Page 129 of A Kingdom's Heart
“You’ll bleed to death!”
“You can check it once we’re on land,” I said, the words rough between shallow breaths. “Not now.”
She didn’t argue, but I can feel her panicking beneath the crash of the sea. The feeling tore through me worse than the pain in my
arm.
The shore was closer now, so close I could see the line where the waves met the sand. I dug the oars deep again and again. My muscles screamed. My shoulder throbbed with every movement. The blood made the wood slick under my palms, but I refused to let go.
A voice carried across the wind, sharp and commanding. “Release my daughter!”
King Henrik’s voice.
So that was what he thought. That I had stolen her. That she hadn’t chosen this. The anger hit me hard, but I didn’t let it break my focus.
The arrows came again, slicing through the air, hitting the water just behind us. The boat rocked hard, and I nearly lost balance, but I steadied it and pushed on.
The sand was only a few feet away now. My arms felt like lead, my breath short and uneven, but I didn’t stop. One more pull, then another.
The bottom of the boat scraped against the sand, jerking us forward. We were there.
I let go of the oars and slumped forward, my chest heaving. My arms trembled from the effort. The arrows still came, but they fell short now, splashing harmlessly into the shallow water.
We had reached land.
I turned to her, breathing hard. “Come on,” I said, reaching out my hand.
She took it without hesitation, her fingers trembling against mine. Together we stepped off the boat, our feet sinking into the wet sand. The sea pulled at our ankles, the salt biting at my wounds, but we didn’t stop. The air smelled of iron and smoke and fear.
Then it came.
An arrow struck me in the back. The force drove the breath from my lungs. For a second, I froze. The pain flared sharp and deep, but instinct took over. I moved in front of Iris, forcing her behind me, my body shielding hers.
Another arrow flew, hitting my shoulder. The shock of it almost made me fall, but I gritted my teeth and steadied myself.
“Run,” I said, my voice breaking. “Run!”
She hesitated, shaking her head, panic rising up her face. “No, I’m not leaving you—”
“Go!” I shouted, pushing her forward. “I’m right behind you.”
The pain was unbearable now, spreading through my back like fire, but I ran. The sand shifted beneath my feet, slowing me down. Iris stumbled ahead of me, looking back with wide, terrified eyes.
Behind us, I heard shouting. The heavy sound of boots hitting the shore. The king’s ship had landed. His soldiers were coming.
Another arrow hit, this one lower, near my ribs. My legs nearly gave out, but I forced them to move. I couldn’t stop. Not while she was still running.
The forest line was close. Just a few more steps.
But another arrow struck, then another. The impacts blurred together until I couldn’t tell how many there were. My back burned, the weight of them dragging me down.
Still, I ran.
The only thing that mattered was keeping her safe.
If this was the price of loving her, then I would pay it without regret.
My vision blurred. Every breath came shorter than the last, every
