Beloved (20 page)

“Let me down,” Kira begged, wiggling out of Octavion’s arms. Once her feet hit the ground she pushed away from him and took a step back. “What are you doing here?” She rubbed her wrist where the Crystor glowed with bright silver light. The burn had started a few seconds after she’d heard Blayde’s first warning call.

“I came for you.”

She ignored him, only one thing was on her mind right now—Altaria. She had to be hurt, she could feel it in her heart, this primal connection that broke clean through the wall she’d built up around her to keep Al from reading her thoughts.

“Where’s Al? She’s hurt.”

Octavion motioned behind him, then followed her as she fell to her knees beside a strange girl with black hair. She looked up at Octavion. “Is this some kind of a joke?”

The girl showed Kira the matching marks on her wrist. “It’s me.”

Kira watched as Altaria’s face slowly appeared and her long black braid faded to the color of golden honey. Kira almost knocked her over when she threw her arms around her friend and gave her an overdue squeeze. But their reunion was cut short when Altaria cried out.

Kira released her and sat back on her heels. “I’m so sorry.” She took one look at the massive trap and the precarious position of Altaria’s leg before panic set it. It was almost dark and the blood would attract the Jraks, if they weren’t already on their way here. “Blayde, get over here!”

“I will do it,” Octavion said, kneeling at Al’s feet.

“No!” She pushed him back. “Blayde built this thing for animals. If you don’t remove it exactly right it will snap her leg off and I’ll never be able to heal it.”

Blayde took Octavion’s place and examined the trap and Al’s leg. He leaned closer to Kira and whispered. “I cannot do this here. We need to move her and fast.”

“My pod?”

Blayde nodded.

“What did he say?” Altaria asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. We’re just worried about the blood. The sun is setting and that means Jraks. The scent will bring them right to us.” She carefully wiggled the peg holding the trap in place out of the ground and handed it to Blayde. “Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Go.”

He didn’t even bother to lift her from the ground, just steadied her leg, grabbed her arm and was gone.

Octavion lurched forward in a useless attempt to stop Blayde from taking his sister, but he landed on the ground, their mist gathering around him. He swore, then jumped to his feet, bringing Kira up with him. “Where did he take her?” He held her at arm’s length, a firm grip on each bicep.

“Let go of me.” She lifted her arms and knocked his hands loose. “She is safe. Blayde will take the trap off and I will heal her.”

“Take me to her.” Octavion reached for her again, but she backed away, putting more distance between them.

“I can’t. It’s bad enough that Altaria is there. You have to go.”

“I’m not leaving without you and Altaria.”

Seeing the pain and desperation in his eyes was killing her. What she wanted to do was run into his arms and spread kisses all over his bearded face. She closed her eyes and tried to push the feelings away. She had to think of Altaria and her new family in Lairdor. This wasn’t just about her anymore.

“I have to go.”

He moved closer and offered his hand. “Take me with you.”

“We’ll track her, Octavion,” Cade said.

“No!” Blayde’s spirit surrounded her and she heard him land in the tree above her head. She knew there would be a confrontation if she didn’t think fast. She grabbed the handle of her whip that hung above her head and held tight. “I’ll be in touch.” She called Blayde’s name and she sailed into the air as he lifted her up off the ground and wrapped her in his arms, taking her to Lairdor. He landed near her pod and released her.

“Are you all right?” He coiled her whip and handed it to her.

“Yeah. You?” It was impossible to tell if Altaria’s blood affected him with his yellow eyes.

“As long as I do not breathe. Her blood is . . . hard to explain.”

“Her name is Altaria. Do you think you can get this trap off before you need to feed?”

“If we hurry.”

Lessa opened her pod and peeked out. “Blayde you should not be here. What has happened? Are you all right, Kira?” Mahli peeked out from under her arm and gave her a scolding screech. “Get back here.” Lessa reached for the cub, but she was already half way to Kira. When they’d heard Blayde’s first warning, Kira had ordered Mahli to stay with Lessa. She didn’t want to have to worry about her, too.

