Chapter 17 Emery #3
I grab his arm to keep him from moving. Pain flares through my ear, but I fight the tears that burn at the corners of my eyes. Thunk. My eyes widen just as the man’s do. Both our gazes dip down to his throat, where a seven-inch blade is currently sticking out.
He gurgles something before his body is tossed like a bag of flour to the side. Cameron stands above me, legs parted and eyes wild with mania. His breaths plume in the air, blood dripping from his blade.
Fear flickers through me, wondering if he’s going to take this moment to kill me or not. Cameron screws his eyes shut and taps the butt of his combat knife handle to his head as if trying to clear his mind.
“Em,” he mutters, slowly opening his eyes and offering me his hand.
“Cameron.” I take his hand and gasp as he jerks me up quickly, catching me in his arms. His eyes linger on the blood filling my ear and dripping down to the snow. He tenderly brushes his fingers over the wound, seeming dazed.
“Mori?” I whisper. It draws his focus, but he still doesn’t look entirely present.
He takes a deep breath before stepping back and turning to face the remaining men who are now fighting among themselves with all the confusion. I wipe my chin and prepare to kill another cadet.
“Maves!” Wraith’s voice rings through the air like a war cry. I look over my shoulder, just as the band around my wrist starts vibrating again. Wraith’s KA-BAR flies toward me, the silver glint of it almost freezing time and every thought in my mind.
I shut my eyes, willing death to welcome me, but instead of pain I’m met with a warm embrace. I jolt, staring up at Cameron’s empty gaze as he watches my face just as curiously.
But…the knife.
“Trial one is over,” Cameron mutters.
I flinch, looking down at the wristband. The number fifty rolls across the top, along with the notice of the end of the first trial.
Cameron’s breaths are ragged, and his brows draw together with unease as he presses a hand to the tree at my back to keep himself from falling. My eyes move to his shoulder, where the hilt of Wraith’s knife is seated.
Horror falls into my stomach. He protected me.
“Cameron!” I say urgently, trying to move him so I can assess his wound. He blinks drowsily, but tenderness seeps into his stare.
“It’s nothing,” he whispers over my temple.
How much blood has he already lost? Why did he do that?
“You’re hurt.” Guilt ebbs in my tone. Why would he do that for me? My mind feels heavy like lead, and frustration takes over the longer he keeps me pinned against the tree.
“I’m fine.” He laughs weakly, pressing his hand to my cheek and brushing loose strands of hair back. “I feel nothing. I never feel anything.”
Tears prickle in my eyes. “You might not feel anything, but you’re hurt, Cam. You’re bleeding and suffering. You’re burning inside.”
A small smile pulls beneath his mask. “I don’t know what it is to suffer.”
I hold his gaze for a moment before muttering, “Yes, you do.”
His brows pull together, vulnerability fluttering across the sage of his eyes.
“Emery!” Bree limps over to us, her mask pulled down now and her helmet hanging loosely at her back. “We fucking made it.” She smiles and looks at us both before her eyes cling to the knife buried in Cameron’s shoulder. Her face pales.
Cameron finally moves and allows me to check his wound. It’s deep. Knowing he can’t feel it even a little makes my chest constrict with pain on his behalf.
“This is bad. Is there an infirmary in the bunker here?” I ask, pressing my hand gently on his shoulder. He doesn’t even flinch.
Cameron nods. “Yeah, self-serviced just like in the Under.” He reaches back in an attempt to pull it out, but I catch his hand.
“Leave it. The blade is the only thing keeping it from bleeding uncontrollably. I’ll remove it properly when we get to the bunker.” I bring his hand down to his side.
He considers me before reluctantly nodding. “Just don’t turn me into one of your stories. I can reach the knife if I need to.” I hear the smirk in his voice and breathe out a relieved sigh. I guess he’s okay if he’s making jokes like this.
Wraith struts over with a cocky grin. “Damn, I was aiming for you, runt.” He pretends his hand is a gun and fires it at me.
“Fuck you,” I snap.
He raises his hands innocently and grins.
“Calm down. Save that energy for the second trial.” Wraith clasps Bree on the shoulder.
She shoves him off and glares. “Whatever, you’re all dead bitches anyway, so learn to have some fun while you can.
” He walks away back to his group. There’s still a handful of them left, which doesn’t exactly make me confident for the remaining trials.
Damian finally finds us and hugs Bree. “Thank God. I couldn’t find you in there, and I thought the worst had happened.
” He scours her body from head to toe to make sure she’s not hurt.
His eyes catch on her thigh. Her black pants are almost completely soaked through, but she’s already tied someone else’s belt around it as a tourniquet.
“Shit. We need to get back inside and tend to this. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there, Bree.
” His lips tremble, and I think he might cry.
Bree waves him off. “It’s fine. I’m okay, and it’s not like the drill sergeant will hurry things along just for my sake.” Damian nods thoughtfully, but takes a knee with his back facing her.
“Hop on,” he mutters. She smiles and winks at me before wrapping her arms over his neck. I watch him carry her ahead of us, talking quietly and sharing what each other missed during their separation.
Cameron glances down at me with a scowl that doesn’t match the softness in his gaze.
“I will never carry you, so don’t get your hopes up.
If you fall in the field, you’re dead,” he says gruffly.
I only smile to myself and nod. Cameron’s eyes linger on the two of them as they speak sweetly to one another.
I hope he wants them to survive this as much as I do.