Page 114 of Sawyer

Shivers rip through my body, and my teeth chatter. The hard cavern floor, with all its sharp rocks, digs into my side and cools my body further. No number of blankets helps, and I burrow deeper and deeper, crinkling the thin thermal blanket in the process.

“Princess, open up,” Sin murmurs, his voice sounding distorted and faraway.

I wake further, and the pulsing in my hand intensifies, causing me to cry out in pain.

“Come on, love, I need you to open your mouth.” Sin massages my jaw, unlocking it until my lips part.

My eyes flutter open, and Sin is nothing more than a blur as he holds the back of my head, tilting another elixir down my throat. I’ve lost count of how many he’s given me or how long I’ve been out.

All I know is my hand hurts like hell, I’m feverish, and dread is slowly consuming me.

“I need a healer,” I rasp out after swallowing the sweet liquid.

Ever so gently, he sets my head back down on the ground, his green eyes full of fear.

Fear for me.

“You do.” Cupping my cheek, he brushes his thumb against my bottom lip. “Rumor and Bryn have been gone all day, and I don’t know what to do.” The vulnerability in his eyes is almost too much to look at—the fear, the raw emotion.

The pit in my stomach grows, yet a complete sense of calm rushes over my head like cold water. Tilting to the side, I glance at the forest beyond, finding the sun setting. I’ve been out for a while.

“How many elixirs?” I lick my dry lips, focusing back on Sin and the rough stubble of his face, his overgrown hair, and the piercings flashing in the dim light. He’s so damn handsome, so perfect, and he’s here with me, worrying over me, caring for me.

“Five,” he answers after a moment’s hesitation.

I’m dying, yet I don’t feel an ounce of fear. Only purpose.

“You need to go find the guys.” I cough and roll onto my side. I got up to pee and change my tampon a couple times last night, only to find my period ended. The shortest on record—for me, at least, and I suspect it has a lot to do with the venom coursing through my body.

“I can’t leave you.” He says the words I want to hear, but he glances at the cave entrance. He’s worried. I don’t need to smell him to know it.

“Go. I’ll be fine for a couple of hours.” I sit up, and although it’s a struggle, I don’t indicate that it is. If I show any sign that I’m aching or sore, he won’t leave me.

The elixir barely dented how I’m feeling. It’s bad, and logically, I know that, and so does he.

“I’ll be back before darkness takes over.” He turns back to me, nibbling his bottom lip. Leaning down, he kisses my forehead before standing up. “There’s food in your pack. The elixirs are in the side pocket. All of them are with you. Just rest.” He hesitates once more, fighting every instinct he possesses.

“Go.” I sit up, leaning against the cave wall. Sweat drips down my face, and my eyes close. I let myself rest a little, listening to his light footsteps as he leaves the cave.

I try not to fall asleep completely, since it would ruin my plan, but I can’t help it. When I teeter to the side, I jolt awake, and my body shakes from the fever.

Sin isn’t back yet, so I haven’t been asleep for too long. It’s time to act.

This might be foolish, or hell, it might just save me. There’s really no telling. Grabbing the last of the elixirs, I take them one after another. The glass vials clink against the ground as I drop them one by one.

It takes another full minute to feel the effects, but I know it won’t last long. Woozy and aching, I push out of my sleeping bag. There’s no way I can carry my pack with me, so I leave it. Luckily, I left my boots on, so that’s energy I don’t have to use up.

Gravity is not kind to me, and as I stand, I sway into the side of the cave wall. I catch myself with my hurt hand, and I can’t contain the scream that rips from my chest. Yanking my hand back, I cradle it to my chest causing my shoulder to slam into the wall.

Don’t look at it.

Focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, I make my way to the opening of the cave. The forest is mostly silent, all scurrying forest creatures unaware of the battle waging in my body or with my guys.

My guys.

If we ever get out of this, I’m going to tell them I don’t want to give them up. I want them, and just thinking about spending my days without them hurts far too much to comprehend.

Swallowing my fear and embracing perseverance, I push out of the cave and into the forest. The world swims, and I catch the faintest scent of limes. The venom must also be burning through the suppressors.

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