Page 67 of Perilous Healing

“Eloise will always be proud of you, Silas, but we’ll make it home so you can share the story yourself.”

Lord, please soften Silas’s heart. Please reach him and help him see the truth that his peace can only be found with You. Lord, please use me to bring these people to freedom. Please use me to help them find You and Your truth. God, please let our time here mean something. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A tear rolls down my cheek, but I don’t wipe it away. I let it fall, slipping down my face and onto the cot beneath me as I drift off to sleep.

Chapter21

Silas

My entire body is shaking by the time I come out of the nightmare. I can’t make it stop, every inch of me shivering uncontrollably. My teeth chatter, and I try desperately to keep quiet so I don’t wake Bianca who is sleeping a few feet away from me.

But I can’t stop.

I can still feel the blade slipping into my skin, the searing pain of it as River reopens the wound again and again. My breathing is ragged, and I grip the soft grass beneath me, hoping to ground the panic.

“Hey, easy.” Then Bianca is there, her hands going to either side of my head as she cradles me, her fingers delicately stroking my skin. “Breathe, Silas, it’s okay. You’re safe.”

Safe? Is she crazy? We’re not safe. We’re out here in the open, trapped in the backyard of a killer. How is that safe?

“Breathe,” she says again, her emerald gaze locking on mine.

Even with only the light of the moon overhead to grant me visibility, I lock onto her beautiful face. To the calmness in her expression.

And I press the heel of my palm to my chest, just above my heart.

I breathe. Deep breath in, deep breath out.

“There you go, it’s going to be okay,” she coos. “Just keep focused on me, Silas. Always stay focused on me.”

“Okay,I think everything is where I want it now.” Hands on her hips, Bianca studies the medical cabinet she just logged and organized. Abana is beside her, making notes on a clipboard, which she then offers to Bianca. “It’s not everything I would typically want, but it’ll do.”

Idra is out gathering water, while Laring sits in a chair in the corner, humming softly and running her hand over her belly. I can’t help but feel a bit of joy when I look over and see how relaxed she is.

Bianca did that. Bianca pulled her and her husband out of that pit, fought for them to stay here, and pushed back so a woman could bury her husband rather than allowing Yarrow to discard the body the same way they did my teammates all those years ago.

She’s an incredible woman.

Bianca turns and catches me watching her. Her cheeks flush. “What?”

“Nothing. Just admiring your work,” I say, gesturing to the cabinet.

“Oh. Well, I figured if I’m going to do a job, I might as well do it right. Wait, how much gauze do we have?” she asks, then checks the clipboard.

“I’m going to step outside a moment.”

“Okay,” Bianca replies.

Since there’s only one door in and out of this place, I don’t worry as I step out of the door and onto the dirt street, though I remain right beside the door as I study the area. As we were escorted here this morning, I’d looked for weak spots in their defenses.

So far, unfortunately, I’ve found none. River runs a tight ship, just as Lucian did all those years ago. The fence around the camp is topped with razor wire, the dirt beneath it hard enough it would take tools and a lot of manpower or time to dig our way out.

Guards patrol consistently, and when I was out here two hours ago, I noticed they were rotating locations. Which it looks like they’re doing now. No long assignments here, no chance for the guards to get complacent.

I turn my attention to the pit.

Guards patrol above, shouting orders occasionally or just yelling expletives at the people working down inside. It infuriates me, but I know there’s nothing I can do about it…yet.

“Hey!”

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