The Wishing Game

Chapter 32

THIRTY-TWO

P anic courses through me as I lie frozen by his side, uncertain of what to do next. I'm just staring at his unmoving body, my heart thumping mercilessly inside my chest. It takes me a few seconds to get myself under control enough to go closer to him and feel for his pulse.

He's still covered in blood and bodily fluids, but feeling my way around his neck, I manage to find a heartbeat.

I sigh in relief.

He's not dead.

Yet .

No, no. I won't let him die. No one else is dying under my watch ever again.

Nibbling at my lip, I stand up, cataloging my surroundings to gauge what I can and cannot do. Well, first, I need to get him into a comfortable position. I should also clean the rest of the naga grime off his body since who knows if that's venomous too, and it might only make him sicker.

Nodding to myself, I grab some of the abandoned containers off the ground and hurry to the pond in the back. I clean them the best I can, but I'm aware that they are still not sanitary enough to be used for consumption. But they might work to clean him and make some lye for starters.

Filling the containers with water, I go back to the fire, using a bone shard to pull some ashes from the bottom of the fire. I add them to the water and place it over the fire. While that's boiling, I grab the other container with water and bring it closer to Ze's body.

There are a few rags around, but I don't want to use them until I can properly wash them with some lye. That leaves me with only one option.

Shrugging my hoodie off, I carefully place it to the side while I take off my undershirt. A shiver of cold goes down my body, and I quickly put my hoodie back on.

I rip my undershirt into smaller pieces of material and fold them neatly on top of the bag. With that ready, I shuffle closer to Ze, reaching for his shirt. I undo it with shaky fingers. I'm aware he might not approve of this when he wakes up, but now it's imperative I clean all that blue blood off him.

Since his clothes are wholly black, I didn't realize just how much blood had soaked through, staining his skin.

I undo his shirt from the string that holds it together at his midriff, parting it to reveal his stained chest. There are large blots of blue mixed with red blood.

My lips flatten as I shake my head.

Releasing a deep breath, I slowly try to remove the shirt from his body. He's completely unmoving, and his size makes it a little hard to maneuver him around. Raising his arm, I pull one sleeve, then the other, and lay the shirt aside so I can wash it later.

Instinctively, I avert my gaze, my cheeks turning red. It would take a blind person not to notice how well-defined his chest and muscles are. Hell, the man probably has a twelve-pack, if that's even a thing. I don't think I've seen someone as ripped as him before—not even bodybuilders on TV. Curiosity gets the best of me as I allow myself a small glance—for purely aesthetic reasons, of course.

Despite the splotches of red and blue covering his chest, his bronzed complexion peeks through. His shoulders are broad, his arms even bigger than I imagined.

No wonder he can carry me in one hand alone.

His waist tapers down to narrow hips, his muscles even more defined as I spot a trail of black hair starting from his navel and leading into his black trousers.

I startle back, shaking my head at my foolishness. He's not some specimen to be ogled, and he would no doubt take offense to this as well. After all, it's not as if it's entirely surprising that he has such a beautiful physique. He said it himself—he's a warrior. He probably spends his entire time training to kill demons.

It's also not as though this is my first time seeing a half-naked muscular man. Why, my Nikki was quite muscular himself, with all those hours he spent in the gym. Maybe not demon-hunter level, but he was perfect for me.

As usual, when my thoughts revert to Nikki, I find the chasm in my heart widening, my loneliness creeping out once more.

"Ugh," I let out a cry of frustration. This is not good. Ze needs my full attention at this moment. Nodding to myself, I turn him on his side to examine the site of the wound.

"Damn it," I mutter when I realize it's gone—healed. I should have expected that given his natural ability to heal. But that also means that the venom went straight to his bloodstream. Who knows how well he can deal with something attacking him from the inside. I'm not an expert in healing, but I assume the body won't have such an easy time fighting off the venom if it spreads through the blood.

Not very pleased with my findings, I decide to do what I can—namely clean the rest of the blue residue off his skin. I softly lay him on his back again before I set to work.

Reaching for the pieces of cloth I laid aside, I grab one, soaking it in the water.

I start with his face. Though I wiped his cheeks before, they are still stained. Tracing his forehead, I move the cloth softly over his skin. The planes of his face are a surprising combination of sharp and soft. Where his cheekbones and his jaw are sharp, his lips are full and soft. As I peruse his face, I wonder if his species is similar to ours, with more than one race. His features are reminiscent of East Asian ancestry, yet there's still something foreign to them. Something that's both alluring and frightening.

