Page 110 of Cast By Flames (Dragon's Breath)
It had been bothering her, but so had all her injuries.
He frowned. “Aren’t you supposed to have a partner?”
“We got separated shortly before I ran into you, but he was there at the time. He just had several attacking him as well. It was when the infected humans first arrived and overtook all of us. We did the best we could.”
“Ah.” He nodded. “I was still in the air thenbutsaw it. There were many.”
“It’s too bad they’re immune to dragon fire, or else you all could take out a bunch of them for us,” Rayna said with a sigh.
Galadon grunted. “Hmm, yes.”
“Regardless, try not to fight so many at once.” Ujala clucked her tongue. “I prefer if you could avoid getting injured so much,” she said in mock disapproval.
“I’ll try my best,” she said with a laugh.
“Good.”
Galadon grunted. “She runs headfirst into danger every chance she gets, so I wouldn’t count on that.”
Rayna leaned forward and whispered in the healer’s ear. “So does he.”
Ujala shook her head. “I don’t doubt it.”
A few minutes later, she had finished working on Rayna. Relief swept through her as nearly all her pain was gone. Onlya faint throb remained for the worst wounds, including her ribs, and those would likely be better after she rested.
“Is there food somewhere?” Rayna asked as Ujala began working on her son.
“Yes,” she said, pointing toward the next room over. “Just go in there, and someone will have something for you.”
“Thank you.” Rayna looked at Galadon. “I’ll see you…later.”
He frowned. “Don’t go far. It’s safer if you stay close to the bunker.”
His concern surprised her despite their temporary truce. “Would it really bother you if the other shifters hurt me?”
“You are a necessary ally for now, whether any of us like it or not. I would not see you harmed by my own as long as this war lasts,” he said.
Rayna wanted to laugh and thank him for being so magnanimous.
Ujala looked at her. “You should remain close. Ask for a blanket when you get your food and find a place nearby. We’ll make certain no one bothers you.”
How could Galadon’s mother be so kind when he wasn’t?
“Okay,” she agreed.
Sure enough, she found a human female in the next room. The woman smiled as she handed over food and a blanket. “Just return that this evening before you leave.”
The instructions made sense. It wasn’t as if anyone needed blankets while fighting, but people would require them each day when they returned to rest. They had to think long-term for this war, especially since it would be turning cold in the next couple of weeks.
“Thank you.”
Rayna made her way outside. There were shifters scattered all over the place, and a couple groups of humans under clusters of trees. She settled on a spot against the wall of the bunker, figuring she couldn’t get any closer to safety.
The food wasn’t half bad. She had a beef sandwich, a hunk of cheese, and an apple. Considering the amount of calories she’d burned during the night, she’d need every bit if she expected to keep up her fighting pace for a while. Galadon came outside when Rayna was finishing her meal. He had a blanket and food, too.
To her surprise, he also settled against the wall—five feet away.
“You’re going to sleep there?” she asked.
