Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) (6 page)

His eyes softened and he dropped his gaze to her lips. For a moment, she thought he would lean forward and kiss her. The idea should have had her pulling back, but it didn’t. Mesmerized by his nearness, his scent, and the soft slide of his energy against hers, all she could do was hold her breath and wait.

After a moment, Evan pulled back, but didn’t drop her hand. Clearing his throat, he glanced at the tunnel. “Come on. Let’s go.” And just like that, the cool aloofness was back.

She should have been relieved that he hadn’t kissed her, but she wasn’t. He had looked at her and found her lacking, and that stung. Releasing the breath she had held, she followed, shaking her head at her own foolishness. It was just as well. She couldn’t afford to deepen their connection. Too much was riding on the outcome of her mission to allow distraction.

They passed a small chamber on the right side with a rock basin filled with steaming water, which overflowed and drained toward the back of the cavern. “Is it safe to use?” Her tone was more hopeful than she would have liked. She was used to living without creature comforts, and she would go without again. There was no point in dwelling on what she could not have.

He looked back at her and nodded. “It is. I have supplies if you want to come back later.”

Swallowing hard, she thought about what she must look like. She hadn’t had a real bath in months. Washing in a cold basin at base camp with no soap didn’t do a very good job, but it was all she had. Tilting her chin up, she refused to be ashamed. If he didn’t like what he saw, it was his problem.

Flickering light greeted her around the next bend. When they reached the chamber, Evan released her hand and allowed her entrance before him. Torches, placed throughout the cave, lit the cavern in a soft, orange glow, yet the air was fresh and clean. Blinking fast, Brienne forced her eyes to adjust to the new lighting. A small stack of supplies stood off to one side. There wasn’t much there, but it had to have taken several trips to get it from Avalore. How long had he been in these cursed lands without her knowledge?

The pack scouts told her when Avalorians crossed into their territory. They had always upped the protection to the travellers without ever coming into contact, yet they’d not told her of this place or her people’s travels. Was it possible that they had missed seeing him come and go? Not likely. A small growl rumbled deep in her chest.
What are they up to?
She’d suspected for some time that Argram and Wesken had been keeping something from her, but she would never have guessed this was it.

A small grunt behind her brought her back to the present. Spinning around, she found Evan leaning against the cave wall, eyes closed. His face twisted with pain, and sweat glistened on his forehead in the pale firelight.

Brienne’s heart sped. As much as she hated to admit it, seeing him like this was more than she could bear. Part of it was because he was her mate, but also because she knew the man he was, a warrior through and through. If he was bone weary, his injuries had to be severe. She wasn’t a master healer, but she had basic skills. She would heal Evan as well as she could, let him rest, and then escort him back to the Avalorian borders.

She didn’t bother asking permission before heading over to the stacked supplies and grabbing a bedroll and flask of water. “Come on, have a drink, then you need to lie down before you collapse.”

The effort it took him to shove off the wall and take the few steps to where she had laid the bedroll made her mouth go dry. His pale skin was more obvious in the lit cavern. The heat in the cave was comfortable, yet sweat trickled down the side of his neck. He was in worse shape than she had thought. The wounds covering his chest were deep, but only a few still trickled blood. The water spilled down his chin as he gulped it down past cracked lips.

Shedding thought and worry, she focused on the light energy around her. The torches emitted some, but not enough. She would have to dig deep and provide for him. As much as it scared her, part of her thrilled at having to care for Evan. She’d never thought the day would come when she would be in such close proximity to him, much less healing his wounds and sharing a part of her. And it could be the only time she ever got to do so. “I’m going to give you some energy and try to heal your wounds.”
She could hardly make her own words out over the pounding of her heart. “Just rest.”

“Thank you, but you don’t have to do that.”
His eyes closed as he lay his head down.

Her jaw ached from clenching her teeth so hard. “I know I don’t have to. I will anyway, so be quiet and allow me to take care of you. Just this once.”

He opened his eyes, catching her gaze. “Brienne…”

“It is my right to provide healing…”
The words “for my mate” teetered on the tip of her tongue trying to break free, but she had caught them just before they had slipped out. “And I shall.” Closing her eyes, she suppressed a groan. She’d all but claimed him.

When he remained silent, she opened her eyes to find him still staring at her. A muscle ticked in his jaw.

She wouldn’t tear her gaze away, no matter how intently he looked at her. “Please, just let me do this.”
She meant the words to be strong and confident, but they came out soft and pleading. After a moment, his brows furrowed before he gave a brisk nod and closed his eyes.

Shutting out all but the need to heal, Brienne took deep, cleansing breaths. The pull between mates with an energy exchange was intense, but if the Goddess were on her side, she wouldn’t need to use her life energy. Even someone as stubborn as she was couldn’t resist
that
kind of temptation. Infusing him with her life’s essence would not only tie them closer together emotionally, but it would awaken their bodies and desires like nothing else could. If she could avoid using it, she would.

Even though she had closed her eyes, in her mind she saw the soft ball of lilac energy between her hands. It wasn’t as bright or as strong as she would like, but considering the lack of white light to boost her own, it would have to do. The energy swirled around her fingers, unhurried, awaiting direction.

Evan’s slow, steady breaths whispered in the silence of the cave. He did not move, not a muscle. With trembling fingers, she brought her hands to hover over his chest, hesitating for only a second before allowing her energy to slip from her and enter his body.

A little whimper escaped her lips as the extent of the damage registered in her mind, not so much images, but sensations of pulsing heat. One stab wound to the right lung had blood pooling at its base. Another had missed his heart, but just. Both kidneys were battered and bruised. His spine had several hairline fractures, and his left leg had been badly broken. He had managed to begin healing the leg, but only enough to be able to stand, and doing so had to be excruciating. The superficial injuries she had seen with her eyes had been nothing in comparison.

