Bound by Shadows

Aspin

The moment I hear his sharp intake of breath, I know something's wrong. "Torin?" I rasp, my voice thin and strained. He doesn't answer right away, but I feel his body tense beneath me, the muscles in his back locking up like they're trying to keep him upright through sheer force of will.

"I'm still here. It's fine," he finally mutters, though his tone suggests it's anything but.

"Fine?" I echo, weakly sarcastic. "Did someone hit you with an arrow labeled 'minor inconvenience'? Because I think you're bleeding."

He lets out a strangled sort of laugh as he pulls us up the last few feet, his hand gripping the edge of the wall like it's the only thing keeping us alive. Probably because it is.

"Just grazed me," he says, hoisting us both onto the top of the wall.

The word "grazed" seems generous considering the way blood is soaking into his pants, dark and sticky. I can't see much in the dim light, but the wet sheen glinting off his thigh doesn't look great.

"Grazed? Really?" I say, resting my forehead against his shoulder for a moment. "Your definition of grazed is worrying."

"Are you seriously arguing with me right now?" he shoots back, his voice carrying that familiar edge of dry humor even as he grits his teeth against the pain.

"Always," I whisper, trying to summon some semblance of strength.

But then he shifts, and I catch sight of the gash—a jagged slice running along the side of his thigh, deep enough to make my stomach churn. Adrenaline surges through me, battling the overwhelming exhaustion that's been dragging me under for what feels like days.

"We need to move," he says, breaking into my spiraling thoughts.

"We?" I mumble, glancing at the daunting drop on the other side of the wall. "Torin, you're literally leaking blood."

"Then I guess we better hurry," he snaps, his sarcasm sharp enough to almost make me smile. Almost.

Before I can protest further, he's already gripping my arm, pulling me to the edge. The climb down looks even worse than the climb up—steeper, with fewer footholds, and the guards on the other side are still shouting.

"I can't carry you anymore. You need to go first," he orders, his voice firm but gentle.

"No way," I reply, shaking my head even though it makes me dizzy. "I'm not leaving you up here to—"

"Aspin." His voice drops into that low, commanding tone that somehow makes my stomach flip. "You're climbing down. Now."

"Fine," I mutter, my sarcasm bubbling up despite myself. "But only because I don't want to deal with your ghost haunting me if you bleed out."

He snorts softly, his hands steadying me as I start the climb down. My arms and legs tremble with every movement, my grip barely holding on to the cold stone. Every now and then, he murmurs encouragement, his voice warm and steady despite the pain I know he's in.

By the time I reach the ground, my body feels like it's made of lead. I look up to see him following me, slower than usual but still managing to move with that same infuriating competence.

"Careful," I call up weakly, the effort of speaking almost too much.

"Careful?" he echoes, his voice laced with dry amusement. "What do you think I'm doing? Freestyle climbing for fun?"

When he finally reaches the ground, it's not a moment too soon. Guards from Eldora rush forward, their familiar uniforms a sight that almost brings tears to my eyes. One of them immediately moves to help Torin, but he waves them off, his focus entirely on me.

"You okay?" he asks, his hand finding my arm like he needs to reassure himself that I'm still standing.

"Better than you," I manage, though my voice wobbles.

"Doubt it," he mutters, his gaze sweeping over me like he's searching for injuries. "You look like you're about to keel over."

"I'm fine," I lie, though the black dots dancing at the edges of my vision tell a different story.

"You're a terrible liar," he says, his lips quirking into the barest hint of a smile.

And then we're moving, the guards flanking us as we head toward safety. Torin's arm stays firmly around me, holding me up even as I try to steady myself. I can feel the tension in his body, the way he's clearly trying to hide how much pain he's in.

I should be thinking about the chaos we left behind, about what this might mean for Eldora and Olinn. But all I can think about is him—his steady presence, the warmth of his arm around me, the way he keeps murmuring quiet reassurances like they're the only thing keeping us both upright.

"I've got you," he says softly, his voice cutting through the haze of exhaustion. "You're with me now. You're safe."

I don't have the energy to argue. I don't even have the energy to lie to myself about how much I need him.

By the time we reach the bordery wall, my vision is swimming, my legs barely keeping me upright. But I don't let go of him, and he doesn't let go of me.

Safe. The word echoes in my mind as the world tilts dangerously. Safe, because he's here.

And then the darkness takes over.