Chapter Forty-One
Gemma’s heart stopped beating. “What do you mean he’s hurt?”
“There was a fork,” Colton explained between heavy breaths. He ran a hand over his pink hair. “He went left; I went right. There was a rumble. I heard him shout. Weak part of the cave floor. Fell through. Isn’t responding.”
Her stomach in her throat, Gemma slung her backsack over her shoulder, flicked on the torchlight attached to her basaltweave vest, and pushed Colton deeper into the cave. “Take me to him. Now.”
Together, they sprinted down the left fork of the tunnel until a gap in the ground appeared. Gemma fell onto her hands and knees and peered over the edge.
Christian lay sprawled on the floor beneath.
She ground her teeth, jumping back up. “Get me down there.”
Colton already had rope out of his backsack and was tying one end of it into a harness. Without speaking, he reached around Gemma, fastening it to her. “You want to sit down in this part, okay? Lean back into the seat before you step off the ledge.”
“You can lower me by yourself?”
Colton smirked. “I’m stronger than you think.” Hawk and Imara appeared behind him. “And if you somehow weigh more thank you look, I have two more people to help.”
Gemma’s stomach churned as she turned around on the ledge, following Colton’s instructions. When she felt secure in the harness he’d created, she carefully dangled off the edge—and stepped into the abyss.
Slowly, her teammates lowered her into the darkness of the chamber below. Gemma clung to the rope, focusing on drawing even, deep breaths. Stars, please let him be okay. Please let him be okay.
The air grew colder the further she descended. Every inch felt like an hour.
Her lungs begged her to scream into the void.
She held her breath, digging her fingertips into the rope, squeezing it until the muscles in her forearms ached.
Her feet touched ground. In an instant, she was out of the rope.
Gemma’s knees slammed onto the cold, hard stone as she dropped to Christian’s side. Please, please, please, please.
A strong pulse met her fingers. He was alive.
She couldn’t stop her cry of relief. But until she knew the extent of the damage done to his body, she needed to remain focused.
With skilled hands from her years in the infirmary, Gemma palpated and percussed and listened for any signs there was something seriously wrong.
From a glance alone, she knew his arm was broken.
And, like Imara, he would definitely need to follow concussion protocols—if he woke up at all.
She couldn’t be certain he would. If the swelling on his brain was too much . . .
She stifled a sob. Don’t think like that.
“We’re coming down,” Colton yelled from above.
Gemma touched Christian’s chest, calling his name. She needed to try to rouse him, to see if he even could wake up and tell her he was okay.
Imara was the first one to kneel at her side. She said nothing, but her presence alone was a comfort.
Again, Gemma called Christian’s name, patting his chest a little firmer. She couldn’t do a sternal rub in case he had any internal bleeding, but she needed him to wake up.
Hawk knelt at Christian’s feet.
Gemma grabbed Christian’s good hand, removed his glove, and jabbed her fingernail into his thumb’s nail bed. He reflexively pulled his hand away from her, his eyes flitting open. She sat back on her feet and choked on her tears.
Amidst watery eyes, she watched Colton slide down the rope. Despite how standoffish he usually was, he’d come through when they needed him most, accomplishing feats she never would’ve known how to do. How could she repay him for getting her to Christian so quickly?
Christian cursed. “Watch out. That floor’s a little weak.”
The goofy grin that split his face almost made her want to smack him for not being more careful. But it was taking every ounce of energy in her body not to cry into his chest and envelope him in a hug. She had to be cautious until she knew the full extent of the damage the fall did to his body.
“Well, it seems like you found the perfect place for us to camp,” Hawk joked, rolling the shoulder of his injured arm with a wince.
“This was my plan all along.” Christian peeked at Hawk without lifting his head.
Imara snorted. “You’re an idiot.” Her tone was light and playful, and she left a few gentle taps against his good hand before rising from the ground.
Gemma frowned deeply as Imara and Hawk left to join Colton in setting up their shelters. Without medical equipment, there was no sure way to assess the damage Christian had undergone. What if he had a brain bleed or his back was broken?
She didn’t have a choice but to ask him to move and pray he would be fine.
She removed her helmet then his, grateful when no blood came away with it. That piece of equipment may have saved his life.
“Look at me,” she asked, her hands shaking.
Christian turned his head toward her; she tried not to puke.
“Can you feel everything?”
He winced. “Unfortunately.”
A wave of relief washed over her. He wasn’t paralyzed.
“Sit up for me.”
Christian groaned as he obeyed, and Gemma did a quick assessment: He could bend at the waist and move his legs.
The arm that wasn’t broken seemed merely bruised.
His eyes followed her finger. He claimed even his head and neck didn’t bother him, aside from a slight headache.
To come away from a fall like that with just a broken arm . . .
She pushed hair off his forehead, finally allowing the sigh of relief to flow through her lips. Thank the stars he had.
“Sorry I scared you,” Christian said, his eyes sad.
Gemma planted a kiss on his cheek. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
His stare was intense as he watched her fashion a cast out of spidersilk wrap, the same kind the medical robots had used on her after the physical fitness test. Her cheeks warmed and an embarrassed smile rose on her face.
“Quit staring at me.”
He chuckled. “Can’t help it. So, how many of your food rations do I get this time?”
Gemma grinned, recalling his story about their encounter when they were kids. “None. I’m eating them all.”
She could feel his smile. “You’re not going to let me fall asleep any time soon, are you?” he asked a moment later.
“Nope.”
“Well, since the others will be sleeping . . .” Gemma lifted her head to peer at his face—his eyes danced with mischievousness.
She glared playfully at him. “Keep your mind out of the bedroom, Holm. I’m also not going to let you get your blood pressure up. Besides, you only have one arm.”
“And?” Christian gave her a look that said he knew enough moves that zero hands were needed.
Gemma’s cheeks incinerated as a tingly feeling burned inside her. She would love to experience those moves, but she also had to make sure his brain didn’t blow up.
“I’m ignoring you,” she replied, returning her attention to finishing his cast.
He chuckled. “You’re so beautiful when you’re flustered. Helps with the pain.”
She shook her head as her heart fluttered.
Minutes later, the cast was in place and Gemma maneuvered his broken arm into a sling.
He growled and tipped his head back, a pained snicker escaping between his gritted teeth.
She reached into her backsack and pulled out a medicine delivery pen. “This’ll help with the pain, but it might make you sleepy. So, don’t get annoyed if I keep waking you up.”
He grabbed her wrist before she could stab him. “I’d rather stay awake with you. I’ve had worse.”
Gemma frowned. She hadn’t asked more questions when he’d shared about his training with the Falaichte. At the time, she’d been too shocked to pry. But now . . .
“How bad was it?” She couldn’t meet his gaze.
He swallowed, knowing what she referred to. “Nine out of ten times I was the one being hunted because I refused to play.”
Gemma’s heart sank. No wonder he was so good at map reading and terrain scouting. He’d had to excel at it. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“Ask whatever you want.” He squeezed her hand. “I told you I’d tell you everything.”
Gemma forced a smile, her eyes connecting with his at last. “You’ve told me all I need to know.”
He drew her close, wrapping his good arm around her and planting a kiss at her hairline. For minutes they simply sat there, the playful bickering between Imara and Hawk the only voices in the room. Gemma closed her eyes, relaxing into Christian, and rested her head on his shoulder.