Well, I’m not going to give up.
Once O’jek is on the shore, I hook my hands under his armpits and drag him away from the rough waves that threaten to tumble us both all over the beach. He’s so heavy my muscles strain in protest, but giving up isn’t an option. I snag my hands through his sodden leather tunic and pull and pull, until I manage to get him far enough up the shore that he’s out of the water’s reach. I set him on his side, rubbing his back and pounding on it, and he vomits water, the liquid bubbling out of his mouth and nose. I keep him rolled sideways and get to my feet, looking around at this inlet. There’s a lot of rocks, and some driftwood that’s lined the beach, which means we’re far enough away that we haven’t scavenged this particular cove to bring the wood back to Icehome Beach. Okay, I tell myself. Not a problem. I gather some of the wood and look for a shelter of some kind to get us out of the snow that seems to grow thicker with every passing moment. O’jek needs a fire to warm up, and shelter. He needs the healer, too, but I can’t drag him that far, not when I don’t even know which way is which any longer.
So I gather more driftwood and head for the rocky cliffs, looking for something that might be a cave.
To my relief, not only do I find a cave, but it’s got a smattering of supplies in it. That means others have been here before. There’s fire-making supplies and dried out driftwood and even a few furs. Perfection. I’m so happy at the sight of all this that I bite back a sob. I dump my gathered driftwood and race back toward O’jek, where he still lies so still in the sands. A crab is crawling over his braid when I get there, and I flick it off of him, lifting his head and tapping his cheek.
That’s when I notice the blood.
There’s a pool of it under his head, staining the sands. My heart stops in my chest at the sight, and I carefully search my fingers through his hair. There’s a massive cut on the back of his skull, shallow but long, and I remember the violent thump against the raft that nearly tipped me over. One of the tentacle creatures must have pulled him into the water and when he was swimming up, he rammed into the raft and knocked himself out.
I lean down and kiss his cold cheek, then smooth wet tendrils off his face. “It’s okay, love. Daisy’s here. I’ll take care of you.”
CHAPTER 31
O’JEK
My mouth tastes like salt.
My head aches and blazes with pain.
Something soft and rounded presses up against my chest, and beside me, I hear teeth chattering loud enough to shake the mountains.
I bite back a groan, lifting my hand to touch my forehead.
“Don’t,” a voice whispers. It is D’see. Soft fingers brush against my brow, pulling my hand away. “Remember that sludge you put on my head when I got hurt? Now it’s your turn. At least, I’m pretty sure it’s the same sludge. The herbs looked the same.” She lets out a soft chuckle. “But if you get a strange burning sensation, let me know.”
“D’see,” I breathe, squeezing one eye open. Her mane is disheveled from her normally neat braids and she is naked against me, her leathers gone. The furs we are huddled under are unfamiliar and stiff, and there is a fair amount of smoke in the air, along with the scent of…tea? Her pale face rises over me and she runs her hands over my bare chest.
I am naked. She is naked and pressed against me.
“What happened? The raft—”
“I think you got pulled overboard,” D’see says, her voice soft and low as she strokes her fingers over my chest. Even though my head is in pain, other parts of me rouse to attention. Within moments, I am aching and erect under the furs, my need for her painful in its intensity. D’see does not notice, though. She continues to pet me, talking. “You hit your head on the underside of the raft, and when I found you, you were floating face-down in the water. So I had to pull you to safety.”
“You…did?”
Her fingers spasm against my chest. “I was so worried. You looked like you were dead, and I was so scared I was losing you.” She presses her cheek to my chest. “Please tell me you’re all right, O’jek.”
I am astonished. Astonished that I am here with D’see, warm in this cave. Astonished that it was her that saved me. And more astonished that she says the same words to me that I said to her when she was wounded in the fruit cave…and then I pushed her away because I was afraid.