Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Dahlia
Dahlia hit the ground hard, her teeth clacking together. The metallic tang of blood burst on the back of her tongue.
A wheeze escaped her, and she opened her blurry eyes before turning onto her backside. A wall of heat slammed against her, and she scrambled away from the flames crawling up the side of the inn. Screams filled the air as people ran from the building.
She yelped as she spotted flames dancing along the edge of her hem. Lia tossed a handful of snow on her dress, but the flames only flickered, growing bigger somehow.
An oil fire, the back of her mind whispered.
She kicked at her skirt, trying to get away from the fire, yet it did nothing but spread. Lia’s head pounded, and fear seemed to take control. All she could do was watch helplessly as people ran by, none stopping as the fire began to slowly consume her.
Her mind screamed for her to run, to do anything, but she couldn’t move.
A giant skidded to a stop next to her and tossed a handful of dirt over her dress before stomping on the fabric, smothering the flames. He moved to the side and knelt beside her, pulling her dress up to reveal her singed leggings, patchy and reddened skin peeking out.
That broke through the fear as the very real danger of discovery overwhelmed her.
Lia kicked at him and scampered backward on her hands, barely feeling the ice and snow beneath her.
Felix faced her, concern creasing his aqua face. He held up his hands and rumbled, “I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” she mumbled. Flaming streaks in the night sky seized her attention. They lit up the darkness like giant glowing falling stars. There were so many. Too many. There would be no escape.
“Incoming!” a deep voice shouted.
Chills erupted along her arms at the sound of the voice. She’d know that voice anywhere.
Neve.
As if she were underwater, she glanced to the left, watching as the Loriian army swarmed the main street.
Her heart raced as she searched the sea of warriors for the king.
She caught a glimpse of Olwen right before she was tackled to the ground.
The breath wheezed out of her as Felix covered her body with his own.
Explosions erupted around them.
Lia trembled when Felix grunted, and his face contorted into pain above her own. She clutched the front of his leather vest, her hands shaking as more flaming stones slammed into the ground around them. The past and the present blended together.
Her mum’s head made a sickening crack against the stone and yet she still crawled toward Dahlia, until she caged the girl beneath her body.
“Mama!” she sobbed, clinging on to her rough-spun dress.
“It’s okay, my sweet,” her mum slurred, the pupils of her eyes looking weird. She almost looked like a Haunt, her eyes were so black. “I love you. We’ll be okay . . .”
The blows kept coming.
A warm hand cupped her cheek. “Holly!”
She jerked out of the memory, Felix’s worried face staring down at her.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded slowly, her head aching with the movement. The city of slate and stone seemed to be on fire around them.
It wasn’t safe. They needed to find shelter immediately.
“We need to move,” she shouted, her ears ringing.
The aqua giant nodded, his teeth gritted together. He heaved himself off her and pulled Lia to her feet. Dahlia swayed, her vision darkening around the edges. She grabbed his bicep for balance and immediately let go when he grimaced.
Lia blinked and held up her hand. It was covered in silver blood. “You’re hurt,” she shouted, taking a wobbling step around Felix who still knelt on the ground, body heaving with his breaths.
She gasped at the state of his back.
Chunks of wood, stone, and crystal were imbedded everywhere. He’d been turned into a pincushion.
“You need help.” She reached for a nasty piece that had missed his spine but hesitated. She was no healer.
He shook his head and climbed to his feet with a groan.
Lia faced him and took his hand, urging him to follow her.
Loshika needed to see his wounds immediately.
He was losing too much blood. Goosebumps ran over her skin, and she peered over her shoulder, seeking any familiar faces.
Namely, the frost giant king who was surely seeking her life.
Olwen was long gone, but that didn’t mean the danger was. The king’s men were here. An immediate death sentence for Loshika.
And a world of torture for Lia.
Felix tugged her back and squeezed her hand, shaking his head no. “More people need help. Get to safety.” She read his lips more than heard him.
“Not acceptable. You’re hurt,” she argued, looking to the sky. They didn’t have time for this.
“They just look ugly.” He cracked his neck. “I’ll be fine. Go home. It will ease my mind to know you’re safe.”
Lia swallowed hard when he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand and limped away toward the wreckage of the last attack. “Thank you,” she croaked.
For a moment, she wanted to follow him. Dahlia hated not being able to help. But as more Loriian warriors poured down the icy main road, she knew the time for indecision was over. She needed to gather her family and flee.
Half stumbling, half running, Dahlia navigated her way toward their modest home.
More balls of fire filled the sky, stopping Lia mid-step. There was nowhere to run.
A giant rock slammed into the cobblestones not twenty feet away, blowing Lia off her feet. She slammed against the ice, biting her tongue. More blood filled her mouth, and stars swirled in her vision, which once again darkened at the edges.
No, stay awake. You’ll die.
With strength she didn’t know she possessed, Dahlia crawled underneath the closest porch, sweating and shaking. In that moment, all she could hear was her heart in her ears. The stench of boiling oil and burnt flesh assaulted her senses. She retched, the motion making her headache even worse.
