Page 56 of A Song of Shadow and Starlight

She beelines for me and straightens me so I'm sitting upright against the tiled wall. I see a determination in her hard-set blue eyes when she crouches in front of me.

"We need to get you out of these clothes and clean you up."

I follow her gaze to my left leg. The material is tattered beyond repair and is soaked in blood.

"Once we get you cleaned up, I'll have Finn take a look at your wounds."

I nod and allow Eris to strip me down to my underwear. Still too weak to stand on my own, Eris turns the water on and cleans me on the floor. She gently washes my hair, neck, and arms, before taking the warm washcloth to my wounds. The soapy water stings and I bite my bottom lip to keep from howling in pain.

The stream of warm water cuts off suddenly and a fluffy white towel envelops me. Eris opens the bathroom door and ushers Nyx back inside to carry me to my bed. With ease, the youngest Harland scoops me up and walks me to a large bed. We're definitely not in Hotel Zulmara.

"Where are we?" I ask, eyeing the small quarters with a balcony to my left and door to my right.

"We're on our river cruiser," Nyx explains as he sets me down on the mattress. "This is where you and Eris are staying. Atlas, Finn, and I are in the adjoining room." He points toward the narrow hall we just came from, and I see another bedroom that looks exactly like ours.

I lean my head against the stack of pillows Eris arranges behind me and grimace as Nyx lifts my injured leg and elevates it on another pillow.

"That was the longest night of my life," I sigh, grateful to be in a bed instead of forced to sleep on the cold, hard ground at the Necropolis.

"You seem to have a knack for getting yourself kidnapped." Nyx flashes a weak smile, an attempt at levity, and I welcome it.

I offer a tight-lipped smile in return, "Maybe one day someone will just ask me nicely to join them."

A knock sounds from the pass between the rooms and I see Finn waiting to be allowed inside. Looped over his shoulder is his leather bag filled with balms, bandages, wraps, and medicine. I wave him inside, eager for him to alleviate my pain. Nyx and Eris get out of Finn's way, and since the room is small and crowded, they opt to wait in the adjoining room where Atlas has just arrived. I watch as a sweat drenched Atlas whispers back and forth with the other two. I can't tell if Atlas is angry or not. He's scowling for sure, but at this point, I'm not sure if he's irritated I was kidnapped, or annoyed he had to retrieve me.

Finn examines my ripped-up leg and applies the salve and I hiss when it stings. "Sorry."

"It's not your fault." My attention is now fully on him. I quietly watch him work. He's skilled and methodical, but he looks like a man trying to atone for his sins and that's when it hits me. "I suppose I should thank you for saving me at the Necropolis."

He doesn't look up from my leg. "We all played our part. I'm just sorry you had to endure that in the first place."

"I meant, thank you for using your magic on that troll." His hands freeze in place, but he won't meet my gaze. "That was you, wasn't it?"

Finn finally looks up at me, glassy eyed. "I don't like using my magic, but when I realized Nyx wasn't going to make it to you in time, I..." he inhales deeply, his lip trembles.

I slip my hand in his and squeeze. "You don't have -"

"I'm a pain inflictor," he cuts me off, as if he needs to get this off his chest. "I wish I wasn't. I wish I had a different affinity, but it's what I was cursed with. All I have ever wanted to do in life is help people, to heal them, to ease their pain – but I was born to do the opposite. So, I choose not to use my magic, and I try not to talk about it."

"I'm sorry you had to use it."

"Don't be," he says softly.

I tilt his chin up to face me and loop my arm around his neck. I don't know if I've crossed a line but something deep within me senses he needs human contact, he needs some kindness and empathy. To my surprise and relief, Finn hugs me back.

"I'm just glad we found you in time," he whispers.

I feel eyes on me and when I look up, I see Atlas leaning in the threshold between our rooms. There's a curious look on his face, as if he's battling some inner turmoil, and I wish he'd just tell me what's on his mind.

Finn pulls away from me, and I release him. "I should let you rest. We'll be sailing the next couple of days, so enjoy the comfy bed."

"Thanks, Finn."

"You're welcome," he smiles and gathers his supplies. As he passes Atlas, he squeezes his shoulder and whispers something in his ear before entering the other room.

I stare at Atlas whose eyes haven't left mine since I noticed him lurking. He's not saying anything, nor is he moving. And it's unsettling.

"Are you just going to stand there gawking at me all night or are you going to say something?"

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