Page 66 of Queen of Whispers and Mist

“This is just the tip of what he’s capable of,” Shadow confirmed. “But he doesn’t actually want to hurt me. Maybe if I turn myself over, he’ll leave the rest of you in peace.”

“Shut your mouth. Ronan did not sacrifice himself so you could turn around and give up on him now,” Bast said, though not unkindly.

“I’m not! I’m trying to save his life. All your lives,” she quickly amended.

“Well, stop it. He wouldn’t want that. Since he can’t voice his veto in his current state, I shall do it on his behalf.”

Shadow bit the inside of her cheek, oddly touched by Bast’s fierce support of his friend. “Fair enough.”

“He’s not waiting long between raids. These came within days of each other. More will be on the horizon,” Bronn pointed out, crouching down to inspect the savage burns lining the better part of Ronan’s left side.

They’d barely made it through the first two attacks; how would they survive another? Brushing some hair off his brow, the truth crashed into her. They wouldn’t. Especially with Ronan in his current state.

Shadow couldn’t let her gaze drift past his profile. The sight of all that charred flesh had her stomach twisting in knots. If she focused on the thick fringe of his eyelashes and the way they went blond at the tips, she could pretend he was just sleeping.

“Is there a healer or someone who has access to medical supplies in town?” she asked.

Calypso bit her bottom lip. “Yes, but...” The captain didn’t need to finish the sentence; it was written all over her face. She didn’t think Ronan would make it that long.

“Well, you heard Sebastian. We aren’t giving up. If I have to carry him there myself, I’ll do it. Just point me in the right direction.”

Jagger moved silently, coming to stand behind her so he could rest his hand on her shoulder. “There might be another way.”

“How? Tell me.”

“It would be easier to show you.”

“But Ronan—”

“We’ve got him,” Bronn assured her. He and Sebastian already getting into position to carefully lift him off her so they could follow.

She wasn’t thrilled with the idea of letting him out of her sight, but Sebastian and Bronn could manage much more quickly than she would attempting to carry him on her own.

“Lead the way,” she said, giving Jagger a jerky nod.

Buttercup took off, heading to the west but never straying too far so the others could easily trail behind. It wasn’t long, perhaps twenty minutes at most, before the trickle of water reached Shadow’s ears. And then another five before the waterfall came into view.

The protector had brought them to a magical oasis. It was stunning. There was simply no other word to describe it. The water was an aqua so bright and translucent it seemed lit from below. All around the edge of the lagoon, bioluminescent flora grew, only adding to the glittering effect. The plants were unlike any she’d come across, from the navy and claret-colored vines growing along the rocks, to the bulb-like center of the turquoise flowers, with their spikey petals and glowing bits of pollen lazily floating just above them.

It was enchanting, romantic even, in a way that was completely lost on her, given their situation.

Buttercup let out a series of musical trills, finally pulling Shadow’s attention back up to them when they began to perform a combination of spins and dives above the deepest part of the pool.

“You want me to get in the water?”

Another soft chirp she took as affirmation.

“But I’m not the one injured. How is my getting in the water going to help him?”

Shadow wasn’t sure if it was pity or exasperation that finally had the protector speaking in her mind.“He’s unconscious. He’s going to need you to keep him afloat.”

“Well, why not just say that in the first place,” she muttered, kicking off her boots before paddling out into the water.

Bronn and Sebastian were right behind her, Ronan’s large frame towed between them.

It didn’t take long to realize the water had healing properties. The little aches and twinges she’d grown accustomed to after days spent on her feet and pushing herself to the limits vanished. The scrapes and cuts on her hands and forearms from her climb up the tree knit themselves back together before vanishing entirely.

She gasped. “How?”

---