24. Bella

24

BELLA

M y heart clenches painfully as I glance back at Jytos's wounded form. The cave's meager supplies won't be enough to save him. I need more. Better. Stronger.

"I'll be back," I whisper, knowing he can't hear me. "I promise."

The trek to the village is treacherous. Every snapping twig makes me flinch. Every shadow is a potential threat. The forest that once felt like home now seems alien and hostile. But I press on, Jytos's life hanging in the balance.

As I near the village outskirts, I slow my pace. Torchlight flickers in the distance, and the faint murmur of voices reaches my ears. I crouch low, using the underbrush for cover.

"Darn it," I mutter, realizing I'll have to sneak past the night watch. My heart pounds so loudly I'm sure they'll hear it.

I inch closer, timing my movements with the guards' patrols. One misstep and I'm done for. They won't welcome me back with open arms, not after offering me up as a sacrifice.

Finally, I spot an opening and dart towards the healer's hut. It's dark inside, thank the gods. I slip in and adjust my eyes to the gloom.

"Where is it?" I whisper frantically, rummaging through shelves and baskets. My fingers close around a jar of healing salve, and I shove it into my satchel. Bandages, herbs, anything that might help Jytos.

A noise outside freezes me in place. Footsteps. Coming closer.

"No, no, no," I breathe, searching desperately for an exit. There's a small window at the back. It will be a tight squeeze, but it's my only shot.

I wriggle through just as the door creaks open. Landing hard on the other side, I bite back a cry of pain. No time to recover. I have to move now.

Panic lends speed to my feet as I plunge into the trees, praying I won't be spotted in the darkness. My lungs burn, but I don't slow down. Can't slow down. Jytos needs me. I won't let him down. Not now. Not ever.

I soon burst through the trees, my chest heaving as I spot Jytos's crumpled form outside the cave. My heart plummets. He hasn't moved an inch.

"Jytos!" I cry, dropping to my knees beside him. My hands hover over his body, afraid to touch him. Blood oozes from deep gashes across his chest and arms. One of his tentacles lies at an odd angle, clearly broken.

"Oh gods," I whisper, bile rising in my throat.

I force myself to focus, assessing his injuries with trembling fingers. A particularly nasty wound on his side makes me wince. It's deep, too deep. I can almost see bone.

"Okay, okay," I mutter, trying to calm my racing thoughts. "We need to get you inside. Now."

I grab him under his arms, straining to drag his massive form. He doesn't even stir. Sweat beads on my forehead as I inch him towards the cave entrance.

"Come on," I grunt, muscles screaming in protest. "You're too damn heavy for this."

Finally, after what feels like hours, I manage to haul him inside. I collapse next to him, gasping for air. But there's no time to rest. I scramble for my stolen supplies and dump them out on the cave floor.

"Please let this be enough," I pray, uncorking a bottle of strong-smelling liquid. The healer always used this to clean wounds. I pour it over the gash on his side and wince as it bubbles and hisses.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, even though he can't hear me. "This is gonna hurt."

I grab a handful of herbs and crush them into a paste like I've seen done before. My hands shake as I pack it into the wound. Blood seeps through my fingers, warm and sticky.

"Don't you dare die on me," I say firmly. "You hear me? You don't get to leave me alone out here."

I work feverishly, cleaning and bandaging every injury I can find. The salve I stole should help with healing, but will it be enough? I'm no healer. What if I'm doing this all wrong?

Doubt gnaws at me as I finish tying off the last bandage. His chest rises and falls in shallow breaths. He's alive, but for how long?

I brush a tentative hand across his forehead. It's burning hot.

"Oh, no," I mutter. Fever. That's bad. I quickly grab a scrap of cloth and soak it in the cool water from our stores. I lay it across his brow, praying it'll help.

"You have to pull through this," I plead, clasping one of his massive hands in both of mine. "I can't do this without you. I won't."

