Page 105 of Of Blood & Stone

“Where’s Kharis?” Sylzenya asked.

“You didn’t spear him, if that’s what you’re asking,” Elnok replied, wincing as he stood up, “He fled once he saw what you did to the serpentums. Left his men, too. Coward.”

“He isn’t in his right mind,” she replied, “much like yourself if I might add.”

Elnok raised a brow. “He instructed his men to leave me to die. I think I can call him whatever I’d like at the moment.”

Sylzenya meant to reply, but instead she staggered, her vision blurring as she fell to her knees. Everything swirled around her, different colors and smells overwhelming her senses. Acid rose in her throat, and she couldn’t stop herself as she released it onto the ground. Elnok gripped her shoulder, sweeping her hair out of her face before she could sully it.

“You’re losing a lot of blood,” Elnok said, “Wait here.”

“Not much else I can do,” Sylzenya replied, spitting out the foul taste in her mouth.

Elnok returned with rags, waterskins, food packs, two leather pouches, orodyte serum vials, and another sword. Quickly, he placed the rag on her back, the cloth stinging. She gritted her teeth, fingernails scraping dirt.

“It’s not going to stop,” she said, “I need you to use the blunt side of the sword.”

“I’m not going to burn you,” he argued.

“Then I’ll bleed to death.”

Elnok grunted, grabbing the sword and steadying it over her back. Sylzenya bit the inside of her cheek, readying herself for the inevitable burn.

“Hold on, let’s try something else,” Elnok said.

Exasperated, Sylzenya turned around to find him holding the compass instead, its dim glow still pointing east. Slowly, Elnok placed the compass on top of her cut. It felt like cold running water laced with gentle mint leaves, soothing her hot, flaming skin. She groaned in relief as he slid the compass along her cut, the skin knitting back together, the pain silencing into a dull throb.

Sylzenya whispered in relief as she hung her head.

Bark from a healing willow: she’d been blessed beyond measure.

“I’m grateful, by the way,” Elnok said as he put the compass away, wetting a cloth and applying it to her skin. “You’re right, if it wasn’t for you, I would’ve been dead.”

“You didn’t give me a choice,” she sneered.

“But now you know what you’re capable of.”

“I didn’t want to know, Elnok.”

Silence spanned between them. “Then what do you want?”

Sharp as a dagger, her cut flared again, the pain so vibrant she grabbed Elnok’s forearm, squeezing his muscle in her hand. He didn’t flinch, letting her work through the flames until they died down into a smoldering ember; pain she’d lived with ever since she stepped foot in the temple.

“The only reason I was able to do… any of this… was becausehelet me.”

Elnok kneeled next to her. “What are you talking about?”

Dirt wedged into her fingernails.

“He’s in my mind, Elnok. In my body. Distrathrus has control over me because I poured his blood into my cut. It’s why it took me so long to use my power. Heletme save you.”

Shaking his head, Elnok let out a low growl. “No, he doesn’t control you. You’re stronger than him?—”

“You understandnothingabout this,” she shouted. “He's been using me foryears, Elnok. He’s been usingeveryone.That godsforsaken bird even warned me not to trust him. But why wouldn’t I? I’ve followed him for a decade. I did everythingforhim,becauseof him. He shaped me, and I let him. He’s the only reason I have any power at all.”

Elnok’s green eyes searched hers. He didn’t back away, didn’t refute her, didn’t try to change her mind.

Instead, all he asked was, “So, what are you going to do about it?”

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