Page 28 of Of War and Realms

So soft. Maybe if I slept, I would stop feeling so dizzy.

I do not remember why I was scared, but there’s a quiet voice begging me to stay awake. Why? I’m so tired.

Please, Nell. Fucking gods, please stay! it whispers to me, though that doesn’t make sense. I’m not going anywhere…I just need to rest for a while.

I do not remember falling, but darkness catches me and holds me in its comforting embrace.

Chapter Fourteen

Casmir

“Honestly, love, you handled yourself so well,” Emrys echoes my thoughts. I nod, walking ahead of Nell when she lets go of my hand.

I’m in awe of the way she stood up to her mother. I did not realize just how difficult Aeryn made Nell’s life until she arrived here. Even just the thought of it squeezes my heart tightly. How could anyone treat such a perfect goddess so poorly?

Then she said the words that Em and I have been waiting to hear for so long.

I choose our bond.

I will always choose you.

I had to blink away tears in that moment. This literal goddess chooses me and him? Giving up her entire world for two fae? I feel completely unworthy of her devotion…she is magnificent and deserves to have every realm in existence bow at her feet.

“You truly did, Nell. I’m so pr—” I’m cut off when a strained cough permeates the air. My head whips around, and the sight in front of me will haunt my every waking and sleeping moment for the rest of my life.

But there’s no time to think about that.

Em and I run to her, and I swear time slows down just to laugh at our inability to reach her faster. Blood drains from her open mouth as she stares at the arrow jutting from her abdomen.

Why isn’t she pulling it out? She’s had worse injuries…she should be healing, not exuding her entire supply of blood from her lips. I narrow my eyes. Is that arrow—

“Xamira!” I scream so loudly that every individual in the area turns to us. Nell rocks slightly before dropping, and I use my air to hold her. We reach her, and I take her convulsing body in my arms and run toward the sorid I called for. “I have you, Nell. Stay awake, okay?” I plead with her, though I’m sure my words are not making it where I need.

Xamira shifts when she sees Nell, halting in front of us to allow Emrys to swing his leg over and straddle her.

“What the fuck is going on? Nell—oh gods. That’s obsidian,” his voice cracks. The usually calm-natured Calix begins to tremble, clearly having no idea what to do. There’s only one possible thing we can do.

“Get me a sorid,” I bark at Nell’s best friend as I carefully transfer her to Emrys; I try to be mindful of the arrow, not wanting to spread any of the poison. An orange-red panther slides to a stop in front of me, and I do not question or thank anyone as I jump onto its back. “Xamira, the witch!” The sorids to not hesitate, jolting from their positions so quick I have to grab Amox’s fur to stabilize myself.

Can Ivana help her? Nell explained that obsidian is deadly to gods, that once it’s inside there’s nothing that can be done. I don’t believe that. If Imogen can open a fucking bridge to a new realm, Ivana can get the poison out of her.

As we leave the training grounds, I hear Calix barking orders to find whoever shot the arrow. Wind whips my face at our blinding speed, though I barely notice. My sole focus is getting Nell to Ivana. Nothing else matters.

“Please, Nell! Fucking gods, please stay! Stay awake for me, love!” Em wipes his face every few seconds, his eyes most likely as blurry as mine. He slaps her face hard, doing everything he can to keep her from succumbing to the poison. It doesn’t work. “Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Cas she’s out, I don’t know what to do.” I bite my lip, willing my emotions away. But it’s hard—he sounds so broken and so full of fear. I’ve never seen him this scared in our entire lives.

“Just keep holding her, Em. We’re almost there!” Thank every fucking god that their sorids are extraordinarily fast.

We fly through the city gates, and I launch myself from Amox just before he stops, running over to take Nell from my captain. I turn around and kick the witch’s door in, causing every fae to jump back.

“What in the gods’ names is going on!” Ivana screeches, stomping around the corner, her face heated red. She halts when she sees me, her eyes dashing from mine to Nell once before turning around and leading me to the back room. “What happened?” I place my goddess on the table, holding her on her side to keep from irritating the arrow.

“She was fucking shot with an arrow, what the fuck does it look like?”

“Emrys, enough.” I don’t need to look his way to know he’s on the brink of fully panicking. “If you can’t keep it together right now, you need to leave the room.”

“Oh my…this is obsidian.” Ivana’s eyes widen as she carefully places her palms just around the exit wound.

“Can you help her? She’ll die if you don’t.” I’m not proud of how squeaky my voice is.

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