Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
When I start to cough, Raighne places his hand on my back, and while the burning eases in my windpipe, he struggles to suck in a breath of air. I quickly pull away and shake my head at him.
Raighne practically tackles me to the ground, and with an angry glare directed at me, he presses his hand to my chest and eases the last of the discomfort from my lungs.
When he sinks back to sit down, Jason quickly brings him a glass of water, but it takes way too long before Raighne’s able to breathe normally again.
“I was fine,” I bite out, not happy at all. “You can’t take all the pain.”
“I can,” he mutters with clenched teeth. “And I will.”
I climb to my feet and look at Lydia. “Will Silvana be okay?”
“What happened?” she asks.
“There was a fire. She was unconscious when we got to her,” I explain. “I think she was in the Amazon forest.”
“I can’t run any tests, but she’s breathing, and her pulse is steady,” Lydia says. “Let’s hope there’s no damage to her lungs.”
“They’ll be able to heal her on Vaalbara,” Brenna mentions.
“You should all get ready,” I say. “I only have one more chosen one to retrieve, and then we’re heading back to Vaalbara.”
Turning around, I walk to the sliding doors and step outside, where I keep taking deep breaths of the fresh air.
That was too close. I almost lost Silvana, and it makes me worry about my last chosen one and what kind of situation the person will be stuck in.
“Don’t fight me when I have to heal you,” Raighne snaps as he comes up behind me.
I turn around to face him and level him with a dark scowl. “I don’t want you healing me left, right, and center. I can take some of the pain.”
“It’s my duty, Alchera,” he argues.
“Put yourself in my shoes,” I say with a sigh. “I refuse to use you as a pain reliever. You mean so much more to me than that.”
He closes the distance between us and takes hold of my shoulders, and with our eyes locked, he says, “I’m stronger than you, and I can handle it. This is not up for discussion, Alchera. I will not have you suffer if I can take pain or torment from you. Don’t fight me on this, and let me protect you.”
From the determined look in his eyes, I know I’m not going to win this argument. I let out an unhappy huff before I mutter, “It doesn’t mean I have to approve of it.”
When he realizes he’s won this battle, the corner of his mouth lifts in a hot grin. “Thank you for caring about me, though.”
“Hmm…” I grumble, which earns me an amused chuckle from him before he presses a kiss to my forehead. His arms wrap around me, and I’m squashed against his chest. “My stubborn little dreamer.”
He holds me for a while before he pulls back and asks, “We’re good?”
A smile curves my lips. “Yeah, we’re good.”
Raighne’s eyes soften on my face, then he says, “You don’t smile enough.”
“It’s hard with all the shit going down around us,” I reply as I glance at the sliding doors where Ares is standing.
He’s leaning with his shoulder against the doorjamb and his arms crossed over his chest.
“I’m just sticking close by in case you get another vision so we can leave immediately,” Ares’ voice drifts through my mind, which has Raighne turning to face him.
“If you have something to say to her, speak out loud. Don’t enter her mind unless you need to see where we have to go,” Raighne growls at him.
Ares’ eyes narrow on Raighne as he bites out, “Got it, cousin.”
“Silvana’s awake,” Jason calls, distracting us from the tension between Raighne and Ares.
I head back into the house, and find my newest chosen one drinking a glass of water.
“How do you feel?” I ask as I move closer to her.
She clears her throat and whispers, “Like death, and after what everyone told me, I’m starting to think I did die.”
“You didn’t,” I say, and stopping beside her, I take in her disheveled look. “I’m just relieved I got to you in time.”
Her eyes flick from one person to the next, then she says, “I just need a moment to process everything.”
“Take your time,” I murmur, patting her shoulder before I walk to the kitchen to get some water for myself.
Raighne follows me with Ares right behind him, and I let out a sigh because their testosterone is a bit much to deal with today.
I pour water into a glass and take a couple of sips while I stare out the window. “Can the two of you chill until we’re done with the mission,” I say before taking another sip.
“Sure,” Ares mutters.
“Hmf…” is all I get from Raighne.