Page 122 of Deadwood
Finally, I came upon a row of houses, and at the end of the path of footprints, I found a pair of boots sitting caked in mud on a porch. Upon closer inspection, I figured they had to be Bowen’s. And if they weren’t… Well, I’d take my chances.
It wasn’t Lander or Paxon or any of my guards on my mind when it came to needing help in this moment. It was Bowen. I chose not to look further into that, blaming it on the pure need for survival.
I stepped onto the porch, but the sticky mud caked on the sole of my boot had me grabbing for the wooden post holding up the makeshift roof in order to not fall flat on my face. To get to the door, I had to let go, but the moment I did, my boots slid like ice was underneath me. My arms flung out, trying to grab hold of anything, but instead of the wall or another post, I hit the door. It opened so easily, spitting me out onto a warm, wooden floor.
Then footsteps sounded, and I curled in on myself, bracing for the worst.
CHAPTER 38
BOWEN
The mud-coated woman folded her body into a ball as I hurried over. Raiden had his hand on his dagger, not sure yet if she was a threat or not. Flynt and Siara stood back, giving us space and keeping their guard up in case the person was a distraction for something bigger.
“Please. Please, don’t hurt me,” the girl cried, wrapping her arms tighter around her legs. “I-I’m looking for someone.”
That voice. So smooth and buttery, yet so full of fear and desperation.
Instantly, my veins awoke with a fury I’d never felt before. Smoke trailed through me, hunting, stalking, searching for a target.
Where, my smoke whispered.We will kill them. Slowly suffocate whoever touched her.
“Auria.” I knelt beside her, setting a hand on her dirtied arm. She was covered in thick mud to the point she was almost unrecognizable.
She flinched at my touch, her shoulder hiking higher, as if to protect her face. I glanced over my shoulder at Siara. “Start the shower. Hot water.”
Siara nodded her response, hurrying up the stairs.
I looked over what I could see of Auria’s body to find any blood mixed with the sludgy brown substance, and to my relief, there was none. Still, my teeth ground together, my jaw popping. I had to keep myself under control.
We will end them, it promised, the statement laced with lethal intent.
“Auria,” I said again, forcing that voice into the depths of my mind, far from where I could hear it. I needed to focus.
As if her ears finally opened, she released her hold on her legs, tilting her head to look up at me. “Bowen.” Relief hung to my name on her lips like a prayer. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know where else to go?—”
I shook my head. The tremble in her voice was killing me and lighting me up all at the same time. The need to take care of her and obliterate whoever put her in this state was so strong, my magic pulsed, ricocheting inside me. “You did the right thing. I’m right here.” But it fucking pained me that she even had to come. That she was in a position where she needed somebody. But if she had to choose, I was glad she chose me.
I brushed her tangled hair from her face, my eyes narrowing in on her bloody lip. Whoever did this to her would live to regret it. I’d tear them limb from limb, decimating them from this planet entirely. But not before I made them suffer. “Who did this to you?” My voice was rough, like the tip of a knife along splintered wood.
She tried to push herself up on one hand, muddy water dripping from every inch of her. Her hand slipped as a gasp tore from her lips, and I quickly wrapped an arm under her. Despite the need to find whoever did this and make them suffer, she needed me more. I wouldn’t leave her side while she was like this. She was quickly becoming, if not already, more important than a lot of things.
“I’m going to pick you up, okay?”
She nodded, and the look on her face, the relief she felt seeing it was me and not someone else touching her in this moment—it fucking killed me.
I slid my hands under her shaking form, lifting her into my arms. A whimper escaped her, and I feared her injuries were far worse than what met the eye. Standing, I looked to Raiden and Flynt. “You two go home. We’ll talk more later.”
They both nodded as Siara came down the stairs. “Water’s on.”
“Thank you,” I said to her. “I got it from here.”
Sympathy and worry mixed in Siara’s features, and I knew she regretted saying Auria needed to leave. She herself had grown attached to her. Siara wasn’t great at making friends, having a hard time trusting people, and seeing Auria in this state pulled at her, too. None of us knew what we were doing, and it was impossible to make judgment calls for the better of anyone but ourselves. Even tonight, I’d thought Auria would be okay getting home, but something as simple as that had almost killed her. In turn, we blamed ourselves for it. Even Raiden. The concerned look on his face was proof of that. Above that, he was furious with himself. His job was to protect—and here he’d been.
After the three of them left, I headed up the stairs, arms wrapped delicately around Auria like she might break in half if I moved too quickly or gripped too hard. The side of her head lay against my shoulder, a small noise escaping her lips as a shudder moved through her body. In an attempt to soothe her, my thumb brushed her thigh as I walked us down the short hall to my bedroom. Steam billowed out from the bathroom door as I entered.
The bathroom was big enough to fit the tub in the corner, a toilet and sink, and an open shower. To prevent mold, I’d laid brown stone tile on the ground. Two small woolen rugs sat in front of both washing areas.
“Clothes on or off?” I asked. She needed this mud off of her so I could examine her injuries, but I didn’t want to be impolite.
