Eona - Alison Goodman [143]
“Not even to save your friends? Your beloved emperor?” He cocked his head. “Not even to save yourself, Eona?”
I looked back up at the village, my heart pounding. The dragons were for harmony, for life. Not killing. Not war.
“We can do it together,” Ido said. “I’ll hold off the ten dragons and you can use the lightn—”
I saw him register the same soft zing in the air as I did, a moment before the dull, wet thump of impact. He spun to the left and staggered a step, then crashed to his knees, eyes wide. An arrowhead protruded through his chest, blood seeping bright red into the dun cloth of his tunic. With an agonized gasp, he collapsed.
Yells erupted from behind the seawall as the villagers scattered. I dropped to the sand, instinct overriding shock. The arrow had come from high in the west cliffs. The closest cover was the upturned boat. I scrabbled to Ido on my hands and knees. He was on his side, hands pressed around the arrow shaft, panting. All color had drained from his face, and a soft sucking sound came from around the long metal arrowhead as blood welled between his fingers. The arrow had punctured his air. I had seen such wounds before: always fatal. I had to heal him. Fast.
“Ido, look at me.” His eyes were muddy, the skin around his lips already tinged with blue. “We’ve got to get behind the boat.”
Protest tightened his pale face, but I grabbed him under his left arm and pulled. The slight movement forced a groan out of him, and barely shifted his body. He was so heavy.
“Try,” I urged. “Try.”
He gulped for air and pushed his heels into the sand as I pulled on his arm again, but it did not help.
“Can’t,” he whispered. The effort to speak brought blood bubbling to the corner of his mouth.
“Eona!”
The frantic call jerked my head up. Two men were running across the sand toward us, swords drawn: Kygo, powering across the soft, sliding surface, and Caido, struggling to keep up with his emperor’s speed. Beyond the seawall, the other two guards were marshaling the villagers.
“We are surrounded!” Kygo yelled.
“Get down!” I screamed, torn between relief and fear. I pointed behind them. “Arrows.”
Immediately, both men ducked and zigzagged, but kept running. Kygo arrived first, showering Ido and me with sand, Caido close behind.
“Holy mother of Shola,” Kygo swore, taking in Ido’s injury. He grasped my arm. “Are you all right?”
I nodded. “I have to heal him. We don’t have much time.”
“You take one arm, I’ll take the other,” Kygo ordered Caido. “Get behind the boat, Eona.” He pushed me toward it.
I heard Ido’s wet moan as they hauled him to his feet and dragged him across the sand after me. I scrambled behind the boat and pressed myself against its solid shield. Kygo and Caido rounded the prow at a lopsided run, Ido slumped between them. Caido dropped his sword and braced Ido against his chest. With a small grunt of effort, he eased the Dragoneye down next to me. Kygo crouched at the end of the boat and cautiously peered around the edge.
“I’d say at least two companies, coming in from high ground,” he said. “And so far, only one arrow.” He looked back at Ido. “Straight for the main threat.”
“We’ve been betrayed,” Caido said.
“But is it one of the villagers?” Kygo returned to his tense watch. “Or one of our own?”
I pressed my hands to Ido’s ashen face. Icy skin, but damp with sweat. He was close to the shadow world.
“Ido, stay awake. I need you to block the ten dragons when I heal you.”
He widened his eyes, trying to focus on me through his shallow, labored breaths. “Again?” His smile was no more than a twitch of blue lips.
“Will your healing power destroy the arrow?” Caido asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
“Then we’ll have to get it out.” He touched the sleek feathered end protruding from Ido’s back. “That fletching has to come off before I can pull the shaft through his body,” he said. “Your Majesty, I’ll hold him still, if you cut.”
Kygo nodded and shifted into position, sword raised.