Lia wiped the bile from her mouth with the sleeve of her ruined wool dress. People ran along the street, their panicked faces seared into her mind.
The shrieks lessened and the explosions paused.
Time to move.
Dahlia rolled out from beneath the porch, her body aching as she got to her feet. She limped toward the nearest alley, slipping and sliding down the narrow passage. Lia ducked underneath a large smoldering tree branch that had fallen into the alleyway.
At the end was her home.
Dahlia collapsed against the simple wooden door and pounded on it with the side of her bloody fist. When had that happened? She stared at the way the red blood mixed with Felix’s silver. It was mesmerizing.
The door was wrenched open, and she fell inside, only to be caught by a large pair of familiar blue hands. Loshika handed Lia to Cosmos as if she were nothing but a ragdoll. The giantess slammed the door, locked it, and then shoved their sturdy table in front of it.
Lo moved into action, cupping Lia’s chin carefully with her fingers. She sighed at the warmth from her friend’s hands wrapped halfway around her skull. She closed her eyes.
“No,” Loshika commanded. “Open your eyes, my lady.”
Lia forced them open like it was a feat of strength. Gods, all she wanted to do was sleep. Even if it was on the uncomfortable cots that served as their beds.
Lo hissed, baring her fangs. “You have a concussion. Another concussion. What have I told you? You must protect the skull.”
Lia smiled. Loshika’s fangs were so dainty and cute compared to the king’s. A wave of pain washed over her that had nothing to do with her injuries. Neve rose to the front of her mind.
His scent. His sharp smile. The way his eyes twinkled when he was teasing her. She needed him, wanted him.
Stop.
“How bad is it?” Cosmos asked, sounding like a scared little boy.
“I’m fine,” Lia said, her words slurred.
Her legs buckled, and her brother caught Dahlia, helping her sit on the edge of the nearest cot.
She swayed and then registered Cos wrapping his arm around her waist and anchoring her to his side.
“I’m fine,” she tried again, her legs dangling. Everything was a bit too big in Loriia.
He held her left hand in his own and gave her fingers a little squeeze. “I don’t think you are, Sis. You’re bleeding and your eyes look weird.”
She blearily peered up at him. That was the first time he’d referred to her as his sister since their mother’s death. He’d been filled with so much anger and resentment in the last few months that he’d hardly spoken to her.
“That’s the concussion,” Lo growled. “With your kind, your pupils expand or look lopsided.”
Loshika bustled back to the other side of their small home, rummaging through her herbs. Lia watched her friend work at the long gouged table, grinning at the crystal wedged underneath one of the legs. Cosmos’ contribution to her apothecary station.
A small window just above showed a glimpse of the outside world. Of falling stars. Of a sky on fire.
“What’s happening out there?” her brother whispered, a tremor in his voice. He tried to be so brave all the time, but war was scary.
“Destruction,” she answered. Nausea rose quickly behind the words, the scent of burning flesh in her nose.
Dahlia bent in half, her head between her knees, and retched. Nothing came up. There wasn’t anything left in her body. Cosmos rubbed her back in small slow circles as she straightened. Her head was light as she tried to sit up. She leaned her aching cheek against Cosmos’ bony shoulder.
“You’re not soft enough,” she grouched.
She felt more than saw his laughter. “I’ve gotten bigger though.”
“True.” He continued to grow. It was the bane of her existence. Constantly, she was trading for new clothes. Between food and clothing they’d be destitute in no time. It was a blessing they were traveling to Fierre next. The sandy, warm kingdom didn’t require so much clothing.
Loshika bustled back to them and knelt, her lips pinched. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself.”
Lia tried to shrug, but it hurt too much. “It wasn’t as if I tried to get hurt. I was almost smashed by one of the rocks. I’m lucky I only hit my head.”
The nonnae growled. “It’s more than a head injury. I can smell burned flesh and blood all over you. You’re a mess.”
“But I’m alive.” For now.
Another shriek went through the air, followed by a loud thud, their home shuddering. She glanced up at the ceiling as dust drifted down from the beams above. That wasn’t good.
“We need to move to the bathing room,” Loshika said. “It offers the most protection.”
Cosmos stood and pulled Dahlia to her feet.
The room spun, and she blinked slowly, the world going out of focus.
There was something important she needed to tell them. She frowned and reached for her clammy forehead. What was it?
Her brother hustled them into the bathroom and into the crystal shower stall. Her body began to tremble and shake as they sat on the cold floor.
Cold like it had been on the ground beneath Felix.
Cold like the dread she’d felt when Olwen appeared.
That was it!
“Lo,” she slurred.
Loshika entered after them with a lantern and then closed the door. The healer knelt, and Lia tried to focus on her face, but it was too fuzzy.
Darkness then rushed up to greet her.
“They’re here,” Lia managed to whisper as the darkness finally claimed her.