Page 45 of Crown of Slumber

“I will need to break the shaft first,” the healer explained. “Then, I will remove it entirely and stop the blood flow before you bleed out.”

“That would be much appreciated,” Fenn said with a snort.

In spite of the situation, my mouth twitched into a smile. Trust Fenn to make light of his dire circumstances.

The healer ignored his joke and continued, “It will be quite painful, but I urge you to remain as still as possible while I stitch the wound. Once the wound is closed, I can quicken your healing, but if you are dead, my magic can do nothing.”

“Noted,” Fenn muttered.

“If you wish, your fiancée can hold your hand.”

I choked on a laugh, then disguised it as a cough. Fenn uttered a low groan that sounded a lot like a wheezing chuckle.

I cleared my throat. “Ah, I don’t—I’m sure he’s perfectly capable?—”

“Oh, but dearest, Iwantyou to be by my side,” Fenn said, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “With your hand in mine, I know I canendure this. In sickness and in health, remember? This will be great practice for us.”

I covered my mouth, but I couldn’t stifle the loud and unladylike snort that erupted from me. Healer Warren wrinkled his nose in disapproval, but Fenn buried his face in the pillows, his shoulders shaking. He tensed, then turned his head to swear loudly as the motion no doubt exacerbated his injury.

My face was on fire as I came to the opposite side of the bed and knelt next to it, taking Fenn’s clammy hand within mine.

With labored breathing, Fenn turned his weary gaze on me, his eyes hooded. “I hope you don’t have a weak stomach,beloved.”

“I just had a chunk of my flesh torn out by a bloodthirsty goblin and endured the healer stitching the wound back together,” I said dryly. “I think I can handle it.”

“Ah, but my bride has such a delicate constitution,” Fenn said, patting my hand as Healer Warren approached, leaning over Fenn to inspect the arrow.

My grip on his fingers became a tight vise, and he sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh, forgive me,” I said in my gentlest princess voice. “I am only preparing you for the intense pain you are about to experience.” I squeezed tighter.

“Very thoughtful of you, dear one,” Fenn said, his voice strained.

With a loudsnap, the healer broke the arrow shaft, and Fenn howled in agony, his grip on my own fingers tightening.

“Brace yourself, prince,” Healer Warren said in a brisk voice, then yanked the shaft from Fenn’s shoulder.

Fenn cried out, his body jerking violently.

“Hold him still!” Healer Warren bellowed over Fenn’s screams.

Fenn started thrashing on the bed. Blood gushed from his wound, pouring onto the sheets. All I could do was stare, the blood draining from my face in horror.

“Now,Your Highness!” Healer Warren barked.

His sharp tone jolted me from my stunned stupor. Without thinking, I climbed onto the bed alongside Fenn and wrapped my leg around his to hold him steady. I clutched his face between my hands, forcing his frenzied eyes to meet mine.

“Look at me, Fennick,” I said. “Look at me,dammit!”

His green eyes found mine, and his body went still, but I could feel him quivering beneath me.

“You are stronger than this,” I told him. “Focus on me. My leg is wrapped around yours in quite a scandalous manner. I know you will tease me relentlessly for it later. And I snorted earlier. I have no doubt you will enjoy tormenting me over that as well.”

Recognition stirred in his gaze, but his face was still clammy, his expression slack with shock.

“I have freckles,” I blurted, knowing I sounded absolutely insane. But I uttered the first thing that came to mind. “Can you count them all? Gigi tells me the number changes every day. One day she counted fifty on my face. Another, there were only twenty.”

Fenn’s breath hitched. He grunted, his body twitching as Healer Warren worked on sewing the wound up. Fenn licked his lips, then said hoarsely, “Gigi?”

“Giselle. My sister. She’s sixteen. And I miss her terribly.”

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