Page 113 of The Ashborn

Pure agitation consumed Kienna’s soul. She pushed her beaten body heavily against Danek, who insisted she stay in bed. Moira helped restrain her, though her energy appeared low. Ruva growled and whined, nipping at Kienna’s body to pull her back, but her frantic motions would not stop. Kienna heaved, wound her energy, pushed forward, and then stumbled each time her body hit Danek’s.

“You need to rest!” Danek yelled.

The door flung open. Connak stormed in, eyes wide yet rimmed with shadow, fatigue weighing heavily in his stance. “What happened?”

“She’s gone fucking mad,” Danek said, throwing his arms in the air.

Kienna didn’t feel she had gone mad. She knew if she could simply sit down and tell them what she needed, she’d get what she wanted faster. The exhaustion played with her through it all, preventing her from acting logically. What she wanted was Ash. If he didn’t make it, she’d never forgive herself. The minute she woke from her nightmares, the woodcarver flared in her mind. The panic only made her feral.

“Oh, hell,” Connak grunted. He wrapped his arms forcefully around Kienna to ground her back to reality.

She wanted to let his body warm her, to bring her back as he always did. She knew it was exactly what both of them needed in this moment, but she couldn’t go another minute without knowing if Ash’s life would bury itself in her soul.

“Kienna.” Connak tightened his grip. “Calm down.”

“She’s been like this for at least an hour,” Moira said, eyes puffy. “She’s set on getting out of here, but she’s in rough shape.”

Danek nodded. “She has a fever.”

Connak’s face dropped further. “Kienna, you need to sit before your body quits!”

“I can’t,” Kienna cried. She gasped for air as if the words finally breathed life into her. She heaved her body out of Connak’s grasp.

Ruva whimpered, pushing her large head through Kienna’s legs so she would fall forward onto the wolf’s body. She bared her teeth once when Danek reached toward them. Ruva’s warmth calmed Kienna, reminding her of the chills that had ravaged her body. She was so tired. So desperately tired. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to rest. She wanted to…quit. Kienna stopped thrashing, letting her body fall into the patches of fur like a blanket.

Ash.

Let’s go, Ruva said, stepping forward and making a path between Danek and Connak.

Danek followed. “Where are you going?”

Ruva moved cautiously down the stairs while Kienna rested. She quaked as the fever grew. That didn’t matter now. All that mattered was finding Ash.

Outside, the sun hid behind an overcast of clouds. The echoes of clanging steel rang out as memories of the battle remained etched into the city. The people of Dove Port took to the streets, cleaning the rubble and disposing of the dead.

There were so many dead.

Kienna shut her eyes tight.

Children didn’t dance in the street anymore. The soldiers ran the city, working to transport items back through the forest. Elvish and human alike, men and women, scrambled to make sense of the scorched city. Tristian spoke orders to Talon. His presence was firm, but the solemn mourning inside of him was evident. Everyone had reason to mourn.

Ruva passed them. They have not slept. I miss the Shadowmaster.

Tristian’s attention diverted to them. His presence fell in line beside Connak and Danek, trailing slowly behind. “What is happening?”

“She refuses to sleep.” Danek’s voice was laced with an edge that made Kienna’s head hurt.

“She clearly can’t be controlled.” Connak’s voice was restrained and flat. His words cut deeper.

A wave of emotion pulsed through Kienna. With no energy or time to ruminate, she pushed it aside. Ruva neared the woodcarver’s workshop and lowered her body. She crept forward, whimpering. Kienna moaned as she rolled off her wolf. She ignored the warm, humid city calling for her to stay put, pulling her body upward. Danek jumped to lift her back to her feet. Kienna stumbled while the stars adjusted in her vision. A tight gasp escaped her when she noticed the crumbled buildings. The workshop was not unscathed. Despite the pain in her body, Kienna ran unevenly to the rubble, pulling at shards of wood.

“Help me,” she pleaded, tears burning her eyes.

“It’s destroyed, Kienna.” Tristian crossed his arms, blinking slowly. “There’s no saving this place. There’s no saving anything.”

Kienna’s heart attacked her, pounding frantically for relief. She pulled with all the strength she lacked. The debt of magic took its toll. Ruva tried to help. Danek approached, unsure of what he was searching for, but he lazily tossed around stained stone.

Moira caught up to them, holding her stomach and wiping away tears. When she saw them, her motions portrayed the feelings inside Kienna’s head. “Help!” She pulled at a large pillar, tearing it out of the way. “The woodcarver is in there.”