Page 88 of Omen of ice
Daroose emerges from the brush moments later. He has an armful of wood for the fire, and when he surveys the site, he sighs. “I leave you all alone for a few minutes…”
“Everyone’s fine.” I sift through a pile containing several pieces of ruined fruit. “Except the supplies.”
The kelpie inhales, then scrunches up his nose. His lips pucker like he tastes something foul. “Is that…yorger I smell?”
I give up the search and straighten, hobbling to the nearest tree. “We had a visitor. Did you see any of the medical supplies on the way in?”
Daroose drops the firewood and takes my arm, winding it around his shoulders to support my weight. My leg is numb, and the shards in my side dig deeper with each movement. Shooting a glare at Valen, he helps me to one of the large boulders on the edge of camp. He removes his shirt and hands it to me. “Try to stop that bleeding. I’ll see what I can scrounge up.”
Daroose sifts through the yorger’s wreckage as I unlace my leather cuirass. I gingerly slip my arms from the holes and let it fall to the ground as I hold my breath, the smallest motion doing its best to coax out a scream.
“Let me help you.” Valen holds his side as he kneels in front of me. There are traces of blood on his pants and tunic, but not nearly as much as mine. “If for no other reason than because I’m not in the mood to feel those sticks poking out of my side all damn day.”
“Not your strongest argument.” I grit my teeth as I reach back to unlace my red linen shirt. “Right now, I’m kind of thrilled at the idea of you in pain.”
From across the camp, I swear Benj snickers.
Valen grumbles something I can’t quite hear, then stands and swats my useless hand away. He undoes the string himself, then carefully lifts the cloth. I let him tuck the material under my biceps. I’m still covered as far as modesty is concerned, yet I feel more exposed with him sitting there than I ever have.
Daroose returns, glaring even harder at Valen. “You can turn around now, little Fae. Nothing foryouhere.”
“Just pull out the wood, Daroose.” I roll my eyes and meet Valen’s gaze. He hasn’t turned away. If anything, he’s more focused, eyes locked on mine. I tamp down the involuntary shiver that races up my spine and clear my throat. “Valen will dress my wound, and then we’ll go find the yorger’s hatchlings.”
Everyone’s heads snap in my direction.
Oh. I haven’t told them yet.
“I think Orbik’s guards are following us,” I say.
Valen tries to cover one of my bleeding wounds with a cloth, but Daroose slaps his hand away. “That’s impossible. They couldn’t have tracked us here. We’re too far from the Winter Lands.”
“Well, someone raided the yorger’s nest and stole its hatchlings. It said the thieves were Fae with weapons.”
“That could be anyone.” Benj finds the bandages and throws the sack to Daroose. “The depleted still roam these parts.”
I suck in a breath and dig my fingers into the leather of my pants as Daroose gingerly pulls out one of the bigger shards of wood. “Depleted?”
“Years after the Great Drain, some of the Fae—the ones who relied most on magic—started going into withdrawal.” Benj shudders. “Theychanged. Became vacant and driven by rage.”
“Their minds essentially rotted,” Delkin interjects. “They became feral. We’ve seen a few around these parts, though they’re not really organized enough to raid a yorger nest.”
Daroose finishes securing the bandage on my midsection, then starts on my leg. He’s surprisingly gentle. “We can handle the big bad worm stealers if you’re frightened, little Fae. I’m sure you could stay here and babysit what’s left of our things.”
Valen kneels in front of me as Daroose goes to join Delkin and Benj in trying to scavenge what’s left of our supplies. He nods to my wrist, toward the red braid Delkin gave me. “Where’d you get that?”
“One of the human kids back at Delkin’s village,” I lie. I want to tell him more—the truth that this small braid is what’s probably responsible for keeping me upright—but he has enough to worry about right now. As soon as we get to Ventin, as soon as Levina fixes my mistake, then it won’t matter anymore. Until then, I just hope it’s enough. I start to stand, but he stops me.
“We’re in this together. You know that, right?” His voice is soft and rings with a level of concern that makes me squirm. His gaze keeps flicking to the braid.
“I—” My throat is suddenly tight, the words lodging like stale bread. Sickly sweet and cloying, my belly churns, and my heart thunders an erratic beat, rebelling against a flood of emotion.
“It’s not just the link, Tania,” he says. “I don’t want— I know there’s something you’re not telling me.”
There’s no anger in his tone. It sparks a wash of guilt, which, judging by the flash of justification in his eyes, he feels. “Valen—” Why the hell do I feel so bad about keeping a secret from him? I’m doing it for his own damned good! Let’s not forget that he himself is hiding something from me, too! “How about we trade. You tell me what you’re hiding, and I’ll tell you what I’m hiding.”
He stares at me but says nothing.
“Well then, there’s your answer.”
