He thought to object to the action as useless until he noticed her red-rimmed eyes and tear-streaked face. Her grief, along with that of everyone else in the room, was on his head. He would do what he could to bring comfort since he couldn’t undo his mistake.
He tried not to look at Alora’s mutilated arms as he gently scooped his hands under her and lifted her from the table. Cradling her against him, he walked around to the other platform, where Jireo still cried over Kaevin’s body. Jireo made room for him to place Alora’s body beside Kaevin. Arista reached across to put their hands together, a fitting gesture for a soulmate couple united in death.
Arista’s gaze, swollen and red with anguish, was Alleraen’s undoing. He lost his careful control. Turning his head away, he batted his eyes to dry them, but once started the stream of tears would not be stopped. Fat salty drops rolled down his face to splash on Alora’s. He placed a gentle kiss on her cold cheek… the niece he’d never know. Her arm fell off the side of the table and he gently lifted it, folding it across her so the raw flesh wouldn’t be exposed. A wave of dizziness hit, and his knees buckled, making him grab the table to regain his balance.
She groaned, and he shifted her arm to make her more comfortable.
Wait… she groaned?
“She’s not dead!” He yelled out.
The room erupted with shouts.
*****
Kaevin labored to take a breath against the heavy weight compressing his lungs. Forcing his eyelids open, he saw a man’s face, blue eyes framed with a mass of dark auburn hair, hanging in curly masses that blended with his beard. A smile bloomed on the face as it jostled in his vision, and he felt the jarring of motion. Though he ought to fight against the Water Clan warrior who held him captive, he barely had the energy to hold his eyes open.
“You’re awake? Well met, Kaevin. I’m Alleraen. I’ve volunteered to carry you and Alora, and I don’t intend to let my brother get his hands on you again.”
“Brother?” he croaked.
“My brother, Drakeon. Or Vindrake as you know him.”
Kaevin tried to understand his words through the muddle in his brain. Recognizing the weight on his chest as Alora, he relished the pressure, despite the effort required to breathe. He had only one compelling thought. “Is someone nearby? Someone called Jireo?” His voice sounded raspy to his ears.
“I’m here, Kaevin.” Jireo’s face appeared, bobbing beside him. Kaevin realized they weren’t simply walking, but running down the passageway. Yet Alleraen didn’t appear winded, though he bore both him and Alora in his arms. Were it not for the bouncing steps and the rapid passing of the cavern walls before his eyes, Kaevin could have imagined he was standing still.
“Jireo… our bond tells me… you’re in grave danger.”
“As are you.” Jireo’s laughter rang out, echoing against the walls of the stone corridor. “I expect we’ll both be in serious danger until we’re long gone from this cavern. Yet I can hardly complain, as I’ve already seen you die and return to life once today.”
“I’m certain Kaevin and Alora were never truly dead.” Alleraen twisted his lips to the side, clearly bemused.
“I’m quite certain they were dead. Kaevin and I are defender-bonded. I knew the moment his life left his body.”
Alora and I were dead?
“Impossible,” Alleraen replied, and Kaevin was inclined to agree.
“Something happened to reverse the shaman’s death curse. Or perhaps it reversed because Charles interrupted before it was completed.”
“It matters not if we don’t escape the caverns with our lives.” Despite his dire words, Alleraen’s expression was unworried. On the contrary, he seemed calm. Perhaps even happy.
As they skidded around a corner into a broader corridor, Jireo yelled out, “Glare it! Sentries ahead… coming this way. How much farther to the exit?”
“We’re close to the alcove, but they’ll engage us before we’re all able to get inside. Arista needs time to seal it behind us.” Alleraen yelled over his shoulder, “Graely! Trouble ahead.”
My father’s here?
Graely appeared, jogging beside Alleraen. “How many?”
“Ten of Vindrake’s men to our eight,” Alleraen answered.
“We’ve only six as we can’t count Alleraen or Charles,” Jireo reasoned.
“Let me fight. I’ve only a few broken toes.” Kaevin cleared his throat and opened his eyes wide, trying to look strong.
His father’s half-grin seemed strangely gruesome on his bruised and bloodied face. “Kaevin! You’re awake! I’m afraid Alora’s too weak for us to separate you, even for a moment.”