Element [The Darkling]

Chapter Seventeen

Astrid

Birds chirped in the trees as I trekked through the woods, following that feeling in my gut, searching for Alina.

I'd been walking all night, occasionally lighting a fire in my palms to warm myself up.

I heard the sound of a fire crackling up ahead, and heard metal clinking against metal softly. "We should get moving." A familiar male voice said softly, and I rounded the boulders.

"Mal?!" I demanded incredulously, seeing my brother sitting next to Alina. Both snapped their heads, staring at me in shock.

"Astrid!" Alina jumped to her feet, setting the bowl she had down and running over to me, tackling me in a hug. I grunted, accepting the hug. "Saints, I thought you were dead!" She said emotionally.

"I think I kind of was." I replied. She pulled away, looking at me with guilty eyes.

"I'm so sorry I left! I heard people talking about you being attacked, and a body, and Baghra said you were dead, and I-"

"You should've run." I cut her off, shaking my head and tucking some of her black hair behind her ear. "You should've run." I repeated, but she looked at me with guilty eyes. "It made it easier for me to run." I hugged her again, before looking at Mal. "Saints, Mal, what happened to you?" I exclaimed, seeing the bloody spot on his shoulder.

"We should get moving." Mal repeated while Alina gestured to breakfast, which was squirrel, and returned to making a paste for Mal. "It's not safe to stay here for too long." Mal said, and I agreed.

"We won't get far if you won't let me treat your wound." Alina told him, and I agreed with that too.

I helped Mal take off his shirt, and took in the sight of his wound. He'd been shot. Through and through his right shoulder. Alina started applying the paste, and he exhaled heavily.

"Sting reminds me of Keramzin." He noted, and I started at him, trying not to get lost in the memories of the orphanage.

"It's the poultice Ana Kulya used to make." Alina explained. "I added cloves to ease the pain." She added, moving to the cut on his side. He groaned, leaning forward so she could help his exit wound.

"Are you sure you added enough cloves?" Mal complained. Alina and I grinned at each other.

"Big baby." I teased. She helped him, but he winced harshly, and I felt bad for him.

"What happened, Mal?" Alina asked gently, and we both stared at him, sitting on either side of him, waiting for an answer.

"We got caught on the wrong side of the Fjerdan border." He told us, looking down. "Barely made it out alive. Mikhael and Dubrov weren't so lucky."

Shock filled me, and Alina and I teared up. "No," Alina whimpered. I felt a tear run down my cheek.

Mikhael and Dubrov... they were my friends. The other pair that I loved most in this world. They always made me laugh, and I was so grateful that they were there for Mal when Alina and I couldn't be.