Page 84 of Black Wing and Shadows
Her fingers twitched weakly against mine, and though there was no strength to pull me closer, I went to her anyway, careful not to jar her as I pressed my lips to her temple.
“You don’t have to say anything now,” I whispered. “Just rest. I’ll be here when you wake up again.”
Her eyes drifted closed, but the faintest smile touched her lips before sleep claimed her. I stayed right there, hand wrapped around hers, steady as a promise.
CHAPTER 31
♥?
Light pressed hard against my eyelids, too bright, too sharp. The smell of herbs burned in my nose, but underneath it—blood, iron, smoke.
Hands dragged me across stone, my heels scraping raw. Voices bent in strange echoes, overlapping until I couldn’t tell one from another.
“She’s the proof.”
“Her blood will open the door her father closed.”
“Imagine it—Fae strength, shifter rage, Nosferatu hunger—one body.”
Chains bit my wrists again, and I tasted copper on my tongue. I tried to scream, but my voice came out in someone else’s throat, thin and broken. Another voice rose clearer than the rest, low and certain, the one I couldn’t forget. “He began it. We’ll finish it.”
The words cut sharper than the blows ever had.
I jerked awake, heart racing, throat raw. White ceiling beams swam into focus above me. Linen sheets tangled my legs. The infirmary.
My head felt clearer—still sore and confused, but the thick fog had lifted. The first thing I noticed was Zane, still seated in the same chair, holding my hand as if he hadn’t moved since I last closed my eyes. His eyes were closed now, head tilted forward so a lock of dark hair fell over his face.
“Zane,” I rasped.
His head snapped up like he’d been waiting for that exact sound. Relief flashed through his eyes, tempered by something more profound I couldn’t quite name—until the memory struck me.
“You told me you love me.”
For a heartbeat, he didn’t answer. His jaw tightened, but he didn’t look away. “I did. And I meant every word.”
A thousand emotions crowded in—shock, warmth, the fear of what it meant. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You should know… I love you too. I think I have for a while. I—” My voice cracked, and I hated it. “I didn’t want to risk losing you if I said it out loud.”
His hand tightened on mine, steady and grounding. “You couldn’t lose me if you tried, Auri.”
I let out a shaky breath, closing my eyes before opening them again. “Stay. At least until I fall asleep again.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, shifting his chair closer so his arm rested on the edge of the cot. His thumb brushed over my knuckles—slow and sure.
A female in solid black robes—a mender, judging by the last traces of magic fading from her hands—came in quietly.
“You’re a stubborn one,” she said with a wry smile. “Most cadets don’t come back from a brain bleed this severe, even with magic.”
I swallowed, my fingers twitching in Zane’s. “You… healed me?”
She inclined her head. “Completely. The damage is gone. But even with mending, brain injuries are unpredictable. They’re… resistant. Magic can knit bone, seal skin, even mend muscle without a scar—but the brain is more delicate. The wrong spell, too much power, and we risk losing memories, changing personalities—even killing you. We had to work slowly, carefully. You’re lucky he found you when he did.”
Her gaze flickered to Zane, who still looked halfway ready to hunt someone down.
I glanced between them. “So… no lasting damage?”
“No,” she assured me. “But you’ll be monitored for the next few days—headaches, confusion, any changes in speech or balance. You’re actually free to go, but you’ll need to check in at your wing’s infirmary. And Auriella…” She fixed me with a steady look. “You push yourself harder than most. Don’t test the limits of recovery. You got a second chance. Don’t make me regret giving it to you.”
When she left, Zane leaned closer, his voice low. “Told you. I’ll always find you.”
