Through The Ashes

45

The wind whipped through Jorn's clothes, chilling her already clammy skin. Every step sent a jolt of pain up her side, a constant reminder of the Rot's bite. Her new reality made her legs feel heavier with each passing moment. She didn't even have time to think about the throbbing in her shoulder.

Her mind raced, barely registering the world around her as they moved in formation—Brady scouting ahead, Becca limping beside Mara, her arm wrapped protectively around her injured side. But all Jorn could focus on was the burn of her bite.

She didn't know when her time was going to be up.

Everyone's immune system was different, some people lasting a full day before their body ultimately lost the battle.

How would she tell Mara? How could she? She glanced over at her, catching the determined line of Mara's jaw as she kept Becca steady, her gaze sharp as ever. Mara was all about survival, about making it through. She didn't know how to lose the people she cared about—she had already lost so many. How could Jorn possibly burden her with this?

The memory of Mara's touch in the office, the warmth of her lips as they kissed, felt like it didn't even happen now. There was still so much she wanted to give her, so much she had kept hidden. But this would destroy them. Permanently.

It was inevitable, though. Jorn knew briefly how it went—the wound would begin to fester and eat away at the skin. The fever would spike. Then the weakness. The biting hunger. By the time anyone noticed, it'd be too late. She would turn, and then... she shuddered, her grip tightening on her rifle.

No. She couldn't let it get to that. She had to tell Mara before it was too late. But even thinking about it felt like tearing something apart inside her. She had fought so hard to stay distant, to keep the walls up, and now, after finally letting Mara in, she was going to lose it all.

Damn it.

A wave of dizziness washed over her, the pain growing sharper, and she stumbled for a second, catching herself against a crumbling brick wall.

Brady turned, his brow furrowing. "You good?" he asked, his voice low but wary.

Jorn nodded quickly, straightening. "Yeah. Just winded." She could feel Mara's eyes on her but didn't look back. She couldn't. Not yet.

Brady seemed to accept it, turning his attention back to the path ahead. But Mara—Jorn could feel her concern, feel the way her gaze lingered a moment longer.

As they pressed on, Jorn's mind churned. She ran through a dozen different ways to break the news, but none of them felt right. How do you tell someone that you're already gone? How do you tell the one person you care about most that this is the end?

The bite throbbed again, a sharp reminder of time ticking down.

Maybe... maybe she could make it back to camp first. Maybe she could figure out some kind of plan. Keep it hidden for just a little longer. She knew it was selfish, but she wanted a little more time. She wanted to be with Mara, to be with all of them, even if it was just for a few more hours.

But the reality was, she couldn't afford to wait too long. If she waited too long, she'd be a danger to them all. To Mara. She could never let that happen. She could never burden Mara to kill her if it came down to it.

She would have to die by her own hand.

The thought tore at her, a deep, wrenching ache in her chest. I'll protect you, she had told Mara once. Always. She wasn't going to fail her now.

Jorn knew she had to tell Mara soon. But the words were stuck in her throat like thorns, too sharp and painful to let out. She just needed more time to find the right moment. Just a little more time to say goodbye in her own way.