Page 77 of Locked
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
Kinden
Rifyr grunted, shifting uncomfortably as I lay him down on the sofa in his living room.
Sorrel motioned at me, indicating I should come closer. I did, sighing heavily. I already knew what he was going to say.
"We can't leave him here," Sorrel whispered, glancing back once more at Rifyr. "Not by himself…"
We'd brought him back to his place, per his request. It was protected by charms and things that the witch wouldn't be able to break. But now, Sorrel didn't want to leave him. I was inclined to agree.
"I know…" I said with a sigh. "I could run back to our place and get Basil… we could just bunk down here for the night."
Sorrel nodded, his face tight and anxious. I knew it wasn't the best thing we could do. The best thing would be to call a healer.
But if the curse was as dark of magic as I sensed it was… a healer wouldn't do him any more good than Zelle.
We'd have to find some kind of herbal remedy to slow the effects of the poison.
We'd messaged Zelle, who was making a poultice for his hands and a tea for him to drink. She wasn't sure of the poison, so she was making something of a catch-all, if I'd understood her messages.
I hated asking her for anything, given the state she was in right now.
That witch was visiting her daily, forcing her to prick her finger to allow her entrance. She'd wanted to just refuse the evil woman entrance, but she worried that if she didn't let her come in, she'd come after us.
And it seemed she had anyway.
A headache pinched in my forehead and I took a deep breath to try and clear it.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, likely another message from Zelle since everyone else who ever deigned to text me was in this room
"Burn some sage in the room he's in. It should help cleanse some of the poison." She'd signed the text with three hearts. One for each of us.
I cleared my throat, looking up to Sorrel's quizzical face. I reached out and squeezed his shoulder. The poor kid was blaming himself.
"I'm going to go get Basil. And pick up some sage. I'll be back within the hour, okay?"
Sorrel gulped thickly and nodded. "I'm gonna clean out the cuts in the meantime... "
"Good plan," I replied, nodding quickly and turning back to the sofa, where Rifyr was currently groaning softly. He was in a real bad way.
And we were stuck in limbo. Because until Zelle got here, all we could do was extend his suffering.
"Yeah. Basil. And sage. I'll be back soon." I leaned down and squeezed Rifyr's shoulder as well. "I'll be back soon, Buddy," I said a little louder for Rif's benefit.
"I'm blind, I'm not deaf…" he muttered.
At least his personality was intact.
I paused on the other side of the door to catch my breath. I hadn't had the chance since we'd seen Rifyr on the sidewalk.
I found and calmed my heartbeat, feeling guilty for stopping for a personal moment when my friend was hurt so badly, but I knew I wouldn't be worth shit tomorrow if I sat up all night with this anxiety.
I might pick up some chamomile for all three of us while I was out. Didn't seem like such a bad idea.
& & &
I woke up the next morning with a stiff neck. Basil was curled up in my lap and one of my hands was clasped tightly in one of Rifyr's mangled ones.
