The Touch of Salvation

07: To Almost Die

ADALIND

I'm underwater. The cold shocks me to the core, imprisoning my limbs. I can't move. My eyes remain open as I get pulled down further and further into the neverending pond. I can't breathe. For a moment, I wonder if this is it. If - finally - the pain would subside.

Maybe in the afterworld I would be with Goliath.

But then I remind myself that my friends are stubborn as hell. They would never let me go this easily, not without a fight. Tentacles wrap around my neck and waist so tightly I can feel them crushing my bones. I scream out underwater. I scream and yet hear nothing. 

The water numbs my hearing. It's suffocating me. It's rushing down my throat and into my nose. Deeper and deeper I am dragged.

And then the water parts just for a moment and billows downward toward me. Goliath. That's Goliath. He's swimming toward me followed by Lucian, Lux, and Daario. My vision blurs just as he gets to me. His arms wrap around my waist as he removes the sword from his side. He lets go of me for a second as he swings his sword against the rubbery skin of the octopus.

The tightening loosens.

He swings at the other. I am free. He works quickly, wrapping himself around me and swimming toward the surface as the others kill the creature that took me hostage. I take a struggling breath as we reach the surface, but the breath turns into a whimper of pain.

I can barely think as I am pulled to the surface. Goliath is above me, shouting something. I can't bring myself to focus as the sharp pain radiates through my entire body. I scream tears through me as I cradle my side.

There's commotion above me. I can't tell what is happening, but then something warm is against my lips. It's thick and coats my throat as it falls back. It tastes like iron. It's disgusting. I try to choke it up.

It's forced down my throat. I can't stop how it flows down. But soon, the pain starts to fade and I can finally open my eyes. Xerxes is above me, his wrist on my lips and I grow nervous, trying to push him away.

"Stop it," he hisses. "Apparently you can't heal yourself."

I remember then that he's a hybrid - a vampire, lycanthrope whose blood has regenerative power. I've never been happier to see Xerxes.

He removes his wrist from my lips and I sputter up the blood that sits in my mouth. A hand grabs my chin and forces me to look up. "Why the fuck are you here if you can't protect yourself?"

I am stunned at his cruelty. Goliath's eyes are filled with anger as he looks down at me.

"I-" I stutter.

"Don't talk to her that way," Daario says, a dangerous tilt in his tone.

"You brought her here without informing us of that thing-"

"She's the Regent of these lands," Daario hisses back. "Everything is drawn to her. We need her to travel and we need her to draw out the key. If you weren't such a stubborn dick and actually admit that you care about her, she wouldn't feel like shit right now."

"Why can't you heal yourself," Goliath asks me.

"I-"

"You're a Regent - why can't you heal yourself," he repeats.

"I don't know!" I shout at him, overwhelmed by the anger that laces his voice. "I have never been able to."

He sighs roughly before wrapping an arm around my waist and under my legs, picking me up. As I try to get down from him, a growl rips through his chest.

"Don't try to get out. His wolf is on edge. He needs to hold you for a while," Grace explains.

"Let's split up," Lucian suggests. "It isn't a very large garden, but it will be faster if we all separate."

"Grace and Demise will go with me. Lux will go with Xerxes, Espen, and Rosalie. And Daario will go with Goliath and Adalind."

Silence follows us as we begin to venture through the labrynth of flowers. Goliath is still holding me and it is strange to me. I don't know how to act.

"The Regents don't know that you cannot heal yourself as they can, I hope."

I nod, my eyes shooting to Daario who follows behind. "They don't know much about me."

"Does anyone?"

I nod. "Lux, Daario, and Lucian know much more than the average person."

Goliath hums. His pace is steady as he takes in the gardens around us. "It said that the garden would be where you were taken."

My nose crinkles as the thoughts invade me once more. Images of what had happened here spring into my head. My hands tighten around his shoulders. He stops and looks down at me.

"What is wrong? What aren't you telling me."

"Ophir had taken me. I didn't go willingly." Is all I say.

"All the stories say that you wanted to go with him."

"Well," I say, looking away from him. "Not all stories are true. Daario, fly above and see if you can see anything."

"I am not leaving you alone."

"He just saved my life. Do you honestly think he'll kill me now?" I sigh as he remains unmoving. "Contrary to what people may think, I promise I can handle myself."

Daario seems to agree because he looks at me and then at Goliath before slowly ascending.

"Daario is your Bloodrider."

I nod.

"What does that entail?"

"He manages my militia and strategic strategy. He's a moradarthian." Goliath halts and looks down at me again. "You allowed one into your kingdom?"

I nod. "I've allowed wolves too. We make fun of them relentlessly, but they also make fun of us. I accept anyone who I find admirable."

"What did Daario do to deserve being your commander?"

I wait a moment, thinking of what to say. "People say they are vessels for anger and violence. He is genetically predisposed to be better at combat, but that does not mean he cannot also be kind, caring, and empathetic. When he was a child he had the opportunity to escape his hell, but he gave it to another. He gave away his freedom to save someone else. Admirable."

"And Lucian? He is your Grandrider."

"Yes, he is, well I suppose he takes the role you have. He's my second, the person I call when I think I'll get my ass kicked. His control and restraint are admirable. Plus, our dragons love him." I chuckle. "They like him more than me. And then Lux handles things I need to be done without the world knowing."

"Aye!" A shout crosses the gardens. Our heads look up at Daario. In his hand he holds up the black, skeleton key. "Found it."

When we return to my home, Goliath finally sets me on my feet and says: "try not to almost die before we return."

"Of course," I shrug. "I'll wait to almost die until you're here, obviously, just to annoy you. Plus, I love having a hunk of a man come to my rescue."

He rolls his eyes but I can see a small tug on his lips. "I'd like not to rescue you again."

"I wasn't talking about you, Goliath. I was talking about Daario."

"Not funny." But the small glint in his eyes tells a different story. Perhaps behind that blase facade was...someone who was humorous?

AN
It was my birthday Friday!
QOTD: what are your favorite scenes in books?