Wicked (Eternal Guardians #9) - Elisabeth Naughton Page 0,53
tall, dark-haired male Talisa had seen before was already dressed in a leather breastplate, a sword at his hip, his features alert and highly focused.
“Talisa?” Nysa met up with her in the middle of the room. “I’m so glad you’re all right. But…” Her gaze skipped over Talisa’s ripped dress and haggard appearance. “What happened to you?”
“I’m fine. It’s not me. There were satyrs. A pack of them.” The dark-haired male stood beside Nysa, listening closely. “Ana... She... She was working with them. She led me right to them.”
“Our Ana?” Nysa asked.
“Yes. No. I mean, she’s not who you think she is. She’s not a nymph. She was using glamour to hide her true appearance here behind the kingdom’s magick. It must have given her some kind of enhanced abilities.”
Talisa glanced at the soldiers rushing through the room with armor and weapons. This was taking too long. She had to get back to Zagreus.
She stepped toward the hallway that led to the stairs below. “He’s badly injured. You need to help him.” She reached for Nysa’s arm to pull the nymph with her. “Just come with me and—“
“Get back,” a deep voice called from the direction of the stairwell. “Everyone make room for the prince.”
Voices quieted. All eyes shifted that direction. Several of the sentries Talisa had alerted in the gatehouse suddenly appeared, carrying a bloody and still Zagreus on some kind of stretcher.
Talisa’s heart lurched into her throat. She pushed her way through the crowd to his side and quickly reached for his wrist to feel for a pulse.
She swallowed hard. He looked so much worse in the light. Cuts and bruises and bite marks and scrapes. And blood. So much blood. Everywhere.
She moved her fingers against his wrist, growing frantic when she couldn’t find his pulse.
There.
Oh, thank the Fates. It was still faint, but steady.
Talisa quickly looked over her shoulder. “Nysa?”
Nysa’s eyes were wide and horrified as she stepped up at Talisa’s side, her gaze skipping over Zagreus’s bruised and battered face, his torn skin, filthy and shredded clothing, and the deeper wounds—all over his body—oozing blood. “Dear gods.”
“You can heal him, right”
“I...” A sick look passed over the nymph’s face.
“Nysa, focus.” Talisa grasped her arm and shook her. “You can heal him.”
Nysa’s gaze shifted Talisa’s way. Their eyes met, and Nysa slowly nodded, but there was no certainty in her features. No reassurance, either.
Looking back at Zagreus, Nysa carefully laid the palm of her hand over his forehead and closed her eyes, as if using her senses to search for… something. And in the silence, as she waited, Talisa’s heart raced so fast, she was almost certain it would fly right out of her chest.
Nysa’s blue eyes snapped open. Lifting her head, she turned to several nymphs at her back who had been hovering close, trying to get a look at Zagreus. “Lavender. I need lavender soaked cloths. Quickly. There’s not much time.” Turning back to the guards holding the stretcher, she said, “Take him to his chamber. Place him carefully on the bed.”
They nodded and hustled off with Zagreus, breaking Talisa’s hold on his hand.
To another nymph at her side, Nysa recited a list of herbs and other supplies she needed. As that nymph scurried away, Nysa finally turned her gaze on Talisa once more.
“I’ll do whatever I can.” She gripped Talisa’s hand tightly. Her eyes were steady, no longer horrified, but there was still no confidence in those blue irises. Nothing that put Talisa’s fears to rest.
Nysa glanced toward the male still standing behind her. “This is Rhen. He’s the captain of the Prince’s Guard. Tell him what happened. Then come find me.”
Nysa left, quickly climbing the stairs toward Zagreus’s bedchamber. Feeling useless, Talisa watched her go, a mixture of fear and agony swirling inside that made it hard to think.
“Princess?”
Rhen’s voice brought Talisa’s around. She swallowed, reminding herself to focus on the steps. One thing at a time. She’d gotten him back. He was going to be okay. Now she had to make sure everyone else in this kingdom stayed safe.
“The border is unsecured.” She looked up at Rhen. “Zagreus’s magick is flickering. How many mages besides Ana was he training?”
“A handful. Four, I think.”
“Find them. Have them meet me at the tunnel door that leads out from the dungeon. We have to get the border resecured.”
Rhen whistled for a nymph walking by. When she stopped, he gave directions for the mages and told the nymph to hurry.