KEEPSAKE

chapter thirty

30 REFLECT

BLOOD IS TRICKLING THROUGH THE SPACES SEPARATING ARTEMIS' FINGERS. ITS NOT HER BLOOD, THOUGH.

She's kneeling her weight to her wobbly knees and holding Adonis' life dripping body to her chest. His face is turning pale and gold blood is still flooding from his wound.

      "You're okay. You're okay," Artemis repeats to him, softly petting his hair back.

     Adonis chokes up on blood, looking up at her with devotion. His body withers in her hold and slowly he latches his hand to hers and the grip is deadly. He doesn't take his eyes off of Artemis, like maybe this way the pain will fade. Her eyes make it better.

"I-it hurts," he mumbles softly.

She nods, wiping snot from her upper lip with her free hand. "I know but i'll help you. Okay? You can heal and you'll be alright. We'll be alright. Everything's okay. Just hold on, Adonis." She moves her hand down his chest and wraps tentative fingers around the arrow that's upright.

"Wha-what-"

"Shh. I'm not going to hurt you. I promise." She tells him with a tight lipped smile before diverting her gaze to the wound. "I'm gonna pull this out."

It's odd. No one has sad a word. No one has even moved. Like time has frozen and Artemis and Adonis are the only ones not stuck in the clock blizzard. Artemis isn't thinking much of it, she's taking advantage instead. Pushing herself to not look away from this vulnerable creature laying on top of her. She can feel Zeus' presence but mentally she pushes him away a million miles.

       Adonis opens his mouth but he closes and shakes his head to himself. Thinking better of what he was about to say and choosing not to speak at all.

        But the want devouring on Artemis to know what Adonis fought himself to say stretches deeper than life.

      "Relax," She tells him and curses at herself of how stupid it sounds. She peels her hand from his and applies pressure around the wound, squeezes her lips tight, and in one strong pull, Adonis' chest is arrow-less. And the blood only leaks harsher.

        "Oh, no. Oh!" She gasps, pressing her hands down harder on the busted skin.

      "Artemis." The way he says her name breaks her heart. He sounds pained and already dead.

       She turns her head and watches as he slowly and forcefully intertwines their hands back together. The blood leaks through their fingers, making an even bigger mess.

      "Don't mourn me," he asks her.

        A sob escapes her lips and she clenches her mouth to shut to contain the ones following but it's useless. Tears are rushing down her cheeks and pelting on Adonis' exposed neck.

       "You can't leave me," she whispers in a pleading tone, squeezing his hand tighter as if she can pull him back to life, to her.

        "I'm afraid it's not my choice, Artemis," He smiles sadly.

        "I feel it." He adds. He blinks fast and repeatedly, trying to keep his eyes open.