Page 223 of Beast and Remedy
My fingers tingle, the sensation prickling all over. I move slightly, clarity painfully coming back as I take in Marian.
She still has an arrow in her shoulder, but someone removed the other one.
Jerrick binds her wrists and ties the final knot before peering over with nonchalance. “I won’t kill her. Only make her pass out for a while.”
Marian’s eyes widen when he touches her, and my breath hitches when she faints.
The King of Palaena catches her with ease and hoists her over his shoulder, completely unbothered. He turns, and those ice-cold eyes assess me.
“Whatever you’re doing is working. Just don’t kill yourself in the process.”
“I’m fine,” Beau snaps, all tenderness and kindness gone. Depleted.
“You’re still injured,” Marcel urges.
“Yeah? And Vi’s fuckingdying!”
Pain thickens Beau’s booming, rattling voice.
Light blocks their faces, their arguing evident and exhausting. But my gaze holds Jerrick’s.
A small smile softens his stark features before he nods.
I drag my head toward the three men hovering over me.
“She…” Beau chokes. “She can’t die.”
Something wet kisses my cheek, and I reach for strength to comfort him but fall flat.
“She won’t,” Leo’s soft voice whispers with reassurance. He grabs his brother. “We won’t let that happen. But we won’t let you die either.”
Slowly, Beau withdraws his magic, and I feel life itself return.
Blinking, I weakly utter one letter. “B.”
Relief sinks over him, his body slackening. “Rosebud,” he rasps, holding my face and resting his forehead along mine.
I focus on the red liquid running down his bicep, wishing his powers worked on himself.
“Vi, we need to get you to the castle. I didn’t—couldn’theal you more. I closed the most serious injuries, but you’re still gravely wounded. I’m so sorry. Can—can you move?”
Heaviness seeps into my bones as I attempt to move, straining and feeling my muscles stretch painfully.
Leo stops me. “Don’t hurt yourself. Here, let me.” He scoots his hands underneath me, but Beau’s palm shoots out, halting him.
“I should do that.”
Leo scoffs, shaking off his brother’s hold. “Fuck off. You’re injured, and I’m not going to watch you struggle to hold her.”
Beau tries to keep Leo from touching me, and Marcel smacks Beau’s hand away.
“Stop fighting and let’s get back. We don’t have much time until Marian wakes,” Jerrick commands, his haunting voice ceases everyone from fighting.
Beau glares at his friend, wanting to refuse his order, but he relents and helps Marcel ease me more into Leo’s hold.
Marcel takes the torches, leading us back. Jerrick carries an unconscious Marian, with Leo behind and Beau remaining at my side.
I try to hold myself up and get a better look, but it’s no use. Exhaustion pulls my strength away, and rage coils in my chest but dies quickly from my spent energy and blood loss.
