Page 48 of Tortured

Riahn strides into camp. We’re both coated in blood, so this gets their attention.

Westin throws his blanket off and darts to his feet. “What happened?”

Gilmar unsheathes his sword. “Were you attacked?”

“Nothing like that.” Riahn turns to me. “What do you need?”

“Westin.” I pick the teammate who likes me the best and whose dragon likes me more. “I need to borrow Huflaih.”

“Say what now?” He sticks his finger in his ear and wiggles it around. “You have to be nuts.”

“I just need him to take me to Rolant.”

“Rolant?”

“Can you call him? Please.”

Westin turns to Riahn.

“He’s going to kill Caedryn,” she says.

“Huflaih is about five hours north of here,” Westin says.

“Will he come?” I ask.

“Yeah.”

“Look, I just need him to drop me off. I’m not asking him to fly into battle with me.”

“He would do it, you know,” Westin says.

“This has to be just me.”

“I’ll come too.”

Riahn shakes her head. “Let him go. Let him take Huflaih.”

“He’ll be here mid-morning,” Westin says. “I suggest you get some rest until then.”

I snort. “Yeah, right.”

“Clean yourself up, at least.” Gilmar settles back onto his bedroll. “You smell disgusting.”

I make my way to the creek. Riahn follows. We strip our clothes off in silence and rub the gore away. I don’t look at her.

I can’t look at her.

“I’m sorry,” I say after we dress. “I shouldn’t have asked you to do that.”

A muscle near Riahn’s temple jumps. “I’m just sorry it didn’t work.”

“I probably won’t come back.”

“I understand.”

“When I kill him, I’ll be free,” I say. “I can go home.”

She claps me on the shoulder. “You deserve to go home.”

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