Page 83 of Faeling
One eye stared at her from the ruined face.
Ulrich.
But he’d—
“Ravenna!”
She gasped, her soul and magic reaching out through the mist to him. Her fingers scrabbled desperately in the dirt and gravel,the will to push herself up there but not the strength. Wilted wings collapsing against her back and her right side smarting with agony, it was all she could do to push herself onto her left elbow.
“Vallek!” she cried hoarsely, barely a whisper. Voice raw from her screams, her throat burned as she tried again and again, calling his name.
Perhaps the mist played tricks on her. It blocked out the meager afternoon light, constricting the canyon floor in a preternatural gloom. The air was heavy with moisture, every breath a fight to take into her battered chest. Sweat and moisture ran down her face to join her tears, stinging every cut and scrape they found.
His call grew louder.
At first, she didn’t believe what she saw.
Sparks burst from the rock face of the cliff behind Vallek as he scaled the slope, using Hormhím’s blade to catch crevices and slow his descent. As deftly as a takin, he maneuvered his big body ever downward, great legs pumping to keep his balance.
Her mouth fell open, an unintelligible, desperate sort of sound all she could manage.
He’s coming for me.
Fat tears rolled down her ripped face, a frantic need to get to him overwhelming her. Through the pain, she tried to lift herself to her feet.
“Vallek!”He’s coming, he’s coming for me.“Vallek!”
“Ravenna!” His voice cracked with relief, his mighty chest heaving. “Stay there!”
Her sobs grew harsher, her body shaking with panic and shock, and she pulled herself along the ground, needing to get tohim even a moment sooner.
Hormhím screamed hideously along the stone, more sparks flying from the blade only for the mist to snuff. When Vallek neared the ground, he bound from the rock face onto the canyon floor, casting down his axe as he ran for her.
Falling to his knees beside her, Vallek gathered her into his arms.
Ravenna crumpled against his chest, her sobs uncontrollable and unstoppable. She blubbered his name, her fingers kneading at his tunic. The pain was sharp, but she didn’t care. She wanted to crawl inside him, where she knew it was safe. Somewhere dark and warm, where no one meant her harm, no one cared who she was.
“I have you,” he murmured, “I have you, sprite.”
When the rain resumed, Vallek gingerly carried her down the length of the gorge in search of shelter. Ravenna did her best not to whine or wince whenever her battered body was jostled, but herazaiquickly caught onto just how injured she was.
Picking up his pace, he soon found something of a cave. Really, it was a glorified depression in the rock face, but with a large boulder shielding one side of the opening and about two body lengths of depth, she was dry at least when he gently set her down. He left her a dagger from his belt, hefting the half-ruined Hormhím onto his shoulder to search for firewood.
He returned soon with an armful of scrub and twigs, his expression dismayed to find her completely unmoved.
Ravenna watched through heavy lids as he went through the motions of starting a small fire. It sputtered and spat, reluctant to catch fire in the damp air. Finally though, as in all things,Vallek bent the scrub and sparks to his will, coaxing a meager flame from the gnarled branches.
Sitting back on his heels, he glared at the fire, apparently displeased with its small size. “I’ll find more wood.”
“Don’t trouble yourself,” she said through chattering teeth, “I’m not c-cold.”
Peering at her over his shoulder, his lips thinned between his tusks. He sat down before her, one large hand reaching out to cup the less bloodied side of her face.
A low, unhappy rumble vibrated in his chest. “You’re cold as ice.”
“It’s the s-s-shock.” Although knowing that didn’t seem to make her shaking stop.
“Will you let me look?”
