Page 128 of Drawn in Blood
“Em, what happened?” he asked again, this time quieter.
Ember didn’t answer as she turned to Gaelen. “Help him!” she cried, tears streaming down her face, mixing with the salt water on her skin. “Please help him.”
Gaelen rushed to his side, kneeling as she laid her hand on his chest. “Tilt his head back,” she commanded, as she unbuttoned his shirt, exposing the scars littering his unmoving chest, “and open his mouth.”
Ember did as she was instructed, tilting his chin up and head back, then gently opened his mouth. He was cold—too cold—and Ember gripped his hand tightly.
Gaelen worked methodically, mumbling a spell over his chest as her hands moved in small circles. Ribbons of magic fell from her palms and sank into his skin, and Ember could see it swimming under the surface toward his lungs. Gaelen shifted her weight to his head and continued the circles over his mouth, until small streams of water swirled past his lips and turned to mist in the air. She continued for several minutes, expelling all the water from his lungs, and Ember held her breath as her hands began to shake.
After what felt like an eternity, Gaelen sat back and took a shuddering breath. Killian still laid there, eyes closed and unbreathing on the stone floor, and Ember felt her chest begin to crack.
“He’s not breathing,” she whispered. “Why isn’t he breathing?”
“I’ve expelled all of the water,” Gaelen breathed, “but I can’t put the breath back in his lungs.”
Fen let out a strangled sob next to her, burying his face in his hands as bile rose in her throat.
He can’t be dead.
Light flickered out of the corner of her eye, and little wisps began to circle her wrist and hand. Her magic seemed to vibrate in her veins, and that tether at her chest thrummed wildly as thewisps formed a glove over her skin. She laid one hand on his bare chest, gripping the pendant around her neck with the other as words in the Old Language echoed through her head.
Ember almost jumped out of her skin when fire licked at her palm. Her eyes shot open as she stumbled back and held her hand up. The flame wasn’t like anything she had ever seen. It wasn’t orange or red—it was so blue it was almost white, a flame so hot it could probably melt steel. The little blue wisps seemed to encircle the flame and her hand, and the fire quickly settled until it was just a bright light burning against her palm.
She laid her hand back on his chest, and the glow seemed to radiate all around his torso and into his arms. The magic pulsed through her fingertips, and she could feel sweat begin to drip from her brow.
“It’s not working,” Fen whispered, voice hoarse as he hovered by his best friend’s head. “It’s not working.”
Ember ignored him, focusing on the voice that seemed to be chanting inside of her, making her chest rattle as the tether between her and the two boys tightened.
But he was right—it wasn’t working. Her magic wasn’t strong enough, couldn’t carve deep enough within him to make his heart beat again. He was cold—so cold—and her fire wasn’t warming him.
A small hand touched her shoulder, and she turned to see Theo smiling behind her.
Together.He seemed to say while he gripped her shoulder tightly. Maeve sat on the other side of her, laying a small hand on top of the one that was settled on Killian’s chest. The white fire seemed to grow, encompassing both of their hands like?—
A star.
Suddenly, Killian’s eyes shot open, and he let out a gasp, and it was the most beautiful sound Ember had ever heard. Herchest shook as she sobbed, and she threw herself on top of him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“You’re alive!” Fen shouted, grinning widely as he wiped the tears from his cheeks, and patted his friend on the back.
“You say that like you’re at all surprised.” Killian grinned, teeth chattering as the color began to come back to his cheeks.
“It was touch and go there for a moment,” Ember breathed, as she took a shuddering breath.
“Areyouokay?” Killian asked, leaning in close as he touched his forehead to hers. His skin tingled against hers, warmth blooming her chest as he rubbed her cheek with the pad of his thumb.
“I am now.” She nodded.
He kissed her forehead, leaving his mouth lingering there for just a moment.
“Don’t ever scare me like that again,” she whispered.
Fen cleared his throat, and Ember felt her cheeks turn crimson. “We have a lot to talk about when we get home.” He frowned, and Ember found herself laughing for the first time in days.
They were in a cavern, the two caves connected by the underwater tunnel. Plush grass lined the floor, stalactites hanging down from the ceiling. The mouth of the cave was at least two stories high, and Ember could see the stars from where she sat. She breathed in the night air, thanking the gods she would get to count the constellations again.
“I told you we’d see them again.” Killian smiled.
