Frost and Fury

Chapter 16

I'm so tired. I can barely move. "Jackson, sweetie. I love you so much. But you're a heavy pain in my ass."

He was out cold. No response whatsoever.

I imagine him smirking. I prayed for any kind of movement. His shallow breathing the only sign he was still alive. For how long though? My heart sped up.

I had been dragging him for hours, how frickin fast were those horses? I didn't realize how far we traveled out. No more horses for me.

My legs were ready to quit on me. The deep snow making my slow torturous movement slower. The cold sank deep into my skin.

When I finally see the hut I almost cry. I crash into the door almost collapsing in her house. Panting deeply I notice feet. I look up. "What the hell is going on?" I cough.

"Oh my god Lucy is this all yours?" Rory lifts me up.

"Most of it. Where's Leri? What are you guys doing here?"

"Here," Rory loops my arm around her. Cole takes Jackson. Noticing the marks along his shoulder he sets him on the table. He grimaces looking over the wound.

I peel my attention away from Jackson. "What are you doing here?"

"Tasi was taken, killed. We came here to regroup. They've doubled up on guards. Leri!" She calls.

He sees us and stops what he's doing to come to us. "What happened?"

"Oh you know sword in the side. No big thing." I lift my shirt. The wound was still there, glaring and angry.

It wasn't so deep now, the cold probably stopping a lot of the blood flow. "Nyx tried to kill us. Guess your word means jack nothing."

Leri frowned a flicker of disappointment maybe flashed across his face. His trust and ego definitely taking a huge blow.

"I had no idea." I let it go I didn't have the time to argue. I really didn't believe he knew Nyx tried to kill us.

"He shot Jackson with an arrow. I think it's poisoned. I need something for him."

Leri steps around us walking to Jackson inspecting his wound. "It's Basilisk poison." He shakes his head. "I don't have the antidote."

"Well where is it!"

"You're not going to like it." Sela purrs. Everything was a game it seemed to her. Her eyes were never without excitement. Like she was a spectator watching the greatest performance ever.

"Of course I won't. Where is it?"

"The only antidote is in the main castle. They keep it for the royal family in case one oversteps the wild wood and comes to the court."

"Of course it is." I throw my hands up. "I need that antidote. How long does he have."

"A day...if I were to overestimate it. Probably half a day at the most. You've been traveling a while. He's in a lot of pain. I don't know how Nyx got a hold of the poison."

"You know I just want to point out that I figured this would happen. Why did you have us go with him?"

"I had both of you go because I thought you two together would win if he attacked you." He scoffs.

So much for value in words. Leri figured this would happen. Would have liked the heads up though.

"Well what's the plan? Because I'm going to that castle and getting the antidote and yes I will kill whoever tries to stop me."