Lost Soul

Chapter Thirty-Two: Waiting Game

The Daemon smiles. "Wasn't what I had in mind, but this works too." He snaps his fingers. "We still get paid this way. Grab her."

I stare down at Nick as two Fae grab my arms.

Charlie staggers towards us.

"Call Shay," I order, meeting Charlie's eye.

He holds out his hands, helplessly. "She's not there, Raven. She can't help us."

A numbness fills me.

The switch flips.

All my feelings shut off.

"Take him back to Cat. She knows a little first aid. Try to save him."

Charlie glances from me to the remaining enemies. "What about you?"

"Save him!" I shout.

Charlie jolts, scrambling forward towards Nick.

The Daemon doesn't even try to stop him, still smiling. "Good luck with that, knight!"

Charlie disappears into the sky with Nick in his arms.

When the Daemon turns back to me, the Fae holding me collapse to the ground.

He blinks, staggering back. "Wh-what?" He stares into the silver glow emanating from my eyes.

I pick up the sword I'd dropped and swing.

Max watches with his mouth open as the Daemon's head separates from his body and splats against the ground.

The remaining enemies pull away, staring at the carnage around me.

Those still living and able to run, turn tail and sprint into the trees or take to the skies.

"Raven," Max breathes. "How did you-?"

I turn to him, completely cold.

He flinches, staring at me. "What are you?"

The emotions flood back in and I stumble, grabbing my throat. "I have to-." I drop the sword. I sprint into the trees, tears flooding my eyes.

Nick.

I skid to a stop in the cave entrance.

Charlie looks up from pacing and starts towards me. "Raven. What happened? Are you-?" He takes in the fresh blood splattered over me. He gulps.

I rush past him, to Nick.

Cat's removed the sword and is trying to stop the bleeding. But she's crying and shaking. She's moving slowly, and she can't even get the bottle of alcohol open.

Danny is putting pressure on the open wound.

Nick is still awake, chest heaving. Ava has one of his hands in hers and is letting him squeeze until her fingers turn red.

I scrape the tears off my face, smearing the blood. I take a breath and the floodgates close. I drop to my knees beside her, snatching the bottle from her hands.

"What are you doing?" She rasps, her hands trembling as she reaches for it.

I smack her hands away and toss the bottle back into Rae's med kit. "Rae has treated enough of my wounds for me to know you don't use alcohol. I need iodine or saline."

Cat searches through the kit, shaking her head. "We don't have that."

I chew on my lip, trying to keep the switch in the off position. "Charlie, get some of our boiled water reheated. Cat get some salt."

"Salt?" She asks, blinking rapidly.

"Do it!"

She jumps and scrambles for James's bag, where we'd kept the cooking supplies. She grabs the bottle of salt and offers it to me.