Page 42 of Shardless
Skye reached for her, but she shrugged out of his grasp, still stumbling and listless. “This may come as a surprise to you, but you don’t dictate my actions, Skye. I did my job—I got you to the gate and back. We’re done now.”
“Taly,” Aiden said, swinging himself out of the saddle and coming to stand beside Skye, “I don’t think—"
“You don’t get to tell me what to do either, Aiden.” The earth mage simply stared at her, his mouth hanging open in surprise.
Skye wasn’t just agitated now. He was fuming. “Taly. You’re acting like a crazy person. A very bloody, very injured crazy person. Come home.”
“I am going home.” For emphasis, Taly added, “Myhome.”
“Talya?” Aimee had been uncharacteristically quiet the entire journey back, and when she spoke, her voice was soft and uncertain. “If this is about me, I’ll stay out of your way. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I didn’t think.” Tears, delicateand ladylike, started to stream down her face, and she worried the reins of Taly’s horse between her fingers. “Ineverthink. This is all my fault. I am so,sosorry.”
Taly looked up at her. In that moment, she knew that she had never really hated the girl. Not really.
“I don’t blame you, Aimee.” Taly took a deep breath, struggling against the wave of dizziness that crept up on her. Despite the chill wind that whistled through the trees, she had started sweating. “If anything, today just showed me that I was right the first time. This was all a mistake. It’s too dangerous.” A violent shiver shook her shoulders, and her tongue felt clumsy. “I’m… it’s all too dangerous now.”
“What is she talking about?” Aiden whispered to Skye.
Skye shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine,” he replied, his voice equally quiet.
“Shit,” Aiden cursed. “I think I know what’s happening.”
When the healer approached her, Taly took a step back, then another. She was wasting time. She just needed to go.
“It’s okay,” Aiden said gently. “If you want to go back to Ryme, that’s fine. I’ll help you get there. Just let me check the spells one more time. Maybe give you something for the pain?”
Taly hesitated, and Aiden used that as an opportunity to close the distance, slinging an arm around her waist when she tried to backpedal. His hand came up to her forehead.
“Shards, she’s burning up.” Aiden turned to Skye, who was watching them with wide eyes. “Which is closer? Ryme or Harbor Manor?”
“Harbor Manor,” Skye replied readily.
Aiden started pulling her towards the horses. “Then we need to get to Harbor Manor.”
“No!” Taly thrashed, trying to shake him off, but she was too weak to do anything but tire herself out. She felt the skin on her thigh tear as one of her wounds reopened, releasing a fresh flood of warm blood. “Let me go!”
“Hey!” Skye snarled, confusion and anger evident in his expression as he pulled Taly away from the earth mage. “You’re hurting her!”
Skye’s hands were gentle as he grabbed her fists and pulled her against his body. Her wounded leg gave out beneath her, but still, she writhed, resisting whatever help he tried to offer.
“Let me go,” Taly pleaded weakly. She was just trying to protect them. Why couldn’t they see that?
Aiden’s hands began to glow. “We need to get her back to the manor right now. I think an infection is starting to set in.” Ignoring Taly’s feeble pleas, he began weaving and shaping the spell around her. His eyes found hers, and although she saw nothing but kindness and concern shining through, she shrank back. “Can you tell me your name? Do you know where you are?”
Taly opened her mouth, but her words got caught in her throat. His questions didn’t make any sense.
“Tell me your name,” Aiden repeated calmly. “Can you do that? Tell me your name, and Skye will let you go.”
Taly shook her head. “Let me go,” she whimpered, renewing her struggles. Her name didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except gettingaway.
“Aiden, what’s happening?” Skye snapped.
“I don’t think she’s in her right mind.” Aiden’s hands glowed brighter, and his fingers began prodding at her face, forcibly opening her eyes as he examined her. “Between the fever and the healing spells, I’d be surprised if she even knows who she is, much less who we are.”
Skye sighed in defeat, readjusting his grip when she tried to elbow him in the side. “Taly?” His fingers grasped her chin as he tried to pull her eyes to his, but she couldn’t see past her own panic. “Taly, you’re sick. We’re just trying to help you.”
“Please let me go.” She was getting desperate now, and tears started to stream down her face. “Let me go…please. I can’t go back. Please don’t make me go back. Just leave me here. Just leave me…”
“Oh, Shards,” Aimee cried softly. “Shards, this is my fault.”