As I finish with his face, I move lower to his neck. His pulse is strong, which gives me hope that this isn't too serious and that he'll awaken soon. His neck and collarbone have the most direct splatters, the rest of his torso only stained by the fluids that have seeped through his clothes.

I exchange the dirty cloth for a clean one and continue wiping down his torso. His chest rises and falls, his breathing steady yet punctuated.

Trailing down his abdominals, I make sure there's nothing left in the grooves of his muscles. But as I trail lower and lower, I get a little apprehensive. Taking a deep breath, I quickly clean the skin peeking through the band of his pants before I discard the cloth as well.

When I'm done, I go back to the fire to check on the boiling water. Seeing that it's done, I carefully move it to the side, letting it settle for a few moments before adding his shirt and the dirty cloths in the container and stirring them together. It might not work as well as soap, but it should at least remove some of the dirt.

"Ah," a sound echoes in the cave.

Turning sharply, I see Ze turning around in his sleep, his features tense, his brows bunched together.

"Ze? Are you all right?" I ask, my voice full of worry.

He doesn't answer me, but as I note the goosebumps on his skin, I realize he must be cold.

Damn!

I look around, but there's nothing to cover him with. His clothes will take a while to dry too, and I can't let him freeze to death.

Without any other option, I take off my hoodie, remaining only in a thin white sports bra. It's a little chilly, but I'll be fine. He, however, will not.

I cover him with it to the best of my ability, but he's too big even for my oversized hoodie.

"What next?" I mumble to myself. "Oh, right. Water!"

I empty the dirty water from the cloth in a corner and scoop some lye to scrub it as clean as I can before rinsing it off, careful not to contaminate the pond with the lye. When it's relatively clean, I fill it with water and place it over the fire to boil.

In the meantime, I rummage through our bag, happy there are at least a few sips of water left in our jug that I can give him.

"Ze," I whisper. "Drink some water," I say as I cradle his head in my lap, trying to angle his head so he won't choke on the liquid. Yet as I bring the jug to his lips, I realize he can't drink it. Placing my fingers on his jaw, I slowly part his lips as I incline the jug, letting a few drops fall into his mouth.

I stare intently until I see the small movement of his throat.

He's swallowing!

I repeat the motion, feeding him a few drops at a time, giving him time to swallow them. I do this until the jug is empty.

"You did great," I praise him, gently brushing my fingers through his hair.

The water is boiled and I pick it off the fire, then place it on the floor to cool off. Then I turn my attention to the clothes, doing my best to clean them before placing them to dry on the floor near the fire.

I glance back at Ze every now and then. He's still cold, trying to wrap himself in my hoodie but with no real success. He covers one part of his body, only for another to become uncovered.

"Ze? Can you hear me?" I ask in a low voice as I come by his side.

I swipe my hand over his forehead, checking for his temperature.

"You're not running a fever," I breathe in relief.

"Mmm..." He releases a guttural sound as he scrunches his nose, a visible shiver racking his body.

"You're still cold, aren't you?" I murmur, getting closer to him.

He mumbles something in his sleep, moaning lightly as if in pain.

"Shh, it's okay," I whisper, softly caressing his hair. "It's going to be okay."

The words are barely out of my mouth when his arms shoot out, pulling me next to him. The hoodie falls to the side as he brings me close to his giant body. I momentarily tense as he wraps his arms around my waist, holding me close to him. Light vibrations emanate from his chest, a sound that's oddly calming and familiar.

"Ze... Maybe you should..." I stammer in an attempt to extricate myself from his hold. This is not very proper considering he's naked from the waist up.

His hold is firm, and as I wiggle against him, it only serves to make him hug me tighter. Releasing a weary sigh, I stop moving. I suppose a life and death situation might void propriety in this case.

Despite his abrupt embrace, I don't feel threatened by his presence or the closeness of his body. A shiver runs down his spine, the clatter of his teeth a small echo that reverberates in my ears.

He's cold. Of course he's cold.

"I've got you," I murmur softly as I relax in his arms. Grabbing the hoodie off the floor, I place it on top of us. But even like this, he's still cold. A little reluctant, I wrap my arms around his neck and I bring him closer to me, hoping to lend him some of my body heat. He lays his head on my chest, nuzzling his cheek on top of my bare skin.

