Page 38 of Unraveled
“I won’t hurt you, human,” she says, and gets off the ground, completely dismissing me. She’s at least half a head taller than I am and tests the movement of her wings before stepping toward Ash. “Can you fly? Walk? We need to get you to Finley, now. He’ll know what to do.”
“He isn’t here, Nera, and it takes more than a stab wound to kill me,” Ash growls, pushing her hand away. “Take Monster to my room. She isn’t safe here.”
“It isn’t just a stab wound, Ash. You well know a lunargyre’s claw is poison, especially to you. If Finley isn’t here, then I have to get you the potion, right? You need it.”
“I said I’m fine.” Ash stands with one fluid motion. His face shifts from pale to sickly green, and his skin shines with sweat. “See?”
“You look half dead now. Congratulations, brother.”
“Help me get the human into my room, then when she’s safe, get the potion from Finley’s study and bring it to me.”
“Have you seen the amount of blood you’ve lost? You know well I can’t help you with bandages, much less sew you up. If you’re unconscious and can’t suture yourself, then you’ll bleed out before I get back with the potion. A human life is not more important than yours,” Nera says, panic coloring her tone. Her eyes shift to me and narrow briefly. “No offense.”
“None taken. I’m not a king...” I shrug, and my dark hair sticks to my sweaty skin. It’s sweltering in this room, humid, and the scent of blood claws at my nostrils. “I—can help?”
I don’t know why I’m so worried about him. My hate for him still lingers in my heart. But guilt feels stronger now, and I can’t help but think he’s in this position because of my actions.
Sure, he took me from Penumbra, but I attacked him first. He warned me to not leave the room, and I did anyway. Not that I regret trying to escape or save Irene. But that doesn’t take away the fact that he’s bleeding, apparently poisoned by the same venom that almost killed me days ago. Because of me.
Ash tilts his body forward, his lips hovering near Nera’s face as he whispers something I can’t hear. Nera’s brows lift as her eyes meet mine, and her face softens, like she’s seeing me for the first time.
Curiosity morphs features carved in stone, mirroring my own.
What did he say to her?
“What’s your name, human? I bet it’s not Monster, like Ash has been calling you.”
“It’s Mia.”
“Well, Mia. It seems I can’t leave you here, for your human scent will attract the lunargyres to you. It’s why I rose from my slumber.” She shakes her head as if it’s clouded, and I wonder if I should be worried about her reverting to the mindless beast she was before.
What did she look like when she was made of flesh and bone? The curse seems to affect everyone in different ways. “What did you tell her, Ash?”
“That you know where our stolen grimoires are and can use fae magic,” he says, still pressing one open palm to his bleeding chest.
“Right...” Nera’s eyes cut to him, a crease appearing between her brows. A strange sight for a being made of marble to change so drastically, like she’s being sculpted right in front of my eyes. A sigh leaves her hard lips. “Let’s get you both into his room, then you can help me with his bandages.”
“I don’t know much about healing, much less anything with poison,” I admit, feeling overwhelmed by Ash’s complexion and the pools of gold blood everywhere.
Nera glances down at her hands and her long nails that are still stained with Ash’s blood. Sharp enough to be blades. “I can’t bandage him, because my nails won’t retract for another week—if I’m lucky.”
She moves to help Ash walk, but his withering expression makes her pull her hands back.
“I can walk on my own,” he says, stepping in front of us and limping over fragments of the old door and the tomes scattered on the ground.
Chapter 15
His chambers arethe size of my entire townhouse back in Penumbra. I don’t know what I expected to find here, but this isn’t it. The room isn’t dark, or impersonal, or full of gaudy decor meant for a king.
Its walls lack ancient weaponry and artifacts. There isn’t even an oil painting of his ancestors hanging from the walls. The reality is nothing like what the human monarchy usually has in their castles—from what I learned studying royal history, anyway.
I wander into the room, unsure of what to do with myself as I take in my surroundings. A tree grows from one corner. Its massive trunk has to be at least twenty feet around. In the base, there’s a hole in the shape of an arch, and underneath it, a bed, where an ancient spirit that looks like a black wolf lies.
Naheli lifts her head, and her four yellow eyes meet mine from the shadows. A galaxy moves inside her body, power so old I can’t comprehend. She whines and lies back down, her brows shifting as she tracks my movements.
I wrap my arms around my chest as magic presses in around me, inside me, with every breath I take. It tastes familiar, like sweet berries and citrus. I tighten my grip on the billowingsleeves of my gown, wondering if Naheli stole the warmth away from my body.
“Don’t look so scared, Monster. She likes you.”
