Page 87 of Burn Her They Said
Fuck it.
“Not when I can do something,” I say, voice suddenly sure.
“Which is?” Lars asks, expression shifting to one of amusement as I bend to pry my boots off before flinging them to the floor.
“Malin,” I command, pointing a finger toward the large wooden doors, “make sure no one comes in.”
“What are you thinking of doing?” Malin asks, with the ability to sense the exact action I am about to take.
I pull back the covers and drop down beside Tasch’s rigid, wailing form.
“Shh shh shh.” I swipe the dark hair, now slicked with sweat, back from her forehead.
She turns into my touch as I pull her to me and carefully brace her head to my chest, counting each heartbeat as it passes, terrified that our rhythms match, as scared as I am for her. Meaning she must feel so alone, without knowing I’m holding her.
“I have you,” I whisper, rocking her slightly. “I’m here, mei waella.”
I hold her and hum, rocking us back and forth as gently as I can until her muscles slacken and my heart settles with them. Feeling comforted by the way she curls into me, sleeping suspiciously peacefully.
“Varic,” she mumbles, turning to face me and nuzzling into my uniform, pulling something taut around my chest as I choke back tears, desperately blinking, trying to keep any from falling.
“Shit,” Fray says.
“What?” Lars challenges him.
“This is fucking torment,” he gestures to us while answering in a wavering tone.
“What, watching them mourn the loss of each other while sharing the same room is too much for you, softie?” Lars goads him.
“It’s fucking heartbreaking,” Fray admits, voice thick with emotion.
“How do you think it feels for me, hearing you discuss this while I’m right here?”
“We have no way of saying anything outside of your earshot, Varic,” Fray retorts, sobering quickly.
Lars smacks his arm harder than I think he intended, with the crack that sounds from the contact.
“So what’s the solution?” Frays adds. “We can’t keep going like this.”
“We work on the extraction plan, for all of us,” I concede, before dropping my chin to rest over Tasch’s head and pulling in a deep breath of her warm floral scent, reveling in the contact until I figure out exactly how to extricate myself without startling her awake. “Which means we need allies to help protect the orphanages.”
They each nod in agreement and Malin releases a breath.
“Someone’s coming,” he says.
My eyes fall closed as I cuddle Tasch close, not wanting to let go. But she’s more settled now, and if I’m not the one to go to the door, they will know something is amiss—whoever it is.
A knock sounds, and I could kill whoever is making such a racket when they know she must be sleeping.
I shift over to my back and help her rest against the pillow with regret. Wishing I could stay here, holding her longer.
“Here, I’ll help,” Lars says, walking around to this side of the bed.
I turn and sit on the edge as one of my boots rises in the air until Lars takes it in hand to help me tie my laces faster than I can.
He makes quick work of it, then Malin must use his magic to lift the second, which Lars takes and repeats the action.
“Thank you.” I pull the covers back up over Tasch’s chest and rush toward the door as a second knock sounds. “Fucking be patient,” I mumble as Malin nods and telekinetically unlocks the door.