Slowly, his breathing evens out as he hugs me tightly. His trembling, too, subsides as his cold naked flesh meets my warm one.

"That's it." I smile. "You'll get well soon," I whisper as I press my chin on top of his head, trailing my hand down his back in a soothing gesture.

I yawn softly, my eyes becoming heavy with fatigue as we both slowly warm up. My body is lethargic, but after today's events, it's not surprising. The stress alone must have taken quite a toll on me.

I try to keep my eyes open in case Ze might need me, but the inviting heat lulls me into sleep.

Maybe I can rest my eyes for a few minutes or so...

I startle awake as I feel the small sunrays filtering through the holes in the ceiling. My short nap turned into an all-night sleep!

The hoodie is hugging my body, but there's a marked absence. My eyes widen with worry as I turn over and don't find Ze next to me.

"Ze?" I call out as I fumble to my feet. The hoodie covering me drops to the ground, and a sliver of cold washes down my back. Yet my mounting worry for him supersedes my physical discomfort. My lips tremble with alarm as I look right and left, rubbing my eyes to chase the sleepy confusion away. The sound of splashing water attracts my attention, and I hurry toward the pond, fearing the worst. What if he's still out of it and he falls into the water? I didn't check how deep it was, but he could drown or further hurt himself.

"Ze," I call his name again, rushing forward. Yet just as I reach the edge of the pond, I stop in my tracks, my eyes widening.

He's in the pond with his back to me, his hair wet, droplets of water dripping down his skin. The water reaches his waist, ripples of movement making it clash against his skin. Hearing me, he slowly turns. Water clings to his face and chest, his vivid purple eyes a contrast to his bronzed skin and black hair. He raises his brows at me, a frown marring his features as he scans my body. He takes a step toward me, but he somehow loses his footing and slips, plunging below the surface of the water.

Seconds pass, and he doesn't resurface.

"Ze!" I shout, fear reverberating in my chest.

Without thinking, I quickly remove my shoes and dash forward, jumping into the pond and wading against the water while frantically searching for him. Yet it quickly becomes clear that the pond is much deeper than I thought. The first few steps, my feet meet smooth, slippery stone, but in my hurry, I don't pay too much attention to my surroundings. I don't even realize that the farther I go from the shore, the deeper the water gets.

"Ze," I call out, wildly moving my arms around as I attempt to find him.

One more step, though, and I lose my footing. The bottom stone suddenly becomes steep, and I find myself freely falling to the depths of the pond.

I move my arms and legs as I try to prevent my quick descent, but there's a hidden current that seems to pull me down. I struggle against the invisible force, but the more I try, the more forcefully it seems to drag me down.

Panic swells in my chest, but I quickly realize that it's not going to help me—if anything, it's only going to make matters worse.

So I stop struggling.

I simply let my body fall down—after all, how deep could this be?

At the same time, I force my eyes open, looking around for any signs of Ze. The water is an unnatural blue color, and the more I descend, my vision gets clearer.

There are odd constructions around, almost like a subterranean city. There are buildings carved in stone and swallowed by water, the darkness of the rock a contrast to the crystalline blue water. The windows of the buildings are wide open, as if something had shattered the glass until only the frames remain. Intricate ornaments embellish the facades of the buildings, making them seem aristocratic, even regal in appearance.

There are vines climbing all over the rocky edifices, curling around the open orifices and hugging them in an elegant embrace. This must have been someone's residence at some point in time.

The buildings continue down a narrow, darkened lane, and I catch sight of statues depicting all sorts of foreign creatures. Some are still standing, somehow still rooted to the spot, but some have fallen, faces and bodies broken and battered by the currents.

I'm struck by the beauty and the tragedy of it. Unfortunately, I'm not able to enjoy it seeing as my oxygen supply is nearly depleted. My lungs are nearing their capacity, and it takes everything in me to stop myself from gasping for air.

Still, there's no sight of Ze.

Although I do my best to keep calm, my impending doom as well as Ze's uncertain fate have my heart racing to the maximum. My eyes become sluggish the more I'm deprived of oxygen, so much so that I think I start seeing things. Otherwise, how would I explain the jelly-like translucent being that Ze is currently wrestling in the narrow tunnel?

I blink once.

Twice.

Bubbles erupt from my mouth as I slap my hand over it to keep myself from accidentally ingesting water.

Ze's head turns to the side, noticing me. His features are tightly drawn together as he turns sharply toward the jelly-being. It's almost as if the water is not affecting him in any way, able to both breathe and move freely as if he were on land.

