Page 142 of A Blightress of Wrath
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Thesilence was cold.
Itfilled me in a thick chill that coursed through my veins, slowing my blood, and catching my breath.
Iblinked slowly to see white, spread as far as my eyes could see, blanketed with drops of blood.
Ilifted my head from something hard, understanding that though it was freezing, something was keeping me warm.
Blackfur, matted and full of briars with frozen ends spread under me and a familiar whine sounded quietly in the stillness.
“Boros?”Imuttered, blinking more, rising more.
Bloodrushed to my head, andIfelt for the gash.Frayedblack fabric covered the wound, staunching the flow of blood.
Myblack lumen licked my arm asIsat up completely, finding thatIhad been nestled into his long coat of fur.
Wewere alone andIbegan to panic, memories rushing to me of what we had left behind.
Icould only guess the portal worked, andIhad delivered us somewhere else entirely—a land of endless white snow with black trees that rose spindly and emaciated into the gray sky, pulsing in various colors.
Isearched the layer of snow for footprints, finding them leading away from us.Irushed to my feet, stumbling and gripping the back ofBorosto steady me.
“Where’sThevin?”Iasked and he whined again, offering his back to me.
Ipulled myself up, weak and dizzy, and he trudged forward with layers of snow meeting the top of his legs.Wefollowed the footprints, cresting a hill to find a figure in black standing atop.
“Thevin!”Icalled, and he turned, his shirt ripped and his cheek bloodied.
Hiseyes grew wide and he raced to us, calling my name asItumbled offBoros, struggling to rise to my feet.
Hisarms wrapped around me tightly, and he puffed into my hair, his fingers pressed hard to my scalp as he squeezed me to his chest. “Iwas only gone a few minutes,Sae.I’msorry you woke up alone.”
Iburied my face further into his shirt. “Iwasn’t alone.”
Iheard his sigh of relief and felt it under my cheek.Hekissed the top of my head and pulled me back, eyeing my wound.
“Isit bad?”Iasked, lifting a hand to touch where he’d bound it with cloth from his own shirt.
“You’llsurvive,” he replied, peeking under the bandage.
“IthinkIcan heal it.”Iopened my mouth to begin the spell of mending, but his hand shot forth, covering it.
“TheBlightressdoesn’t know where you are.Youportaled us here and any magic you use now could lead her right to us.”
Ifrowned, taking his hand from my mouth and nodding. “Haveyou seen any of the others?”
Hisbrow furrowed and he cupped my cheek. “Canyou walk?”
Inodded and he helped me to my feet withBorosnudging under my rear to lift me. “Didhe come through my portal, too?Ididn’t knowI’dbe able to bring more than one through.Mymother can’t do that.”
“No, he found us over an hour later.”
“Anhour?”Icried.
Hegave a short nod and grabbed my waist, helping me reach the very top of the hill.
Avast wilderness of white lay below, more trees blackened to mere husks of wood jutting through the snow like jagged teeth rotted and broken, but faint with varying glows of color.
