Page 138 of The Last Remaining Light

Elowynn was grateful for that.

Exhaustion weighed on every part of her. Her lungs burned. Her legs ached. Smoke and dust coated the back of her throat, and each step felt more difficult than the last. She had spent most of her life among books, observatories, and archives.

Running, let alone running for her life through a collapsing city, wasn’t among her natural talents.

She wanted to sink down to the ground in the middle of the street, curl into a ball, and cry until the world stopped falling apart around her.

Or buried her.

The thought jolted her from the dangerous path her mind had begun to follow.

Alyra led with her blade at the ready and had to take down two more Starless attracted to the crystals Lora held. But Lora had refused to part with them, even now.

“They are useful!” she claimed. And she was right. Elowynn knew they could very well come in handy, especially if she needed to draw from them.

Caelyn trailed slowly behind everyone.

By the time they reached the far end of the passage, his breathing had changed. She heard the hitch in his breath before she saw him falter. A rough inhale and then a pause too long before the next breath. A low sound of pain swallowed almost before it escaped.

Elowynn turned and slowed her steps, falling back with him.

He had stopped near the tunnel wall, one hand braced against the stone and his head bowed. Blood dripped from his fingertips onto the ground. The frost continued to spread beneath him in thin black veins, crawling outward before retreating, only to creep forward again.

“Caelyn,” she said softly.

He didn't lift his head.

Korvel stopped several paces ahead of them.

“Let’s go!” he shouted.

Elowynn rounded on him. “We’re coming! Hold on!”

Korvel thinned his lips but blessedly, stayed quiet.

Alyra moved back, her pragmatic expression transitioning into concern as she took in the amount of blood soaking Caelyn’s coat. “Those shards need to come out.”

“They really do,” Elowynn said. She hated how helpless the words sounded.

Caelyn pushed away from the wall as if sheer will might keep him upright, but his knees buckled before he managed a full step.

Elowynn caught him beneath the arms, but she couldn't bear his weight. He began to sink anyway until Alyra darted in and took the other side, keeping him from striking the stone.

Elowynn reached for his face, hands gently cupping his dirty and bloodied face.

The moment she touched his skin, the frost stopped spreading.

Lora’s eyes widened beside her and Alyra went very still.

“What’s everyo—” Korvel had stopped mid-step on his way over, his face losing what little color it had left. He’d seen it too.

Caelyn’s breath shuddered out against Elowynn’s shoulder. He was freezing and burning at once, his body trembling with the effort of remaining conscious.

“El,” he rasped.

“I have you,” she whispered, though the words nearly broke apart in her mouth.

His hand closed weakly around her wrist as she stroked his brow with tender fingers. He held onto her as if not wanting to slip away.