Page 120 of Elysian

“Amara,” Cassiel growled again. Instead of cleaning the glass, I limped to his side.

Archer had already managed to get Jude’s body across his back, holding his arms in front of him.

I followed Cassiel’s orders because I did not want to risk him tossing Liadan aside to lift me. I slowed my stride. “Lead the way.” I said, allowing Cassiel to move in front of me.

“Stay close,” Cassiel ordered. ‘Grab onto me if you need.’

He led the way, and I stepped on the exact spot Cassiel did until we reached the mouth of the mountain.

I let myself trail behind, my hip pinching the entire descent.

The path down the mountain was grueling on my legs, but I managed to reach the end with only three close moments where I believed I would tumble down the rest of the way. As soon as we stepped a distance away, I looked behind, and the mountain was gone.

I kept a few paces behind Cassiel and Archer, scanning the forest. Faint purple light came through the tops of the leaves, hinting at dusklight. I rubbed my arms. The magic in The Barren was something beyond anything I had ever felt.

There was no fog to be seen this time, and we reached the edge of the forest easily. A while longer and we arrived where we had left the horses tied to a tree. All of them were gone, and the tree where we tied them had snapped.

Archer grunted and lowered Jude in a hasty flop. Jude made a sound and rolled onto his side, shivering.

“Where are the horses?”

Cassiel whistled, sharp and abrupt.

“Abrax!” I shouted, clicking my tongue.

Loud whinnies brought me to a pond. Abrax was there, grazing on grass, the branch attached to his reins. The other horses were scattered throughout, grazing or drinking from the pond.

Archer went to the two horses and took their snapped reins. He led them to where he had left Jude. Meanwhile, Cassiel tossed Liadan’s limp body across his steed and went to collect Abrax. His gait was uneven, and he kept rolling his shoulders. Sweat continued to slick his temples and drip down his forehead. The damp fabric of his tunic clung to his skin, turning it translucent. A darkness on his chest caught my focus. Not shadow or dirt, something discolored and deep—like a bruise.

I collected the horse Liadan was on and brought him to where Abrax and Cassiel were.

“Are you sure you are well?”

“I said yes,” he hissed.

The line of his back faced me, so all I could see was him tensing. The harsh words were abrupt enough to slice through me. I pressed my lips into a line. It was clear he was not well. Something was terribly wrong, but he blocked me from it. He turned around.

“I should not have—” He exhaled and rubbed his palm over his face.

“We must go,” I said thinly.

Circles darkened beneath his eyes. I had never seen him so utterly exhausted.

I stepped past him and tied the reins of Liadan’s horse to the metal ring at Abrax’s saddle, and I mounted.

Cassiel remained silent for a moment before finally settling behind me. We navigated to the main road where Archer waited and rode down the darkening road.

I could not cease thinking about Cassiel’s wellbeing.

CHAPTER FORTY

Paid in Flesh

When we reached the run-down shed, the only sounds were the clopping of horse hooves. A yawn escaped. Cassiel and I did not speak to each other. Not even into my mind. He had fully withdrawn.

All I kept thinking about were his words while the fog had hold of him. I squeezed the horn of the saddle as Abrax jolted. My thighs ached, my legs—every bit of me hurt from my head to my toes. I yearned for a bath. We had not stopped the entirety of the night other than to strap Jude and Liadan to the horses so that they did not fall.

We learned that the hard way. Fortunately, Liadan remained unconscious.