Page 34 of The Edge of Dawn

“Just me, then? You aren’t going to come?”

“Why would I need to?”

Instantly, Dragek understood the ridiculousness of his question.

“Go, katach. The only thing that could possibly work against you now is time.”

As he exited the ship and walked out into the blazing sunlight, it occurred to Dragek that Ashrael hadn’t given him a weapon.

But then again, the Silent One knew him all too well. They were forged from the same stuff, after all.

TWELVE

As her eyes fluttered open, pain returned to her body like a thunderbolt, smashing through her foot, her shoulder, her hand…

Bloody hell.

The dream had been a welcome reprieve—almost blissful, apart from the presence of that unsettling bastard.

How could someone’s existence in her dreams fill her with both dread and reassurance at the same time?

And all of a sudden, he was gone.

There she was, staring up at the bright daylight from fifteen meters below, wishing she was beneath the endless blue sky instead of being stuck here with no way of climbing out.

“Ungh.” She groaned as she tried to move. Now that the adrenaline had drained from her body—now that he had left her alone—her pain and stiffness had increased a hundred-fold.

Jeez, you really did a number on me, didn’t you, Dragek?

How dare he leave her here, alone and busted up, barely able to move?

No. You do not get to pretend that you’ll be dependent on him. Ever. Get up.

Clenching her teeth, she managed to prop herself up on her elbows.

And then she heard it.

Crunch. Crunch.

Footsteps on compacted earth and gravel.

“Where the fuck is she?”

Uneven footsteps. Staggering footsteps.

This guy had regained consciousness, but he wasn’t in the best of shape. Dragek had seriously beaten him up—using her body, no less. No wonder she felt like shit.

But if her enemy was hurting, then maybe she had a chance.

I’ll come and get you.

His deep voice echoed in her head, and despite herself, hope sparked in her chest.

She didn’t want to depend on him, but…

What else could she do? Unless she put in a superhuman effort, there was no way she could climb that ladder. Her hand could barely form a grip, let alone pull her up by her body weight.

But maybe she could hide… until he got here.

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