Page 111 of The Scars Within
He nodded a silent acknowledgment and returned to his spot. He wasn’t wearing his leather jacket, just a short-sleeved battle tunic, leaving his arms bare to the chill.
Without his cloak, I noticed a bleeding gash on his left forearm. I pushed myself up from the ground. “You’re wounded. Was it the knife?” I asked.
He fought the urge to meet my gaze but eventually looked up. “I’m fine.”
Yeah, I like to say that, too, when, in reality, I’mnotfine.
“It looks deep, and it’s still bleeding—”
“It’s just a scratch. It can be stitched up.”
I unzipped my jacket and tore off a piece of my tunic. Crawling over to him, I silently requested that he extend his arm. He complied, and I wrapped the cloth tightly around his wound, securing it with a firm knot.
I gasped once my fingertips grazed his ice-cold skin. Shayde was freezing, yet he had given up his cloak for me. Despite everything that has happened between us, I cannot let him suffer. There is no telling how long it will take for help to arrive.
I sat down beside him, lifting the cloak. “Come here,” I said softly.
“No, it’s okay. You need it more than I do,” he replied, his teeth chattering.
“Quit being stubborn for one minute and let me in,” I pushed, undeterred.
His jaw tensed, his skin gradually regaining some of its color. Finally, Shayde relented, extending his arm and wrapping it around my waist beneath the cloak. He pulled me close, and I nestled into his shoulder, spreading the cloak over the two of us. We sat in silence, the cold air biting less as we shared body heat.
Another hour might have passed when my body began trembling again. Shayde gently ran his fingers up and down my back, his voice barely a whisper. “It’s going to be okay. Help will be here soon.” He tightened his hold on me.
This was far from how I imagined the War Campaign would go. It was supposed to be a routine mission—no risky circumstances, no disconnection from my elements, no close calls with death. And certainly not the first time I’d spoken to Shayde since the Burn Trials. We were supposed to protect and capture an egg, not nearly get taken by Tyrian rogues.
Shayde’s reluctance to explain how he fought so well is telling. That wasn’t basic self-defense. He is a trained fighter—years of experience, no doubt. But where had he learned it? From whom? If Mageia trained cadets like that, Davis and I wouldn’t have been so defenseless.
Despite everything, I didn’t surrender. I didn’t fall back into the helplessness of my past. No flashbacks of when those men dragged me into that shed, no canvas bag over my head. This time, my fury fueled me. I refused to let those men take me or hurt the people I care about.
I would rather face Rock Bottom again before letting my friends suffer. I survived it once.
I could handle it again if it meant saving my friends.
“Wylder! Thorne!” The echo of a voice startled us from our huddle. Shayde and I scrambled to our feet, calling out, “Down here!”
A light flickered across the cave’s ceiling, and soon, faces appeared. It was Allie, Aunt Cora, Professor Reynoski, and—Rhodes.
Relief surged through me as I locked eyes with him. He was out of breath, his gaze fixed on mine. Allie tossed down thick ropes, instructingus to grab hold, but I didn’t break eye contact with Rhodes until I felt Shayde wrapping the rope around my legs and waist, securing a makeshift harness.
“Pull her up!” Shayde shouted.
The rope tightened, and I was lifted into the air. I shook my head as I looked down at him. There were two ropes—plenty thick enough to haul us both up separately. There was no reason for me to go first.
As I reached the ledge, Rhodes leaned down, hauling me the rest of the way. He quickly untied the ropes and pulled me into his arms, resting his chin on the top of my head. His body trembled, his heart racing. I wrapped my arms around him, savoring the warmth of his embrace.
He pulled back slightly, his eyes scanning me for injuries. “I’m okay,” I whispered. “Go save your brother.”
The rest of the evening passed in the infirmary. Shayde and I were thoroughly examined for any hidden injuries. Laney and Pehper had been found and brought back to Mageia, and since our reunion, Laney hadn’t left my side. And Lakota hadn’t stopped questioning me, making sure that I was okay. Cleo and Tatum arrived soon after Laney did, arms full with dinner for the four of us.
Rhodes remained stationed in the corner, a quiet presence that never wavered. From his position, he occasionally caught my eye, but he stayed just out of sight from Shayde, separated by the thin curtain. I wasn’t even sure if Shayde knew he was there, but Rhodes never left his side.
Professor Reynoski pulled back the curtain from where Shayde was resting and approached me.
“How are you, Cadet Thorne?” he asked.
I blinked, surprised that a professor I barely knew was asking about my well-being. I opened my mouth to respond but hesitated, my mindflooding with all the unanswered questions from the past twenty-four hours. In the end, I settled on a forced grin and shrugged.
