Chapter 30 #2
“But it will not be pleasant.” Franseza rummaged through the leather pouch knotted around her waist, pulling out a cup, a bundle of herbs, as well as a mortar and pestle.
“She’s ingested a dangerous amount of blood ash.
I’m honestly surprised she’s not yet dead.
Usually, blood ash is used as a means of sedation in small doses and is virtually untraceable.
But when taken in extreme amounts, the toxin rots the blood.
Whoever gave her such a copious amount either intended to knock her out cold or force her into an eternal slumber. ”
Atlas’s hands curled into fists at his side. He knew exactly who was responsible. The minute he saw Jarek again, he would slit his throat. But right now, he had more important things to worry about, like making sure Everinne survived.
“What’s the treatment?” Caedian asked. He rubbed one hand along the back of his neck and had taken a keen interest in his boots.
“That’s the unpleasant part, I’m afraid.
” Franseza slipped a small tool from one of her pockets.
The end was crafted from rose quartz, swirling and bulbous, with another crystal fused to its base.
It was slender and hollow, tapering off toward its sharp tip.
“I’ll need to siphon the toxins from her blood. ”
Atlas swallowed the lump of anxiety lodged in the back of her throat. “Is it safe?”
“Safe, yes. But you may want to hold her down. The siphoning can be quite painful, especially give the amount flowing through her bloodstream.”
He reached for Everinne, then hesitated, unsure of where to grab her or where to hold on. “I…I don’t know what to do.”
Franseza motioned toward the headboard with a flippant wave of her hand. “Climb up behind her on the bed. Keep a firm grasp of her waist and make sure her arms stay in place by her sides.” The healer stole a look at Caedian. “Captain, if you could please secure her legs.”
Caedian stiffened, his gaze darting to Atlas for approval.
He nodded once.
Caedian scooped his hands under Everinne’s arms, slowly lifting her from the bed as Atlas climbed up to situate himself behind her.
He hated the way her hair hung limp, the way her head dropped and rolled like a doll.
Once he was seated with his legs stretched out along both sides of the bed, Caedian heaved her backward, laying her down gently against Atlas’s torso.
He locked his arms around her, pinning her against him, and sweltering heat radiated from her. She was like touching fire.
“Got her?” Caedian asked.
Again, all Atlas could do was nod.
His captain moved to the foot of the bed, linking one arm under her calves while the other reached over her shins. Then he lowered his chest, ensuring the weight of his upper body kept her firmly in place.
Franseza pinched the siphoning device between her fingers and met Atlas’s worried stare. “Remember, Your Imperial Highness. Hold her tightly.”
Atlas leaned back, clutching Everinne to him. “I won’t let her go.”
Franseza used the dagger-like tip of the siphon and pierced Everinne’s hip, slowly drawing out small amounts of thick, black ooze.
At first, Everinne didn’t move, but on the second extraction, Atlas heard the faintest whimper slip from between her lips.
Then she flinched, and Caedian grunted as her legs began to jerk and kick.
Tension sent her arching off Atlas, and he tightened his hold, his forearms wrapping around her like rods of steel.
Spasms ricocheted through her, and the sniffles of agony morphed into broken, choking sobs.
Everinne thrashed, her disjointed movements becoming more violent with each withdrawal of the blood ash from her veins.
Her eyes remained closed, severe pain etched into the beautiful planes of her face, and then she screamed.
Fucking gods, her scream.
His blood, once blistering hot with fury, ran ice cold with fear.
He’d never heard her scream like that before, and he prayed to any god or goddess that he’d never have to hear it again.
The sound of it, the keening shrill that escaped her, was like a spear of affliction straight through his heart.
It gutted him, slashing through him, leaving him full of crushing despair.
The bond between them roared to life, hissing and snapping, fueling him with the urge to save and the desire to protect, to never allow anyone or anything to harm her again.
“Almost done, milazk ,” Franseza crooned softly. “Almost done.”
Tears stained Everinne’s cheeks as she screamed again.
“Fuck!” Veros shouted, shoving his hands through his hair. “I…I can’t…”
“Go!” Atlas jerked his head towards the verandah, to the sunrise beyond. “Just go. I’ll find you when it’s over.”
Veros stormed out into the early morning light, disappearing as Everinne’s hoarse cries ebbed and she collapsed against Atlas’s chest, her body cool and pliant. There was no more fever. No more streaks of darkness flooding her veins. No more poison.
“There, there.” Franseza soothed her, humming softly as she continued to heal.
