I sat down after Ternen was done. My magic was waning from being pushed out and snapped back to me; the toll on my body was starting to affect me. I dropped my head between my legs to stop the room from spinning and to push the bile back down. My mom rubbed my back as I breathed through another wave of nausea.
“You’re okay, baby,” her voice was soft. “We can do this another night.”
Rick waved me off. “Go to bed, regain your strength. There’s no need to push yourself this much, not for me.” He tried to reason with me, but he didn’t understand what was at stake.
I shook my head. “No. I’m okay.” I gagged, the bile reaching my mouth.
“Amy, look at yourself. You are not good. You’re about to throw up all over the floor,” Rick said, coming over to me. “I can wait.”
I pulled my head up, tears burning behind my eyes. Frustration, thick and suffocating, coated me. I wasn’t this weak, and I hated that my body was betraying me. “You don’t understand,” I cleared my throat. “I have to.”
“You don’t. I promise it’s okay that you don’t get to me tonight.” I shook my head and lifted a hand. He smiled and grabbed my hand. “Don’t hurt yourself for me. Not after everything I did to you.”
I sighed, watching sweat break out on Rick’s forehead. “No, you misunderstand me.” Rick winced.
“What do you mean?” His voice was strained.
“Vince knows.” My voice trembled as Rick leaned against the table for support. Another wince, and a shaky breath from Rick, silenced everyone.
“Knows what?” Rick’s eyes were wide. He grunted, stumbled, and slammed his hip into the table.
“He knows you guys have run. He was searching for you until he felt the runes break on everyone.” I sat up, my mom helping me stand as Shelly came over and grabbed Rick.
“What’s going on?” She looked at Rick. His breathing was shallow and gasping. He clutched his neck and screamed. Shelly looked to me. “Amy?”
Rick looked at me and screamed. “No.” He shook his head, then collapsed.
“Amy!” Shelly screamed.
“Shelly, I— Get him on the table…quickly,” I called, grabbing a tiny knife from the box. A ghost of a smile touched my lips as I shook my head. Fucking Carl. “Roll him onto his stomach.” Ternen and Toya lifted Rick onto the table and turned him over. “I need you to trust me.”
She blew out a breath and walked around the table to sit beside Carly, grabbing Rick’s hand. “Do it. Whatever you have to do. Just save my mate.”
“Okay.” I pressed the one-inch knife against the base of his neck, directly over the brand. Precision was paramount. I braced my hand on his head, steadying it, then pressed the knife through his skin, severing his spinal cord. “Rick, I command you not to heal.”
Toya moved to press a towel against the wound, but I stopped her. “Are you just going to leave the knife in?” she asked, confused.
“I have to. If I take it out, he will die. He might stop breathing.” I winced as Shelly jolted. “Don’t do that.” I held up my hand. “Any jarring movement can shift the knife and kill him. Stay still. Pray to the goddess. And hope that I can break the bridge inside of him.”
I turned to Nix, seeing the exhaustion in her and Megan’s faces. “Last time.” They nodded.
“Last time,” Nix said, sinking down so I could climb onto her. “Let’s go save this idiot.” Megan snorted. We trotted through the trees, conserving our energy for whatever awaited us at Rick’s…
Chapter 483
“Do you think it’s another leech?” Megan’s voice was tired, but hopeful.
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.” We ran until the woods changed from sun-dappled trees to a shadowed darkness. The trees were the same, but dark shadows enveloped everything.
“This doesn’t feel like a dangerous place,” Nix said cautiously, but continued moving.
I sent out feelers, confirming her assessment. The darkness wasn’t malicious like the others; this felt quiet, restful. “What is this place?”
Megan trotted around us. “This is like where I lived before you spoke to me. A safe place to stay hidden; a place to recharge, heal, and relax.”
I looked around, but Rick’s wolf was nowhere in sight. “Where is his wolf?”