Page 157 of The Last Guardian

They returned to the sea, leaving the fire dancing around the mast, the screams, and the agony of the soldiers lying on the decks, the bloody floor, and the sound of the storm they had created.

Zaid fixed his emerald eyes on mine, their light radiating an intense glare that smoldered with black fire.

Sleep… Sleep was calling me.

“No, no! Keep your eyes open!” he shouted as his hands encircled my head, but his face went fuzzy.

His voice echoed far away in my mind, screaming again and again the same words. His arms tightened around me, grasping me to shake me.

But the heat from his body, it lulled me to sleep…

My brother’s voice rang out as a loud, muffled sound buzzed beneath us, shifting my body. The ringing in my ears never stopped, and I found myself clinging tightly to the body in front of me. Fingers intertwined with mine.

The ship trembled again—or every cell of my body. A searing pain shot through my body, a sharp, cutting sensation.

And—

WHISPERS NEARBY PULLED me from my sleep. As I turned my head on the pillow, everything was spinning too fast, even with my eyes closed. I groaned, shifting slightly on the mattress.

“Easy,” a gentle female voice whispered.

I felt a hand on the back of my head, guiding me to a more upright position on the bed frame. But, as I lifted my upper body, a sharp pain shot through my chest and neck. I slowly adjusted to the room’s brightness, opening one eye, then the other.

“Here you go, Your Highness,” the woman offered in a calm, reassuring voice.

The woman brought a glass of water, still supporting me with her hand at the back of my neck, and after a few minutes of adjusting to the light, I looked around the room. My familiar surroundings, my nightgown on the chair, the sheets, the movement on the walls.

The rustle of papers and the tinkle of a bottle hummed in the room as I glanced at the woman who had spoken to me, who stood near the table, as she pulled a tool out from her satchel. Her blonde hair reminded me of Aurora’s. Solasta.

“I’m glad you’re finally awake.” Solasta smiled, resealing empty bottles, “Everyone was worried about your condition, Your Highness.”

“What happened?” My voice was rough.

“You were seriously injured during the attack,” Solasta explained, turning to face me.

The attack.

Seven Hells. Those monstrous creatures jumping on the ship, bouncing and attacking us—everything came back in flashes.

The cries, the agony, the blood… Was anyone else wounded? Or⁠—

“Were others injured?” A knot formed in my chest, nausea rising.

“We lost a few crew members and soldiers,” Solasta explained. “Some have lost a leg, or an arm, or are still recovering from internal injuries.” She stopped for a moment, staring at me, and maybe she saw the panic swelling in my eyes, because she added, “Your brothers and friends are fine. Very worried about you, but physically fine.”

Relief washed over me, and I felt guilty because even if they were okay, a lot of others weren’t… It was selfish to be relieved for their well-being when others were dead.

“What happened after?”

“The commander and the prince brought you here urgently,” Solasta said in a soft voice. “At first, we thought the cause of your loss of consciousness was due to blood loss, but then you had spasms and a fever. I had to give you a sedative to calm you down. Once the spasms subsided, I was able to examine you and discover the exact cause of these symptoms. The Dead Nymphs can inject venom into an open wound. As soon as I found the place where they poisoned you, I gave you the antidote.”

My mind froze. “Wh—What?” I stuttered, feeling my heartbeat quicken. “Dead Nymphs?”

“They took us by surprise.” Solasta gave me a dark look and nodded. “It was a bloody mess.”

Were they creatures from the Hells?

The room spun around me, blurring my sight as I let my body sink into the mattress.