Page 135 of Steel Heart Iron Claws

The buck thrusts forward one last time.

I reach out a blood-soaked hand toward Sabine—but then it falls.

I slump forward over the buck’s antlers, pinning me to the tree, as the world goes black.

Chapter 34

Sabine

Gods, no!

As I rush to Basten’s side, I pray to everything between the grass and the sky that he survives. The Ender can take anything on this green earth except for him.

Enough!I say to the buck.Step back!

I press against the buck’s shoulder to guide him from where his antlers pin Basten to the tree. There’s a sickening sound as the points slide out of Basten’s torso. Fresh blood bubbles out of a dozen puncture wounds to paint his shirt crimson.

Unconscious, Basten slumps forward over the buck’s rack.

Lower him down gently to the grass,I say to the buck, heart pounding.

The buck lowers this head, and I collapse next to Basten, hands hovering over his wounds, afraid to touch his chest. Afraid I’ll make it worse.

“Why didn’t you stop?” I sob, clenching the grass. “I didn’t want to do this to you!”

Gods help me—he’s lost so much blood already. My fingers tremble an inch above his blood-soaked clothes. A creeping panic begins to close up around my throat.

You did this. You killed him. Just like the deer.

I squeeze my eyes closed as panic sets in, turning away to dig my fingers into the grass. I need the grounding force. The cool wash of dirt. Slowly, my breaths begin to steady, the earth beneath my nails anchoring me back to myself.

Only then do I dare open my eyes.

I ask the buck,Can you carry us both?

He nuzzles Basten’s arm to test his weight before answering,Yes. But not far.

I shove to my feet, reaching down to clutch Basten around his underarms as I strain to lift him.As far as you can, then. Back to the castle. Fast!

Basten weighs twice my weight, and it’s an arduous task for the buck and me to roll him onto the buck’s haunches. The only choice I have is to position Basten stomach-down over the buck’s back so that his legs fall on one side and his arms on the other. Which means putting pressure right on his puncture wounds.

If he were conscious, gods, he’d be cursing black and blue. I’m half surprised he doesn’t snap to only so he can growl in pain.

But he remains dangerously pale.

I look up to gauge the sun. I’m not as good at reading time that way as Basten, but it’s clear that it’s hours before dusk. Which is a long time for Artain to find us. For Basten to bleedout.

I swing one exhausted leg over the buck’s back, sitting high near his shoulders in front of Basten’s body. Gripping the base of the buck’s antlers, I nudge his ribs with my heels.

Go.

He takes off at a run as my fire spreads into the clearing behind us.

With every jostle, I wince in fear for Basten. His blood pours down the buck’s rear legs until, when I glance behind us, blood-stained hoofprints mark the mud. The smoke and wildfire will help hide us, but still, that blood trail might as well shout our location to Artain.

Don’t worry about that now.

The buck knows the way to Drahallen Hall better than me, so I concentrate on holding on. Trees fly by us as I blink away tears. The wind tosses my loose hair. Robins swoop from branch to branch, following my path.

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