I clutch his hand tighter. My chest constricts as I watch his labored breathing. Each rise and fall of his chest feels like a countdown, ticking away the moments we have left. The cave suddenly feels too small and the air too thick. I can't breathe.

Panic claws at my throat, threatening to choke me. What if I lose him? What if all my efforts weren't enough? The thought sends a jolt of icy fear through my veins.

I press my forehead against his, feeling the heat of his fever seep into my skin. "Don't you dare leave me," I plead, my words barely audible. "I can't go on without you."

The reality of those words hits me like a physical blow. I can't live without him. I don't want to. The thought of facing this harsh world alone, without him by my side, is unbearable.

I pull back, studying his face. Even unconscious, his features hold a strength that comforts me. Those deep green eyes that once terrified me, now closed. The sharp teeth that I've grown to love, hidden behind slack lips.

"Remember when we first met?" I say, desperate to fill the silence. "I was so scared of you. But now..." I trail off, a lump forming in my throat.

Now, the thought of losing him scares me more than anything ever has.

I trace the contours of his face with trembling fingers, memorizing every line. When did this happen? When did this monster become my entire world?

"You can't die," I whisper fiercely. "You hear me? You're not allowed to die. Because... because I love you."

Those words hang in the air, an undeniable truth. I love him. This creature who should terrify me, who's so different from me in every way. I love him with every fiber of my being.

"I love you," I repeat, louder this time. "So you have to wake up. You have to fight. Because I'm not letting you go."

As I sit by his side, my mind races. There has to be something more I can do. Suddenly, a memory flashes through my mind - an old healing technique I'd seen the village elders use. It was meant for humans, but maybe...

"Worth a shot," I mutter, fumbling through my stolen supplies.

I take a bit of herbs I don't quite recognize and mix them in a cup of water. I bring the cup over to the fire and brew the mixture much like tea. The scent is pungent, earthy.

"Okay," I say, my voice shaking. "Let's see if this works."

I gently bring the cup to his lips and trickle the liquid very slowly into his mouth. Most of the liquid seeps out the sides of his lips, but I'm hoping enough makes it down his throat to help him.

"Come on," I whisper, willing the ancient magic to work. "Please."

The cave air feels thick and heavy with anticipation. I sit back, my hands trembling. Now comes the hard part - waiting.

Soon, exhaustion hits me like a physical blow. My muscles ache, my eyes burn. But I can't sleep. Not yet. Not until I know he's okay.

I grab his hand again. His skin is cool to the touch, a stark contrast to the earlier fever. Is that good or bad? I have no idea.

"Stay with me," I whisper. "I need you."

The cave falls silent save for the sound of his labored breathing. Each inhale feels like a victory, each exhale a relief. I focus on that rhythm, willing it to continue.

My mind wanders, replaying moments from our time together. The way his eyes crinkle when he laughs. The gentle touch of his tentacles when he's being careful with me. The fierce protectiveness in his gaze.

"Remember when you taught me to hunt?" I say, filling the silence. "I was terrible. Kept scaring away all the prey. But you were so patient with me."

I squeeze his hand tighter, fighting back tears. "You have to wake up so we can do that again. So I can show you how much I've improved."

The minutes drag by, each one feeling like an eternity. My eyelids grow heavy, but I force them open. I can't fall asleep. What if he needs me?

"I love you," I whisper, pressing my forehead to his again. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

I repeat it like a mantra, willing him to hear me. To come back to me.

Just as I'm about to lose my battle with exhaustion, I feel it. A twitch. So small I almost miss it.

My eyes snap to his face, searching for any sign of consciousness. And there - a flicker of movement behind his eyelids.

"Jytos?" I breathe, hardly daring to hope.

His eyes flutter open for the briefest moment, those deep green irises focusing on me before sliding shut again.

A sob of relief escapes me as I collapse against his chest, careful to avoid his wounds. He's pulling through. He's going to be okay.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," I murmur, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath me.

As the adrenaline fades, exhaustion claims me. I curl up next to him, my hand still clasped in his, and let sleep take me.