Page 67 of Embers of Frost
I do as she says, laying Eira down gently, but don’t step back. I stand there, hovering over her, my hand still gripping hers. She’s still not waking up. My breath catches in my throat as the healer begins her work, her hands glowing with a soft, warm light as she moves them over Eira’s body, checking for injuries, assessing the damage.
But I can’t stay silent. I can’t just stand here and do nothing. “Why isn’t she waking up?” I demand, my voice trembling with barely restrained panic. “You have to do something. She’s not... she’s not responding!”
She glances at me, her expression calm but firm. “She’s exhausted, pushed far beyond her limits.”
“Heal her right now!”
“Rylan, calm down,” Mathis tries to intervene, but I’m beyond reasoning.
“Don’t tell me to calm down!” I shout, my voice echoing off the walls. “She’s barely breathing! You have to help her! If anything happens to her, I swear…”
Falon meets my gaze, unflinching. “I’m doing everything I can. But you need to let me work, Your Highness. You can stay, but only if you keep out of my way.”
“Just tell me what to do! Tell me something I can do to help, I can’t just stand here, I’ll lose my damn mind.” I take a shuddering breath, trying to rein in the panic that’s threatening to consume me, and the only thing keeping me grounded is Eirabella’s hand in mine.
“You can just be quiet and be here so she knows she has a friend. But I mean it, stay out of my way.” There’s no room for argument in the healer’s voice.
“I promised her I’d protect her,” I whisper, more to myself than anyone else. “I promised.”
It’sa full day before she stirs, her eyelids fluttering as she slowly wakes. Relief floods through me so intensely that I nearly collapse from the force of it. I’ve been sitting by her bedside the entire time, watching her, willing her to wake up.
“Eira,” I whisper, leaning closer, my heart pounding. “Eirabella, can you hear me?”
Her eyes open, and she blinks, disoriented, her gaze slowly focusing on me. “Rylan?” Her voice is hoarse, barely more than a whisper.
I let out a slow breath. “Yes, it’s me. Howare you feeling?” She frowns slightly, trying to push herself up, but I gently press her back down. “Easy,” I say softly.
“Like a drakor trampled all over me,” she murmurs, her eyes drifting shut again. “Went to get some lunch and then came back to do it again an hour later.”
My body sags with relief at her joke. “That’s why you need to rest,” I tell her, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“You look terrible,” she says, her voice still soft but with a hint of her usual spirit.
I chuckle, the sound more of a relieved sigh than anything. “As charming as ever.”
She tries to laugh, but it comes out as a cough. I hand her a glass of water, helping her take a few sips before she lies back down. “You stayed with me?”
“Of course I did,” I say, the words coming out more sharply than I intended. I soften my tone, adding, “I wasn’t going to leave you alone again.” I swallow, hanging my head in shame.
Her expression softens, and she reaches out, her hand resting on mine. “Thank you, Rylan,” she says, the words heavy with meaning.
“Whatever do you have to thank me for?”
She smiles. And it might be the most fucking beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. “Just for being here.”
I swallow hard, confusing feelings for her rising to the surface, threatening to overwhelm me. “I’ll always be here for you, Eira,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them.
Her gaze softens, and for a moment, the world narrows down to just the two of us, the weight of everything else fading into the background. I feel the urge to lean closer, to close the distance between us, but I hold back, the reality of who we are and what’s at stake keeping me in check.
I take a deep breath, changing the subject. “Eira, what happened out there?”
She stiffens slightly, and I catch the sight of a frown before she looks away from me. “It was just training, Rylan. Nothing more.”
“Just training?” I repeat, not hiding my disbelief. “I don’t fucking think so.”
“It was. Nothing to worry about.”
I rise to my feet, frustration tightening my jaw. “Tell me the truth, Eira. Who did this to you!”