She swiped her finger over the incision in Everinne’s hip, coating it with a creamy white balm that reminded Atlas of wildflowers and honey.
Then she sifted the dried herbs between her palms, dumping them into the mortar, then grinding them to a fine powder with the pestle.
She popped off the cork of a large vial filled with some green-colored substance, the consistency of it similar to watery mud, and mixed the ingredients together.
Atlas slumped against the support of the headboard, cradling Everinne tightly, refusing to let her go.
Caedian eased up, releasing her completely, and swiped the back of his hand along his forehead.
His face was flushed and there was a sheen of sweat on his brow.
But it was the look in his eyes that was the most telling.
The gray was haunted with shadows, and the deep umber of his skin was ashen.
For even an elite warrior, seasoned in battle and blood, had never witnessed anything so harrowing.
Either that, or Everinne’s screams had dragged up a profusion of memories that Caedian would rather forget.
“Now, she needs to rest. She may be fitful, and it is likely she’ll be disoriented when she awakens.
” Franseza packed up her tools and supplies, placed the mortar on the nightstand by the bed, then shuffled toward the door.
“Best to keep her calm and make sure she drinks the healing brew, every last drop, as she’ll be in a fair amount of discomfort. ”
Atlas barely heard her.
He couldn’t hear anything except for the steady beating of Everinne’s heart and the soft breaths she released with every exhale.
“We’ll see that she does,” Caedian confirmed, gathering one of the silk sheets and pulling it up to cover Everinne’s mostly bare body. “Thank you.”
Franseza dropped into a bob of a curtsy, her old bones creaking like weathered branches. “Let me know if you require anything else, Your Highness.”
With that, the healer left. Caedian closed the door behind her, leaning against it, his head falling back against the solid wood. He roughed one hand over his face.
“I’m sorry, Atlas. I failed you.” His lips pressed together in a hard line. “I failed both of you.”
“No. This isn’t your fault. Your soldiers can’t access the Mystic Obscura because we forbade them from giving up a drop of their blood.” Atlas adjusted his legs, drawing up his knees on either side of Everinne’s sleeping form. “I should have forbidden her from going there as soon as I found out.”
Caedian gave a short laugh tainted with sorrow. “That only would’ve emboldened her, my prince. I do not imagine she is one to take orders from you. Or anyone, for that matter.”
“No.” Atlas reached down, smoothing some of her hair back from her face, tucking it behind the delicate pointed tip of her ear, his finger grazing the amethyst studs she wore. “She thinks the rules don’t apply to her.”
“How did she end up in the Marzena, anyway?” Caedian asked, his gaze narrowing.
Anger simmered through Atlas’s veins. “Jarek Zima.”
“The demon summoner?” His captain shoved off the door and moved closer, his voice lowering. “You’re certain?”
“I smelled him on her.” Atlas’s lip curled and he lightly touched Everinne’s shoulder, where the imprint of a skull ring had faded to a milky white color against her skin. “He fucking branded her.”
Caedian’s jaw locked and he inhaled, taking a deep, stabilizing breath. Leave it to the Captain of the Guard to remain sensible when Atlas was ready to explode. “But if Everinne never left the Mystic Obscura, then how did Jarek get her to the Marzena without my scouts detecting her?”
“I don’t know,” Atlas muttered. If Jarek took Everinne to the Marzena without ever leaving the Mystic Obscura, then that could only mean one thing. “There must be an entrance to the Marzena from somewhere inside the Mystic Obscura.”
“If there is,” Caedian rolled his shoulders back, determination hardening his face, “we’ll find it.”
He stayed for a few more moments, then headed for the door. “I will go find Lord Veros and report that Everinne is recovering.” Caedian reached for the handle, then paused, lowering his head.
“Fucking skies, Your Highness.” His voice was hollow. “Her screams.”
“I know.” Atlas would never be able to erase them from his mind. He would hear them in his sleep, they would be the creation of his every nightmare come to life. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet. “Jarek will pay for this. With his life.”
When Caedian left, Atlas sank lower into the cushioned mattress, anchoring Everinne against his chest. She shivered once, then rolled onto her side, snuggling into him, one hand curled beneath her chin while the other was splayed across his abdomen.
He breathed her in, the sweet scent of caramel between layers of rose and blackcurrant as familiar to him as his own soul.
He leaned back against the pillow, his arms wrapped around her like a shield of protection.
Atlas swore to himself right then, he would get her out of the Mystic Obscura and as far away from Jarek Zima as possible. He would bargain with Reine for her life.
No matter the cost.