“It’s okay, Lessa. Blayde’s leaving and I could use Mahli’s help.” She raised her voice so everyone could hear. “All is well. Someone got caught in one of the traps. We’re going to get her foot out so I can heal her and then she’ll be gone. There’s no danger, so stay in your pods.”

Kira could hear several whispers and wondered what they’d think about her bringing a stranger to Lairdor. It could mean moving the entire camp and she didn’t want that.

Altaria tried to move, but cried out when her leg twisted and the trap’s teeth dug deeper.

Kira climbed down into the pod. Space was going to be a problem with the lid barely propped up. She bent it back, breaking the vines that acted as a hinge. It slammed against the trunk of the tree. “Mahli.” She needed no instruction, their connection was so strong, Mahli knew what needed to be done. She snuggled down next to Altaria and stretched her head across her stomach. “Good girl.”

Altaria buried her hand in the cub’s fir. “She is like Toran?”

“Yeah, she is. And it doesn’t seem to bother her or cause her pain, like it did Toran.”

“That is good.” She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead with her fingertips. “He’s very angry, Kira. What should I tell him?”

“Tell him the truth, that we’re working on your leg and we are all safe.”

Blayde disappeared for a moment, then came back with a couple of metal tools and a chunk of wood. “How will you get rid of this blood?”

“I don’t know. It’s not bleeding much right now, but when you take the trap off it will. I’ll think of something.” She pulled her knife out and cut Altaria’s pant leg off from the knee down. She used the fabric to slide under the injured part of her leg to catch most of the blood.

Altaria leaned back and grabbed the side of the pod, crushing it in her fist. She’d partially transformed from the pain, her eyes flickering with threads of gold. “Kira, this isn’t going to work. You will get hurt.” The darker it got, the more the moons affected both Blayde and Altaria. They’d have to work fast.

“She’s a Royal?” He took in a short breath. His face contorted and Kira could finally see his beast as he bared his feline teeth. “But I smell commoner blood.”

“Blayde! I need you to focus. Get this thing off her leg so you can feed.”

He turned away for a moment, took two deep, cleansing breaths, then went to work on the trap. He shoved the chunk of wood between two pieces of metal while prying with one of the tools.

Altaria screamed. “Stop!” She leaned forward and grabbed Blayde’s arm. “Stop.”

“We have to get this off or I won’t be able to heal it.” Kira pressed against Altaria’s shoulder, making her lie back down. “Breathe deeply. Try to focus on something else.”

“It cuts too deep. Every time you try to pry it loose I can feel the teeth grind against the broken bone.” She closed her eyes and let out a deep moan before sitting back up. “Can you keep the trap from tightening?”

Blayde examined the trap more closely. “I think so, but how will you get your leg out if I can’t open the jaws?”

“I’m a shifter.”

Blayde’s eyes widened. “Blessed—”

“What’s a shifter?” Kira asked, interrupting what she was sure would have been a long line of expletives.

Altaria laid her hand over Kira’s and gave it a squeeze. “You saw me do it with my face and hair a few moments ago. It’s how I look different from Lydia, only I can do more now.”

“How small can you make your leg?” Blayde asked.

“Small enough to get it out.”

“Wait.” Kira couldn’t wrap her brain around what she’d heard. “I’m confused. I get that you can change your appearance, but your leg is broken and the skin and muscle has been ripped open. How—”

“There’s not time to explain,” Blayde said. “I will hold this steady. Can you pull your own leg out? I do not think Kira should be close in case something goes wrong.”

Altaria nodded. “I agree.” She braced the heel of her good foot against the side of the pod so she could use it for leverage to get her other leg out of the trap. “Get away, Kira. I can do this.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Blayde grabbed Kira’s hand and leapt to a branch several feet above them. He dropped her there, then reappeared exactly where he’d been before, near the trap. “Ready?”

Altaria took a deep breath and pushed the air out through clenched teeth. “Go.”

