Page 35 of The Spark that Ignites
Vesper gave an exasperated sigh but stepped towards them. The creature bared its teeth as he reached a handout and a low pitch growl rumbled in its belly.
“I don’t think it likes me,” he said, retracting his hand but the creature didn’t let up. “Look, it's going to bite me! Emmery, do something!”
“Well, maybe she doesn’t want to be touched. If you would let me fix your shoulder, you might be able to fight her off.” Emmery choked back a laugh and hissed in the animal’s ear. “Stop it. Be nice.”
But she couldn't shake the image of Kaah’s unseeing eyes, as if he predicted she would save the little winged fox. Like he had planned it all along, taking the opportunity to claim Emmery for himself. As if the web was truly made forher.
Chapter Twelve
Emmery limped to their camp, the fox slung around her neck as her raw, bloody feet cried for relief. When was the last time she’d walked this much? Likely never. Between her heavy eyelids, dragging feet and popped blisters, the pain greatly overshadowed the dull throb in her scars. If she didn’t lay down soon, she’d collapse and sleep wherever she landed.
Her pesky stomach growled, the familiar hunger pains prying at long suppressed memories. At least Vesper had been prepared and packed her bag full of food. She found some bread, cheese, and dried meat to munch on as they settled for the evening. But the food disappeared too quickly, and she ravenously eyed Vesper as he ate.
Sighing, he handed her a strip of meat and a chunk of cheese.
“I’m not hungry,” she said, waving his hand away.
Vesper thrust the food toward her. “Bloody Hollow, take it. I can hear your stomach growling from here.” She reluctantly plucked the cheese out of his hand and nibbled the edge. “It’s really for self-preservation. You’ll alert predators with all that noise.”
Glowering, Emmery shovelled it into her face. “Don’t tell me about self-preservation,” she mumbled around the mouthful, pointing at his arm. “You won’t even let me look at your shoulder. It’s just dangling there.”
“I told you it’sfine.” The fire crackled and he shifted away. He tried and failed to lift his arm, letting it fall with a wince. “See? It’ll pop back any second now.”
“Stop being a baby. It’s clearly dislocated.” Emmery pursed her lips. “How did you manage that anyway?”
“I might have thrown my shoulder into the wall.” Gritting his teeth, he poked the flames with a too short stick. “The beast got me first, though. Vicious fucker.”
Emmery shuffled toward him on her knees and gestured to his torn tunic. “Take it off.”
Vesper’s eyes flared. “Takewhatoff?”
She unclasped her cloak and rolled her sleeves. “I’m going to reset your shoulder and clean your wound, whether you like it or not.” At least it had finally stopped oozing blood.
He groaned.
“You can’t fight with one arm, Vesper. Which means you can’t protect me. Think of it as self-preservation. Forme.”
With a grumble, he gave in. Vesper winced as he fought with his sleeve for a few painful minutes. Hissing through his teeth, he sighed, dug his fingers into the hole, and shredded it. She looked at anything but the lines of his abdomen, the pronounced veins in his muscular arms, and fine, dark hair dusting his pale, unblemished skin—though she got a spectacular eyeful.
His swollen shoulder was an adequate distraction. Reddish-purple bruises surrounded the bone awkwardly protruding from his socket. The monster’s teeth marks torn into his flesh were now scabbed, but it had to hurt.
“Do you want to lie down or sit?” she asked.
He groaned as he lay back, rigid as stone. Gods, men weresodramatic.
Emmery scowled. “Would you relax?”
“It’s a bit hard when you’re about to rip around on my shoulder.” He took a few slow, deep breaths. Once the tension eased, she lifted his arm over his head and bent it at the elbow.
“Ready? Deep breath in.” Emmery angled it as Vesper sucked in air. “And out.”
A curse chased his sharp exhale as his shoulder popped, sinking home.
After a moment, he sat, rotating it in a delicate circle.
“Better?”
He gave a silly nod and muttered his gratitude with some bellyaching threaded in.
