The Frozen Prince (The Beast Charmer #2) - Maxym M. Martineau Page 0,117

placing the burdyuk leaf over the wound and stitching so fast, I barely had time to register her actions.

Just seeing Gaige’s somewhat-relaxed face lessened the tension, the fear, in the room. Kost sighed and placed Felicks on the floor by his feet. Calem let his hand fall away, only to press it gently against Kaori’s forehead. She moved, ever so slightly, toward his touch, and his shoulders loosened. Satisfied with their well-being for the moment, I turned toward Raven.

A rock formed in my throat. Her physical wounds were minor—she pressed her right arm tight against her chest, a sign she’d likely broken something and was avoiding jostling it too much—and there were a few other minor gashes that Felicks could heal. But the emotional damage…the gaunt look in her eyes and the slight twitch she couldn’t seem to control…

Slowly, I moved to her side and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. To guide her toward the open cot so we could take a look at her injuries. I half-expected her to flinch. Or to scowl and shove me away. There was no telling exactly how grief would rear its ugly head. But instead, she blinked up at me, an expression of sheer confusion clouding her face. As if she’d forgotten where she was to begin with. And then all at once, she cracked. Tears welled along her lashes and she sucked in a sharp breath. Her lips quivered as she tried to keep herself together. To not completely fall apart in the presence of others.

I’d never been any good at talking. The right words always seemed to elude me. Besides, there wasn’t anything I could say to alleviate her pain. That much I knew. And I wasn’t about to belittle her feelings, her anguish, by telling her that it’d be okay. Because even if it would—and I hoped to the gods it would—hearing it would do nothing for her right now. So instead, I acted. Because that’s what I always did. Because that’s the only way I knew how to make things manageable. If I could do anything to ease her burden, then I would. After giving her shoulder a squeeze, I helped her to the open bed and then handed her a blanket. She rolled the lip of fabric between her fingers and then dotted her eyes. Said thank you without saying anything at all.

I heard her loud and clear. Wordlessly, I took her injured arm and assessed the damage. She never flinched. Only stared straight ahead, jaw set tight. Beneath all that pain was a world of anger. Of vengeance. Nothing would stop her from seeking justice in the name of her lost love. As I set her wrist and bandaged it tight, I knew that when we sorted through this mess, she’d demand to be part of the fight. Which meant it was on me to do everything I could to help her now.

That was a job I’d never shy away from.

Twenty-Eight

Leena

Save the now steady rise and fall of her chest, Kaori didn’t move. Stretched out on a cot beneath a layer of blankets, she looked unnaturally pale. A purplish bruise had swollen just beneath her eye, and her normally glossy hair was dull. But at least she was breathing. Gaige sat upright on a cot beside her, his shirt removed and bandages strapped tight over the wound in his side. He’d be left with a significant scar from the tip of his sternum to his waist.

Raven occupied the furthest cot. She sat without moving, her own wounds bandaged, thanks to Oz. Her wrist had been broken and was set with a splint, and while it must’ve hurt, the emotional pain she felt had to be worse. Now that everyone was healed, we had plans to form. A crown to dethrone.

We waited in deafening silence until the attendant left. The pungent lemon- and bleach-scented air stung my nose, and I fought to keep my breathing steady. Kost hovered close to Gaige, unable to hide the tremoring muscle near his temple. Calem leaned against Gaige’s cot, crossing his ankles and giving me a worried stare.

“Where’s Noc?”

“Gone.” Slowly, I recounted the series of events that led to Noc’s capture for Calem, Gaige, and Raven. From securing the ruska fruit to the moment Noc had been whisked away by the Fabric Spinner. His head cracking against stone played on repeat in my mind, and I shivered.

Wincing, Gaige shifted on the cot. “A Fabric Spinner? Those aren’t native to that