His hands grasp onto two tentacles, purple energy emanating from his palms and spreading to the jelly-being. From the point of contact, the energy permeates the entirety of his opponent, like an eternal flame that can survive anywhere—even in the depths of the ocean.

A blink of an eye. That's how long it takes for the jelly-being to disintegrate, leaving behind only some purple sparks that now float into the water.

Ze turns his attention to me, swimming toward me. It takes him a few strokes to reach my side. I do my best to motion to him that I can't swim upward—that the water is somehow caging me and dragging me down.

He frowns.

Frustration gnaws at me as precious seconds trickle by. Pointing to my mouth, I attempt to tell him that I'm moments away from running out of breath and that we need to go back up.

I'm not sure if he understands my urgency or if he misconstrues my meaning. But as he plants himself in front of me, he cups my cheeks firmly in his hands, leaning forward.

My eyes widen as it dawns on me what he means to do, and I turn my head just in time to avoid the brush of his lips against mine. His mouth grazes my cheek, and I bang my fists against his shoulders, pushing him backward.

He seems equally frustrated at my refusal.

I shake my head at him, pointing again upward to the surface. Although I appreciate his offer, I'm still not quite at death's door. Since I've seen him wade through the water, I know he can have us back to the surface before my lungs give out.

He leans back, his eyes narrowed as he watches me. I motion up again, this time with increased urgency. His features are still full of tension as he wraps his arms around my midriff, pulling me close to him until our bodies are flush together. Using only his legs, he propels himself upward.

His movements are brisk and sharp, cutting through water at an alarming speed. In no time, we both break through the surface of the water, back in the cave.

I draw a sharp breath in. Then another. I cough and splutter as my lungs get used to getting a steady supply of oxygen again.

God, but it feels good to breathe normally again!

My heart is beating in my chest like crazy, my adrenaline levels probably through the roof. I don't know what happened down there, or what that creature was, but I don't want to experience that again. Although I've never particularly had a fear of water, I now realize I'm not overly fond of it either.

Ze doesn't let go of me, carrying me along until we reach the stony shore. Only then does he hoist me up on the rock before hauling himself up too.

We're both soaking wet. I'm breathing hard, barely able to get up on shaky legs.

"What the hell was tha—" My words die on my tongue as my mouth hangs open in shock.

He's... He's... Was he before, too? How did I not notice? Well, I might have been too focused on staying alive, but still...

Ze is naked. Entirely naked. Head to toe naked. As in, there's not a stitch of clothing covering his body. He's with his back to me, droplets of water falling from his hair down his broad shoulder blades and his...

Oh my god, I don't need to see that!

"Huh?" He raises a brow as he half turns.

My eyes bulge in my head as my jaw drops to the floor.

He's naked. He's utterly naked.

"Cover yourself!" I squeak, jumping up and swiftly turning around as I cover my face with my hands. But my slightly delayed reaction meant I saw more than I needed to see. I couldn't help it. I mean, it's not my fault, right? He's the one walking around naked with...that outrageous thing . It's bound to get people's attention.

"You can turn," he adds a few moments later.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I am sure," he says, and I detect a hint of amusement in his voice.

Slowly, I turn around, but I don't remove my hands from my face. I part my fingers to peek through them. Okay, he's wearing his pants and shirt now. That's an improvement.

Clearing my throat, I drop my arms by my side, walking away from the pond and deeper into the cave.

"Don't do that again, all right? I thought we established that it's not okay to be naked in front of people who are not your mate." I feel the need to mention. Who knows, maybe in his solitary very expensive palace he walks around naked all the time. But I'd rather he do that only when I'm not around.

"We did," he agrees, his eyes boring a hole in me.

I avert my gaze, suddenly flustered. Heat climbs my cheeks as I find myself stammering.

"W-well, since you know, don't do it again."

He doesn't reply, merely staring more at me.

Damn, this is awkward.

Without warning, he comes to my side, grabs my hand, and leads me to the spot where we'd slept. "Sit," he commands, pushing me to the ground by my shoulders.

I go along with it, especially when I notice he's gathering some more twigs to make a fire. That would be heavenly now, since I don't want to put on my hoodie while my sports bra is wet. It might be a little uncomfortable to show so much bare skin in front of Ze, but the last thing I need is to catch a cold.

Once the fire is ablaze, he takes a seat right next to me.

