Soul Bound

Chapter 8

It all happened in a blur. Moving through the monotonous corridors. Arriving at the infirmary, melting into one of their beds. A healer examining her. She paid no attention to any of it, to anyone. Their words were murmurs in her ears compared to the voices in her head. No matter how hard she tried to pay attention to the world around her, she couldn't. Her mind would take her back to the village coated in fire. The sounds of swords slashing through flesh, her people screaming, fire crackling. The heat. . . the smell. . .

"Eva!"

A pair of hands seized her shoulders. In panic, her eyes flew open and she shoved him away, screaming. A young, ashen-haired man stared at her in terror, restrained by Grayson who had not left her side--per her request. She didn't want to be left alone any more. She had been alone with enough strangers already.

She blinked, remembering where she was, who the man in front of her was.

"Jacob." Her voice was a mere whisper, her throat dry.

Grayson handed her a cup while her brother sat on the bed, watching her drink. He was so pale and haggard. His eyes were red, hands covered in ash and mud. He held her hands desperately, as if she might drift away if he didn't hold her tight enough. "Are you in any pain?"

She glanced at her wrists. She had bathed in their healing pools for a few minutes. . . or hours. Overall, it had been a pleasant experience, and Eran was the one who had fueled the bath with his magic to heal her. All of her wounds were gone, thanks to him. She couldn't remember if she had thanked him or not. . . .

"I'll live." Is that really what I sound like now? It couldn't have been her voice. It was so deadpan. Lifeless. She cleared her throat. "I mean," that sounded better, "I'll be okay."

Jacob smiled half-heartedly, squeezing her hands. "Good. . ." His smile disappeared. "Listen, I know this is going to be hard--for the both of us--but I-"

Grayson interrupted, seeing Jacob struggle for words. "Commander Hargin wants to know what happened."

She swallowed, suddenly feeling small and fragile. "I told you what happened." At least, she thought she did. Her voice couldn't be hoarse only from crying, could it? Surely, she must have told him while he held her on the landing pad, when he sat with her in the healing pools, while he carried her to this bed.

She didn't want to have to go through it again. She wanted to keep the calm haze over her mind. The haze kept her sane. It reminded her that she was alive, not empty, forever reliving that day.

"I know, but you weren't exactly coherent." Grayson's tone made her wince. He was cold. She liked him better when he held her in silence and let her cry her heart out, no matter how ugly it got.

Jacob glared and shoved him. "Show a little compassion, man!"

Grayson shoved him back. "I'm doing this so you don't have to. You know Ahura would be ten times worse." The grim line on his mouth and the furrow in his brow were merciless, but his eyes, try as they might to hide it, conveyed how much he hated having to badger her at a time like this.

Jacob clenched his fists, chest heaving, but then he relented with a huff and looked back at her, mumbling an apology to his partner. He came alongside her and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. He kissed the top of her head. "It's okay, Eva. You're safe here. I won't let anyone hurt you."

He didn't understand. He wasn't scared for her life. She feared the screams. The smell. The hopeless anguish.

She remained silent.

Grayson, seeming to understand her hesitation, took her spare hand, his thumb gently brushing over the top. "I know it's hard, Eva, but this needs to be done. We need a full account of what happened in Brar. I know you can do it."