Page 72 of Beasts of Briar
I wokeseveral times through the night, and each time was worse than the last.
One time I threw up all the contents in my stomach.
Another time, I woke up shaking so badly my teeth chattered.
The third time, or maybe, the fourth, I woke up and swore I saw my brothers. They were all standing there in the cave with me.
I sat up, rubbing my eyes as they all frowned down at me.
Jorah stepped forward, his blond hair hanging to his shoulders, his strong jaw moving back and forth in irritation. “Bellamy, what happened to you? You’re sick. You’re really sick.”
“Why isn’t he helping?” Ryder scowled, jabbing a finger at a hulking form, and I realized it was Kairoth sleeping.
I must’ve been dreaming.
“Hey.” Solomon came forward, the smallest of my brothers, slighter and shorter than the others. He crouched next to me. “You need a healer.”
I was fine. I was sick, yes, but my body was just going through the trauma of everything it had experienced.
“Enough is enough.” Phoenix shook his head, his brown curls falling over his forehead. “We can’t let her do this anymore. The nettle weed is killing her.” I forgot how tall Phoenix was. Not as tall as Jorah, but almost. Yet unlike Jorah, he was lankier, skinny. He reminded me a bit of Driscoll.
“Bellamy?” Killian asked.
Klaus stood next to him, both of them identical with their freckles and long brown hair tied back in ponytails.
But usually they were laughing, joking, playing pranks. Now they looked as serious as everyone else.
“Can you hear us?” Klaus asked.
Killian threw up his hands. “Phoenix is right. We can’t let her do this anymore. It’s irresponsible. We’re supposed to protect her. Not the other way around.”
“I think we need to let Bellamy decide,” Solomon said gently, still cradling my hand in his.
Marcello was the only one who hadn’t spoken. He nodded in agreement, staring at me with tears in his eyes. He usually was so outspoken, but now he kept his mouth clamped shut. Killian clapped on a hand on his shoulder, and tears ran down his cheeks.
They were acting like I was dying.
“Do what you need to,” Solomon said to me, still at my side.
“Let us go,” Jorah urged.
Ryder stood next to him, hands balled into fists.
“Bellamy.”
I was about to open my mouth to protest when they began to fade away.
“Bellamy,” a voice said. Low, worried, distant.
I reached out a hand to them, desperate for them to stay a little longer, but when I blinked again, they were already gone.
Chapter Forty
KAIROTH
I’d forgotten how fragile mortals were, especially when Bellamy was so strong and fierce. But with her laying limp in my arms as I flew through the sky, she was a stark reminder. She was so pale, and she looked so small in my arms, so defenseless. Nothing like the fierce, wild woman I was used to.
Wind and rain battled against me. I was strong, but I wasn’t Ysar. I couldn’t control these elements. The wind pushed me this way and that, and I tightened my grip on Bellamy, her eyes closed, the wounds on her swollen hands so angry and red.
