets. So, to sit under the sun now, when the danger was past, and to not only say I wanted to, but truly feel asinceredesire to . . . help Tyrrik? He’d callously broken my heart, and I wasn’t sure I could ever forgivehim.
Did I want to helphim?
With a sigh, I uncorked the flagon and dipped my pinky inside.I want to help Tyrrik; I want to help Tyrrik.I sniffed the flagon and sighedagain.
“Maybe you could try another poem?” Tyrrik murmured, his eyes stillclosed.
“Youdidhear,” I said, aghast. Howmortifying.
He didn’tanswer.
I scowled because there was no way he’d been sleep-talking just now. I was beginning to understand that the Lord Drae possessed a wicked sense of humor, one which reminded me of . . . my dungeon buddy,Ty.
My heart gave a sharp pang. His humor reminded me of Ty because Ty’s humor had come from Tyrrik. Admitting that the characteristics of Ty and Tyr were real parts of the Drae scraped at a barely-healed wound. After just a few days in the Drae’s company, the gaping woundhadbegun to heal. I sat dumbfounded with my finger in the flagon as my heart told my head what it hadn’t yet acknowledged. I knew why he did those things; I mean, I knewwhyon a surface level. If I had been in his shoes, how far would I have gone to break the blood oath with Irdelron? But I wanted to know why the Drae manipulated me in the way he had. Why get me to fall in love with Tyr when Ty would’vesufficed?
Until I had an actual explanation and apology from him, there would always be something between us. But did that mean I wanted him hurt? I took a deep breath and let my heart answer. No. Notanymore.
“That’s it,” Tyrrikcroaked.
I frowned at the waterskin. “Really?”
“It will just smell like water to you, but I can smell the difference, just as you can smell thevýživaI make foryou.”
“Nectar!” I announced, bounding to my feet, taking his word for it. If all it took was me wanting to heal him, I’d probably created the most potent nectar ever. “I have glorious nectar for you. Ryn the Fearless has provided for the incredibly weak, onceagain!”
Tyrrik dragged an eyelid open. His skin was sallow, and the coloring under his eyes appeared bruised. He really didn’t look great. I’m sure blood loss did that to a person . . . or a Drae. I should get some of the nectar into himpronto.
I cupped the back of his head and lifted, holding the water skin to his lips and tipping a small amount in. The muscles in his neck worked as he swallowed. I repeated the process, tipping in as much as he could handle, and then lowered hishead.
He rested his hand on mine as I made to re-cork theskin.
“Thank you for making mevýživa,” he whispered. “It is a greatgift.”
I swallowed, staring at his forehead as I answered, “Don’t mention it. I hope it helps youheal.”
I met his eyes, and my breath caught at the blazing darknessthere.
“Nothing has ever tasted so sweet,” he said in a roughvoice.
His smoky scent surrounded me. My heart skipped a beat, and my mouth dried. I might want him healed, but I wasn’t going to let him hurt me again. I wriggled my hand out of his grip as my cheeks warmed. “Okay, right. Swell.Great.”
I searched for somewhere else to look and bit my lip, but my gaze returned to Tyrrik like a stupid magpie to a stupid glinting object. I rationalized my reaction by telling myself I was just checking to see if he was still awake, but his eyes were dark pools of secrets, and I couldn’t stop the desire to know their depths. Shouting caught my attention, and I reeled away from Tyrrik’s hypnotizing eyes and shot to myfeet.
“People are here,” I said, enormously relieved at the timely interruption until I realizedpeoplewere here. I whirled toward the voices and squeaked, “People arehere.”
“Get behind me.” Tyrrik slurred from theground.
“Uh-huh.” There’s no way he had enough strength to protect anyone, not evenhimself.
I narrowed my gaze across the pointy rocks to a band of five hooded figures on the other side. Five against one . . . and a quarter,maybea quarter. Not ideal. Should I change into my Drae form? I straightened, and relief washed through me when the group pushed off their hoods. “Dyter.”