Page 147 of Veinblood
She's changing, just as she said. The question that remains is whether she'll retain enough of who she was to remain human, or if this world will continue to forge her into something else entirely.
Something more like me.
The thought should disturb me more than it does.
As if to prove my assessment correct, she sways dangerously in her saddle, catching herself at the last moment before toppling sideways. I urge my horse closer, ready to catch her if she falls.
“You’re exhausted.”
“I’m fine.” The lie is transparent. Dark circles have appeared under her eyes, and her skin has taken on a grayish pallor that speaks of magical depletion. She's running on stubbornness alone.
“No, you’re not.” I reach for her reins. “Come here.”
“Sacha, I don’t need?—”
“You’re about to fall off that horse. We don’t have time to slow down, and you can’t afford to fall unconscious and tumble into a ditch.” I extend one hand. “Pride won’t keep you upright.”
She looks at me, then at the concerned faces around us. Pride and stubbornness wars with exhaustion for a moment before she sighs and takes my hand.
“I hate being weak.”
“You’re not weak.” I squeeze her fingers gently. “But using power like that comes with a cost. You need time to recover.”
I bring our horses to a stop. Her jaw clenches as she realizes what I’m suggesting, but another wave of dizziness sends her sideways. I raise an eyebrow. Another sigh escapes her and she slides off the horse and steps toward me.
Reaching down, I help her up in front of me and she settles against my chest with a soft exhale. Her head finds the hollow of my shoulder, hair spilling across my arm.
“Better?”
“I guess so.” I hide a smile at the grouchiness of her tone. She shifts slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position. “Fine. I feel like I’ve been trampled by a herd of horses.”
“Rest if you can. I’ll keep you steady.”
“That’s what happens when you channel enough power to level a small army,” Mira says from behind us. “Most Veinbloods would have been unconscious for days after something like that.”
“Days?” Ellie’s voice carries a note of concern.
“You’re not most Veinbloods.” I dip my head to kiss the curve of her throat. “Rest now.”
She doesn’t respond, but some of the tension leaves her body. I adjust my hold on her waist, and her head falls backagainst my shoulder, and her eyes slide closed. Within minutes, her breathing deepens and her body relaxes completely against mine. The light that was still pulsing through her fades entirely, leaving her looking young and vulnerable in the moonlight.
We continue on toward Greyhold in silence, broken only by the sound of hoofbeats and the occasional creak of leather. Ellie stirs in her sleep, murmuring words I can’t quite catch. Her dreams seem restless, but her breathing remains deep and even, and she doesn’t wake.
Rolling hills give way to flatter land, and the scent of pine begins to mix with the night air. Greyhold sits on a low hill surrounded by open ground, a strategic position that makes it difficult to approach undetected. The lack of cover means anyone approaching would be exposed, but it also means no reinforcements can reach them without warning.
When we're approximately two miles from Greyhold, I spot a cluster of rocks at the edge of the road. The outcroppings should provide enough cover to hide us for a little while.
“We’ll stop here for an hour.” That should give Ellie enough time to rest and be ready to continue on to Greyhold and face whatever waits for us there.
Chapter Forty
ELLIE
“Between the decision and the act lies the space where courage is born.”
Sayings of the Earthvein Sages
Consciousness comes back in stages.Warmth, the steady thud of a heartbeat beneath my ear, the sounds of voices that fade in and out. I force my eyes open, and try to sit up.
