Soul Chains

Chapter 32: Of Seraphs and Sacrifices

I lead Reine back to our campsite and the others greet her warmly and with some concern about her wounds, but she assures us that she's fine. Ciana goes off to find a source of water while Dimitri chops up more wood to make a bucket to put the water in and Ayette watches as she sits on one of the logs, her eyes scanning his figure. A few minutes later, Dimitri finishes making the bucket, tying the wood together with some rope before he goes off to find Ciana.

"I can come with, you know," Ayette offers.

"No," Dimitri says firmly as he continues walking off, "you're staying right where you are."

Ayette sighs and rolls her eyes, but she stays put nevertheless.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I ask as I sit beside Reine on one of the logs while Renji examines her wounds.

"I'm fine," Reine waves it off, "don't worry about me."

"What on earth happened to you?" Renji frowns, "you look like you ran into a tree branch, lost your balance, fell down a hill and kept rolling for miles."

"I held Kione off for as long as I could, but I ended up having to run when she broke through my shield," Reine explains, "I fought her as I ran and eventually I escaped her."

"Well, you'll be fine, but you should rest for a little bit," Renji sighs.

Just then, Ciana and Dimitri return with a bucket full of water and they place it down next to me and Reine.

"I'm glad you're okay," Dimitri smiles tiredly and Reine smiles back.

"Yeah, me too," Reine says.

"We don't exactly have a cloth to clean your wounds with, but we found you some water," Ciana says and smiles sheepishly.

"Thanks," Reine sighs and Ciana and Dimitri wander off around the campsite with Renji.

I glance between Reine and the bucket and chew on my bottom lip, wondering if I should help her.

"Here," I sigh, making a split-second decision to tug at the corners of my shirt and pull it over my head, Reine's eyes widening in the process, "use this."

"I couldn't--" Reine starts, raising her hands in protest.

"It's fine, Reine," I insist and motion for her to take my navy blue t-shirt.

Reine stays quiet for a few moments, her eyes downcast, and I sigh.

"Fine," I say as I scooch closer to her, "I'll just do it myself then."

"Wh--" Reine starts, lifting her head up as I dip my shirt in the water after folding it up and I wipe it alongside her face.

The dirt and blood on the side of her face smears slightly before it eventually all gets wiped away and I smile at her softly as her lavender eyes imploringly stare into mine.

"There," I say as I continue wiping off her wounds, "that isn't so bad, is it?"

"Uh," Reine clears her throat and shakes her head slightly, making her hair frame her face, "no..."

"You're going to give the poor girl a heart attack," Mikasa muses from her spot around the fire.

"What?" I furrow my eyebrows and turn to face Mikasa, my hand stilling on Reine's arm.

Meanwhile, Ciana giggles from the other side of the campsite as she throws us a glance over her shoulder at Mikasa's words and Dimitri turns back to glare at me.