Kira watched from above as Altaria’s entire body, clothes and all, morphed into her beast. Mahli sprang away, seeking refuge with Lessa when a wild and feral cry broke through Altaria’s lips. She shifted into another creature much smaller and then another and another. She changed so fast, Kira couldn’t distinguish them except by color and size. Her leg slipped out from between the trap’s jagged teeth, but not before she cried out in her own voice. Her hair now askew around her head and covering her face, Altaria slumped in the pod, unconscious.

Blayde appeared at Kira’s side, the trap dripping with Altaria’s blood. He took her back to her pod without warning, something Kira was used to now. Even not closing her eyes didn’t bother her anymore, she was so used to traveling with him.

“You need to go,” Kira said.

The muscles in his back and shoulders swelled and his fingernails began to stretch and lengthen into claws. “I will drop this outside the perimeter so it lures the mutts away from here. You need to get rid of this blood, and fast.”

“I know, now go!”

He disappeared and before she could kneel, Lessa and two others were at her side offering their help.

“You don’t have to do this,” Kira said.

“This is what families do.” Lessa dropped into the pod and brushed Altaria’s hair out of her face.

Kira gasped as her heart filled with more joy than she thought would ever be possible again. “Lydia?” Tears filled her eyes and a lump threatened to choke back her words. “Al, why didn’t you tell me?” She knew Al still listened. She was always listening, even when Lydia slept. She’d done the same thing when her spirit lived inside Kira.

“Are you all right?” Lessa asked.

“I’m better than all right.” Kira wiped the tears from her face and ordered Mahli to cuddle next to Lydia.

“Tell us what to do,” Cyna said. She reminded Kira of a little pixy, with her petite build and short hair. Her sweet voice only added to the fantasy. Kira hadn’t had a lot of contact with her, but she’d always been nice.

“Can you hold her leg steady? This is going to hurt worse than anything you can imagine and if she wakes, she’ll do more damage than I can heal.”

Cyna held Lydia’s leg, while Lessa scooted under her shoulders, laying Lydia’s head in her lap. The other woman who’d come to help, Soco, sat close by in case she was needed—and to watch. Not that they could see much. With the clouds masking the stars and what was left of the moons, it was pitch black. Kira was never more grateful for her night vision.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes,” they all said in unison.

“Okay, I need to be quick about this and then get rid of all this blood.” Kira closed her eyes, placed one hand on either side of the wound and took in a deep breath. As carefully and swiftly as she could, she mended the wound, starting with the open veins and torn tissues. That stopped the bleeding, which was her biggest concern. The rest would be much harder and more painful. At some point during her shift, Lydia had twisted the break and the bones were no longer lined up. She’d have to set the bone before she could do anymore healing.

Cyna ripped the hem of her dress and poured water from Kira’s drinking vessel. She cleaned the blood from Lydia’s leg while the others threw a blanket over Lydia and helped her out of her pants and shirt. Both garments were smeared with blood and since they couldn’t build a fire, they’d have to be taken away from their camp.

“Bundle these together, tie a stone to them and toss them in the creek.” Cyna handed the soiled scraps of cloth and Lydia’s clothes to Soco who quickly left.

“Okay, ladies. This is the hard part. I need to set the bone and heal it quickly before she wakes up. Cyna, your part will be the hardest. You can’t let her leg move, not even a little bit, understand?”

“Yes.” Cyna positioned herself so she could get a better grip on Lydia’s knee. “I am ready.”

Kira moved to the end of the pod and carefully removed Lydia’s stockings. Her leg was so swollen it was almost twice the size of the other one with a bulge where the bone had slipped to the side. Kira’s stomach rose into her throat. She’d never set a bone before. What if she messed it up and made it worse? One wrong move could cripple her friend for the rest of her life.

She gripped Lydia’s leg just above the ankle and put all her energy into sensing the bone and tissues inside. She gently pulled and twisted until she felt the bone was properly aligned. Lydia moaned and thrashed about, but Cyna and Lessa held tight.