It was no wonder he hadn’t healed the cuts and gashes. He had no doubt used what little energy he had to save his limb and keep himself alive while in captivity, and once they had escaped, he had seen to her comfort rather than his own.

The dragon within roared. If it weren’t for the fact that Evan needed her, she would have gone after those who had inflicted these wounds upon her mate. The boiling mass of fire and fury churning within her was testament to it, but she couldn’t leave him, not until he was healed and the threat to his wellbeing was gone.

“Perhaps we could do this when you’re not feeling so… upset?” Evan’s voice broke the spell she was under.

Gasping, her eyes popped open. Evan still didn’t move. His energy remained calm and sedate even as hers heated and warmed his organs beyond a comfortable temperature. Withdrawing, she shook the hot energy from her hands. A lump formed in her throat. Here he was, mortally injured, and still he had been the one to carry her to this mountain. He had kept her warm and healed the insignificant injuries to her palms. He had gone back into the tunnels to ensure her safety when all he should have been doing was resting until help arrived.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect such extensive injuries. I should have controlled my reaction. I’m fine now.” Her voice shook, belying her words. If he could survive his injuries and do all he had done—for her, then the least she could do was heal him and take away some of his pain.

Gathering energy close, she closed her eyes again. His lung was in most need. She would start there. It wasn’t the most painful of his injuries, but it was the most grave. Over an hour had to have passed by the time she was able to pull away from the stab wound to his lung. Using her energy to remove fluids and heal the already brewing infection had taken time. Once that was done, she kept moving through him, healing organs, repairing wounds, and getting rid of bacteria. She lost track of time as she focused her light and will on him and only him. She was nearly done when her body began to sway.

A dull ache throbbed at the edges of her mind, threatening to consume her. It had been a long time since she had used her skills, and it showed. Healing was an arduous task, but she should have been able to last longer before exhaustion set in.

“I need to rest before I can get to the broken bones.”
The fractures needed mending, but she would be of no use to either of them if she drained herself dry.

“We both need sleep. Besides, I’m much better already. The bones will wait until morning.” The weariness in his voice remained but less so than before.

“It’s okay, I just need—”

“You need sleep. It’s all right to agree with me from time to time.” His voiced slid around her, cocooning her in its deep baritone.

Had he not been grinning at her, she might have had a chance at a smart retort, but he was, and she could not put two thoughts together to save herself. She had always thought him the most handsome man in Avalore, and being so close to him with his energy caressing her skin, she couldn’t think straight. It would be so easy to lose herself in him and forget her responsibilities. Take the pleasure the sweet sensation promised, and keep it for herself. Forget her promise—her oath.

She gave herself a mental shake, forcibly tearing her gaze from his. No, she couldn’t do that. She wouldn’t. When she had first come to the Dark Lands and agreed to help the Erritrols, it hadn’t been a purely selfless act. She had been running away from the madness threatening to take her into the darkness, from the suffocating pain when Evan did the unthinkable and refused to be joined. Keeping their people safe and helping Evan in the process was an incidental benefit. Now that she had seen the goodness in the new order of Erritrols, she not only wanted to help them, she had to.

Her arms were leaden, and her eyelids drooped. Maybe he was right. Maybe they should rest and continue with the other healing a little later. “Is there another bedroll over there?” She didn’t remember seeing one, but then, she hadn’t been looking for another.

“I wasn’t expecting guests, I only brought the one.” He scooted over, grunting with the effort, and patted the roll beside him. “There’s plenty of room. Come lie down.”

As tempting as it was, she was used to sleeping on cold, hard surfaces. “You need it more than I do.” She couldn’t contain a small groan as she stretched and her aching muscles screamed at the movement.

“I’m too tired to bite. Come, I won’t let you lie on the hard stone, and I don’t have the energy to argue.” As though to punctuate his point, Evan turned away from her and onto his side.

The rocky floor dug into her knees where she remained kneeling next to the bedroll. What harm could come of it? The area was narrow, but with him on his side, there was more than enough room for her to stretch out for a few minutes. Once he dozed, she would move away to sleep.

Brienne hadn’t moved in the last few minutes. She had been exhausted, so he wasn’t surprised that she’d drifted off so quickly. What surprised him was that she had agreed to lie so close to him. He had expected an argument, or a flat out refusal, but after a moment’s hesitation, she had slid onto the bedroll next to him. She was careful not to touch him, but his skin prickled in a delicious way as her energy mingled with his.

Whatever had possessed him to bring her with him? It wasn’t as if he had any delusion of her pining to be with him. She’d walked away and never looked back, so why now was she there and helping him? Guilt maybe?

Turning to face her took more effort than he would have liked. The pain in his leg and spine would have brought him to his knees when they had escaped the Erritrol camp had it not been for his fierce desire to keep her safe. The phoenix had risen, pushing the pain aside to allow them to get away, but now that they were safe, it had gone back to slumber, leaving him to deal with the agony on his own.

Holding his breath, he watched her as she slept. A soft sigh drifted past her parted lips and she turned toward him. He half expected her eyes to pop open and to see accusation shining in their whiskey-colored depths. Though what she would accuse him of, he had no idea. Her sweet scent surrounded him, teasing, tempting.

Up until then, he hadn’t dared scrutinize her too much. Stolen glances when she hadn’t been looking had revealed much. For one thing, she had not been to Avalore in a long time. Her eyes were sunken and had lost some of their sparkle. Not that they weren’t mesmerizing, but she needed time in Avalore to replenish her light and make them shine again. A person couldn’t live in darkness indefinitely and not have some negative backlash.