Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Kendrick draws his sword and slices across the throat of one creature before plunging into an eye of another. They keep coming at him, their teeth snapping at his face, claws reaching for his flesh.
I see the strike coming before he does. He’s gutting one beast when the last remaining attacks him from behind. I surge forward, drawing my own blade, but I’m trapped, locked in place by the shield of protection wrapped around me, helpless to do anything but watch as the creature slices across Kendrick’s neck with bladelike claws and sinks its teeth into his side.
Kendrick’s cry of pain echoes off the walls and tears my chest in two. As I pound helplessly on the invisible shield, he plunges his dagger into the throat of the final snarling beast. It falls to the floor with an ear-piercing cry before Kendrick drops to his hands and knees.
His breath comes in ragged gasps. As he collapses fully onto the floor, the shield around me falls.
I rush to his side and drop to my knees. Blood gushes from his wounds onto the stone, mixing with the blood of the hounds. The flickering lights coming from the stairwell lanterns illuminate the increasing pallor of his skin.
He grabs for my hand but his grip is weak. “Jasalyn.” His eyes flutter closed.
Everything inside me tells me to save him, but can I even trust him?
He tries to reach for me and his entire body recoils in pain at the movement. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you from Mordeus. I’m sorry I didn’t—”
“No.” I shake my head, as if I can keep him here by stubborn will alone. “You will not say your goodbyes today.”
“Why did you leave me?” The question is so quiet, the words so weak that my eyes fill with tears.
“You’re fae,” I whisper, helplessness clawing at me. “Why aren’t you healing?”
I tear the fabric from the inside of my jacket and press it to his side, putting pressure on the worst of his wounds.
“The Barghest’s venom. It slows healing.”
“You’re going to be okay. I’m going to take you to the palace.” I snap a thread on my goblin bracelet and swallow back another wave of tears. “My sister’s healers can . . .”
Kendrick’s eyes flutter open as he weakly rolls his head from one side to the other, and my heart sinks into the floor when I realize what he’s trying to remind me of.
My goblin won’t come. Kendrick is too injured. His injuries too grave. Goblins can’t interfere with life-and-death moments.
His eyes close again.
“Stay with me,” I beg. “Open your eyes, Kendrick. I need you to stay with me.”
But his eyes remain closed, his breathing shallow. Too shallow.
“Help!” I shout up the stairs. “Someone help! Quick!”
We’re surrounded by bloody carcasses of the beasts that’d been pinned in this cellar. Beasts that would’ve torn me apart if Kendrick hadn’t appeared. What was he doing here? Was he really looking for me or was he working with these people? Was he helping Mordeus?
I fill my lungs and shout as loudly as I can this time. “Hurry and help me!”
I can feel the blood from his side seeping between my fingers and see his breaths slowing.
Just when I think I’ll have to leave him to get help, I hear footsteps on the stairs.
“My lady?” The male peers down at me and his eyes go wide as he takes in the carnage. “Are you hurt? Let me help.”
“My friend is hurt,” I say, making sure I have his attention, making sure he is hearing the Enchanting Lady speak. “I need a healer and fast.”
He gives a jerky nod, then turns to head back up the stairs before I remember—the ring. Just as it’s working to make him do my bidding, it will work to make him forget me the moment he’s out of my sight. Forget me and forget to fetch the healer I need.
“Wait!” My heart is racing and the whooshing in my ears makes it hard to think straight. There’s so much blood. “Please don’t leave me. I . . .”
“Of course not.” He rushes back down the stairs and gazes longingly at me. “I’ll stay as long as you want.”
I could have him keep pressure on the wound while I go for help, but once I’m out of his sight, how do I know he’ll continue to care for Kendrick? He’d likely completely abandon him. Or worse, identify Kendrick as an intruder and kill him.
Are you an intruder, Kendrick? Or are you working with Mordeus’s people?
I shove the questions from my mind. I can’t think about that right now.
“I need you to call for help,” I tell the starry-eyed male. “Get someone’s attention and have them get a healer.” Because if he tells the person, they’ll be able to remember their task, even if they don’t remember me.