Page 38 of Beneath the Veil of Tides
Would the Xemaari follow us into the tunnel and take us out one at a time? No way in hell we could run all those steps.
I shoved my booted foot into the abdomen of the nearest creature, its sternum shattering into pieces. The weight of the trident piece dragged me down, mixing with the overwhelming heat and pain of fighting. And fighting with only one arm.
My side bumped into a solid, warm mass through the chaos at the exact moment a gurgled humph sounded. I turned to defend the crew member, only to find Calvin laid across theground in a heap of blood. The Xemaari captain drew his sword from Calvin’s still chest.
A furious storm fused in me, threatening to break free and wreak havoc on the realms.Damn them all.
Blood pooled beneath my friend, his limp body swimming in it. A roar reverberated, deep and agonizing before everything erupted in flame.
My eyes couldn’t see past the fire, and somehow, it ran across my skin unburning, testing its ability to hurt me, then flickered away to find another target. Pressure overwhelmed my body, taking me to the ground. I couldn’t move, only able to see a sliver of the fire as it danced across the skin of my arm.
It all fell, as if ordered to dissipate into the air with a snap, obedient like the soulless guards we fought. With it, the Xemaari scattered across the sand, burnt to charred ash.
I blinked feverishly, attempting to gain my bearings. Noctis lifted himself off of me, a godly shield he had become. He was just as bewildered as I.
Jun was on fire.
It swirled around his body, as he crouched over Calvin, tears drenching his face. Glowing light poured from his hands and into Calvin’s chest. He teetered as he worked to heal like he was on the verge of unconsciousness himself.
We circled them, tears streaming down Zahara’s cheeks as she watched her boys break. As she witnessed the death of someone she considered a son. However, it looked as if she had really lost two sons that day as Jun poured all he could into Calvin. He shook violently, forcing his magic into him.
“You can have it all…” Jun’s deep, low voice cut in through the soundless area, vengeance and despair weaved into each syllable. “Take it… TAKE IT!”
Noctis kneeled beside him and placed a hand to Jun’s fumbling, jerking shoulder. Magic hummed from the god’s palm and down Jun’s arm, the combination of their powers working toheal Calvin. We stayed there for so long, praying for Calvin’s chest to rise and fall. I begged Aetheron, the Shepherd of Souls, to spare his life.
He deserved to live.
Saving him from the capture was too easy.
Gods. It’s my fault.I should have watched our backs, knowing the damn skeletons would mend back together and hunt us down. Calvin would die because ofme.How many more would be slain from my downfall?
Jun’s body slumped over Calvin’s chest until unconsciousness claimed them together. Noctis released Jun’s shoulder, slowly laying him on the ground. He placed two fingers along the protruding vein on Calvin’s neck.
“He’s alive,” he whispered, but the relief was palpable in his voice. “Barely, but his heart faintly beats.”
A sob escaped Zahara’s lips, her hand reaching to steady herself with my arm. I accepted it, shuffling closer to support her.
Noctis gently draped Jun over his shoulder and cradled Calvin in his arms. He stood with minimal strain.
“I can feel a god’s essence drawing near. We have to leave,” Noctis demanded softly, and he turned and trudged toward the tunnel connecting Shadeborne Bound with Terraguard Bound, carrying the weight of both men.
Noctis refused any help carrying Calvin and Jun, even as his knees buckled up the moldy staircase. Instead, he led us back to the tunnel that connected the realms in silence, his heavy breathing and slippery steps, the only noise bouncing off the moist stone.
The ship floated in the harbor port, splashing water along the dock. We didn’t mind its cool mist as we stepped back onto the presumed safety of the main deck.
Noctis laid Jun and Calvin along the two cots in their chamber of the remodeled map room, the walls fully decorated with odd trinkets and brightly tinted paintings, a sure collection of Calvin’s belongings. The chaos of color in the room reminded me of him—loud, vivid, impossible to ignore. His soul was still in the limp body laid before me. Somewhere in the mess of dried blood, Calvin’s heart was under the surface fighting its way back to us. And somehow the walls seemed to know it, too.
Zahara perched at their sides, wedged between each of the men’s cots. She swished a rag through a silver bucket of water and rubbed it on their foreheads. A mother who keeps busy through their pain is one who transforms her sorrow into strength.
Noctis and I silently returned to the main deck. I slumped to the floor, overlooking the sunset, and gestured for him to follow. His eyebrows rose.
“Is this you being nice to me?” he asked with a lilt.
“It’s me calling a truce.” I was done arguing. Done fighting. Done shielding.
“Love, a truce?” The name from his lips made my heart flutter. “You were never part of the fight. You’ve always been the reason I stayed in it. No truce… just stay.”
His words echoed through my mind, like a familiar warmth. I relished in it for far longer than I’d wanted to, far longer than needed.