"What was that down there?" I finally ask.

"It was once a town. But these lands are not meant to be occupied like that. The gods flooded all settlements in the intermediary realms when they found out about it."

"Oh," I whisper. "And that creature?"

He shrugs.

"It must have slipped through a portal. You do not have to worry about it. It is gone now," he assures me.

"Okay." I nod. "Thanks for saving me. Again." I let out an awkward laugh.

"Of course," he replies with a huff. "You are my person. I will not let anything happen to you."

"You mean I'm your teammate," I correct him lightly.

"You are my person," he reiterates, his voice firm.

Glancing at him, I'm startled by his intense expression. Wet locks of hair frame his face, droplets of water clinging to his dark lashes and emphasizing the otherworldly color of his eyes. Every time I meet his gaze, I can't help but be utterly captivated by that ever-changing shade of purple. It's unlike anything I've ever seen, and I don't think there are words that could do it justice, just as there's no matching Pantone to describe it.

"What is this?" He reaches out to trail his finger up my arm and toward my collarbone.

My eyes flare open as I realize what he's pointing to, and instinctively, I jump back, pushing his hand away.

"Are you all right, human?" he demands in a low tone.

"Yes, sorry about that," I murmur as I hug my arms around myself. "I don't like talking about it."

He frowns.

"It seems to be embedded in your skin," he muses, his eyes still arrested on the marks on my body.

"Ze..."

"But why did it not heal when the game started? Or when I healed you?" He continues, ignoring my silent pleas to drop the subject.

"I don't know." I sigh. "I've had them for over ten years. They are...brandings."

"Brandings?" he repeats, his brows furrowing together.

"From when I was a slave," I whisper.

Realization dawns on him and he freezes.

"I see." His lips flatten into a thin line, and his eyes are back on my chest.

Goosebumps erupt all over my skin and I find myself suddenly colder than before. A shiver runs down my back, his intense regard making me squirm.

"Would you allow me to attempt to heal them?" he asks after a moment.

"What?" I blink.

"I can focus solely on your brandings. If it is something that has been done to your skin, my healing should work."

"You mean..." I trail off as I point to his mouth.

He gives me a nod.

I ponder his suggestion, ashamed to find myself actually considering it. Somehow, it feels a little too intimate to allow him to put his mouth on my skin after... I swallow uncomfortably.

I shouldn't think too hard on the fact that I saw him naked. He's hardly the first naked man I've seen. Yet there's this continuous feeling in my chest that tells me it is wrong. I am married. And I am certain Nikki would not like any of this. My heart clenches in my chest at the thought. I would never want Nikki to think I would betray him in any way—alive or dead.

At the same time, if there's a chance I could finally get rid of these markings forever... I'm ashamed to admit that I would take it.

I'll just have to pray Nikki will understand this, too. He knows how much it means to me to finally be free from my past, so I'm certain he'd never begrudge me this. It's not as if I see Ze as anything but a good friend. And he certainly only sees me as a pesky human he's charged with protecting.

"Fine. You can...try," I say as I take a deep breath.

He shuffles closer to me, his hand circling my wrist as he pulls my arm toward him. Leaning forward, I feel his breath brush against my skin as he hovers his mouth over my upper arm. He trails his lips over my skin and a tremor travels down my back.

I squeeze my eyes shut as I await for him to do...whatever he needs to do.

Moving from my shoulder to my collarbone, he finally presses his open mouth over my skin, his tongue trailing along the contour of my marks.

A scorching heat envelops my entire upper body, almost as if the marks themselves were on fire. My pulse speeds up, my heart racing unlike ever before. More heat coils in my stomach as my breathing grows labored until I'm panting. My body tingles all over, from the tips of my toes to the top of my head, there's an insane pulsation that grows in intensity with every lick of his tongue.

"Agh," I cry out, pushing him and falling on my back in an attempt to get away from him.

His eyes widen in shock, but it's not because of my outburst. Following his gaze, I look down to find the previously dark markings on my body lighting up like a Christmas tree.

"What's happening?" I ask in a wobbly voice. "What's happening to me, Ze?"

The burning sensation continues, although it's not entirely unpleasant. It's just...foreign.

"I am not certain," he answers, his expression puzzled.

I rub my hands down my arms and chest, and slowly, the light goes out until my marks become the same dull dark spot of ink as before.

"But I can tell you one thing," he continues, looking conflicted. "Those are not brandings made by a human."