Page 124 of Spark of the Everflame

And the world went dark.

ChapterTwenty-Seven

Everything hurt.

My skin, my bones, my brain.

Every inch of mehurt.

Strong hands cradled my legs and shoulders and pulled me against some hard, warm wall. A wall that trembled and throbbed like a pounding heart.

I whimpered, and the wall went still.

“Your Highness—”

“Get out of my way.”

“There are still bombs around the building, how should we—”

“Find the Vice General, she’ll handle it from here.”

“But Your Hi—”

“Get the fuck out of my way.”

Then I was moving, bouncing, each jarring impact rattling the inside of my skull.

I tried to open my eyes, but nothing happened.

Everything hurt so, so much.

“I’ve got you,” someone said, softer. “You’re going to survive this. I promise.”

For some reason, I believed them. Their voice was familiar in a way that felt like more than a memory, like it wasn’t my mind that knew them but something deeper, something far more intimately ingrained. Its steadfast resolve soothed the limp of my heart, but there was a tone in it that was... shaken.

Lost.

A shiver rippled through me as a chilly breeze kissed my skin in unexpected places—my ribs, my thighs, my hips. I tried to speak, but only a weak, broken sound rose from my lips.

The hands clutched me tighter, their grip as desperate as it was tender.

I felt safe. So very safe. I wanted to fall asleep in those arms and never, ever leave.

Sleep...

“Stay with me, Diem. Please... stay here with me. No, wait, don’t—”

Darkness.

* * *

“Who is she?”

“It doesn’t matter. I need you to help her.”

“Help her? Look at her. She doesn’t need me, she needs a healer.”

“Just do what you can.”

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