Page 49 of War Of Fire and Fortune
Then, with a final piercing cry from Shay, the babe slipped into my waiting hands, a messy, wriggling bundle of joy.
"It's a girl," I whispered, a swell of emotion clogging my throat. My fingers worked quickly, cutting the cord that tethered them together before wrapping the newborn in a warmed towel. I cradled her for just an instant, marveling at the fierce little cry that filled the space between all the sorrow and joy.
With careful arms, I passed the little love to her mother, watching as a fresh tide of tears spilled from Shay and Baron’s eyes. I busied myself then, attending to the afterbirth and cleaning Shay up. The couple's gaze never left the small face cradled between them.
In that fragile moment, the world outside, the war-ravaged land, the fallen comrades, the looming darkness, all faded into insignificance. There was only this. Only them.
My chest tightened. The moment was too intimate. I felt like I was intruding. I retreated to the tent's entrance. I needed to breathe, to compose myself amidst the turmoil of a day that had brought both life and death. My mind was quickly starting to spiral again.
"Emelyn." Shay’s voice was tired. I turned toward her, still holding the tent flap open. Her gaze held mine. "Thank you," she whispered. The corners of my mouth twitched upwards. With a nod, I let the canvas fall back into place, sealing them away. They needed time alone to adjust with the new babe. To process the fact that Emeris wasgone.
And I needed to help as many of the wounded as I could before finding my mate and brother.
Hours passed, and my hands shook, slick with the blood of another fallen warrior as I pressed them against a gaping wound, letting water glow and seep from my palms. My bending flickered like a dying light within me. A gasp, a shudder, and the soldier beneath my touch breathed deeply, his eyes fluttering open.
"Thank you," he rasped, but I was already moving on, staggering through the carnage, separating the living and the dead. I’d helped as many as I could, but some were too far gone. Dusk crept upon the land. I should have been relieved that we hadn’t lost as many as I’d expected. Our people had held their ground well, but loss was still loss. I could hear quiet cries throughout the tents for those that didn’t make it.
Atreya and Kade were still missing. I knew they were incredible warriors, but if there was one thing I’d learned in all my years it was that death came for everyone. Skill didn’t matter. As I made my way back to my tent, my heart kicked up from the anxiety creeping in regarding where Kade was and if he was alright. I would know if he died, I was sure of it, but it didn’t stop my head from spinning.
I looked to my right, and on the outskirts of the tents, I could see Baetos’s colossal frame. My brow furrowed as I moved in his direction. His body was curled around Emeris’s, his large head resting on top of her. I was so tired from crying, my chest ached as I approached.
“I’m so sorry, Baetos,” I whispered, and he looked to me with sad eyes. I ran my hand down Emeris’s unmoving side before redirecting my hand up to Baetos’s face. He had stayed behind to help protect those not fighting since so many soldiers had gone with us on the march. He probably blamed himself. But there wasn’t anything anyone could do. “Once Shay is settled, I’m sure she will come and say her goodbyes. What do you think Emeris would have wanted?” I asked, and he looked up above the canopy of trees.
Home.
“Could you take her home?” Baetos was twice her size, maybe more, so I was sure he could carry her. He nodded before setting his head back down on her.
“I’ll let you say goodbye,” I said as I moved to leave.
Finally, my tent loomed ahead of me, and just seeing it almost made a whimper escape me from how exhausted I was. My clumsy fingers worked at the knots, securing my armor, each piece falling away with a thud that resonated through the ground and into my aching feet. My skin yearned for a soak in the river, but I refused to stop until I found Kade. I just wanted to change into something more comfortable first.
Stepping inside and letting the flap fall, I removed the last of my leathers and started to make my way to my clothes when a sudden rustle at the entrance jolted me. I spun around, half-expecting an enemy, my nerves still on high alert after the day we’d had. But it was Kade. His silhouette filled the gap, and he wasn’t covered by his shadows. He’d used too much power. He stumbled in, the lines of his face etched with agony.
"Wynsoara—"His voice was a hoarse whisper, a thread of sound that barely fought its way past his lips before his knees buckled. I lunged forward, catching him before he could face-plant into the ground.
"Kade," I murmured, my tone frantic as my hands worked at the stubborn fastenings of his leathers. They fell away with each tug, revealing skin marred with scars but no blood. And his breaths . . . they slowed, each one labored, as though the very act of living pained him.
"Fuck," I cursed under my breath, my gaze searching for any other signs of injury that simply weren't there. He'd drained himself, poured every last drop of his essence into the hollow so we could escape. Had he not been able to Hollow himself here? Had he done short jumps to get back here? Fuck, he must’ve snuck into camp. No one knew he was the prince. It was like his well had run dry, and I’d left him all day. Regardless if I was tending to our people, he was my mate.
My hands glowed faintly with my bending. But this was a different kind of healing. The only remedy I could offer was the last dregs of my own power, and I didn’t have much left to give. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep him off of death’s door until he could regain his strength.
With trembling limbs, I slid my arms beneath him and hoisted him up. Each step toward the bed was a battle. Finally, with a grunt, I managed to lay him down.
I didn’t want to waste any more time. I stripped away the last of his leathers, casting them aside. Leaving his torso bare save for the trousers clinging to his hips. His skin was warm against mine as I crawled beside him. My palm settled over the steady thrum of his heart.
"Stay with me," I whispered, not knowing if he could hear me as I let the last trickle of my power seep into him. As the glowdimmed and darkness crept in at the edges of my vision, I held onto the hope that it would be enough.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Ace
The shadows ensnared us and whisked us back to the safety of our camp. But safety was a fool's wish when I couldn’t find her among the soldiers, some already dead, others wounded and in pain. I soared above the camp, searching for Luana.
My heart thrashed against my ribs like a caged beast as I scanned the sea of weary soldiers. Each breath tore from my lungs, heavy with the scent of blood and ash, but not hers—never hers. Pain seared down my back. My new wings weren’t ready for flying, my back muscles were weak, but this was quicker than being on foot. I’d tend to them after I found her. I couldn’t believe I’d let her out of my sight, but I’d lost her in the chaos, and then when the darkness had swelled, I couldn’t findher anywhere. Now, every second she remained lost to my sight made panic rise inside me.
My descent became increasingly erratic, desperate turns slicing through the camp's smoky air. I dodged glares and curses from those below; they were nothing but blurred shapes in my tunnel vision. Tears burned at the edges of my eyes, but I blinked them away. Not now. There was no space for weakness, not until I found her. I had to see her. Feel her. Know that she was truly okay.
And then, like a glimpse of dawn piercing through an eternal night, there she was. My Luana, standing amidst the carnage, untouched by death's greedy fingers. Thank fuck. I plummeted from the sky like a stooping bird, and before the thud of my landing could fade, my arms were around her. Her familiar scent, wildflowers and storm clouds, engulfed me, and my knees nearly buckled from relief.
