Read Online The Arena (Ultimate Soldier Book 1) by Tessa Escalera - Free Book Online
Authors: Tessa Escalera
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bottle of medicine. Medicines that cured everything from headaches, to fever, to nausea or infection.
Lila looked back at Katie's prone form near the fire. Did Katie have weeks, days, hours to live? It would take her days to make the trip. She might not even make it back before Katie succumbed to the fever that burned in her body. But she had nothing here, and if she stayed, there was nothing she could do.
It's my only chance, Lila thought as she paced across the mouth of the tunnel. Katie's only chance. The fever burns hot and swift―she won't survive without the medicine. But what if Katie died while she was gone, and the baby with the mother? She had promised to save the baby by any means possible, as horrible a promise as that was.
The more Lila thought, the more she knew that it was the only way. Katie moaned and writhed on the floor, crying out in pain. Whether asleep or unconscious, she no longer answered Lila's questions or touch. The fever burned so hot that Lila could feel it even through the fabric of Katie's clothing. The baby was still within the young woman's belly, barely stirring when Lila touched the purple fabric of Katie's shirt.
It was this weakening of the babe that sharpened Lila's mind into a crystal clear decision. For her to find the mansion, and the medicine, was the only chance for either one. As soon as the thought entered her head she launched herself to her feet, grabbing the backpack and stuffing the apples and tubers into it. She pulled out enough meat for half a week, cooking it as quickly as she could. She ate the deer stew when it was done, then started another pot cooking. On the chance that Katie woke up enough to eat, at least there would be a little food.
It wasn't until the meat was cooked and laid in the backpack along with the other food that Lila looked outside. Her heart sank when she realized that the sun was halfway between zenith and the horizon. It was midafternoon and would soon be night.
Reluctantly, chafing at every moment she was forced to delay, Lila steeled herself to spend another night in the tunnel. There was no point in starting now. The air held the heavy scent of rain to come, and the storm clouds that sped from the west to meet the sun would bring the dark―and the wolves―even earlier than normal.
As the sun descended behind the clouds, Lila checked on Katie, feeling more helpless than ever before. She placed a cloth soaked in cool water on Katie's forehead, and cleaned the wound as best she could, shuddering at the sight of the wound, with the purple lines of blood poisoning beginning to mar the skin on Katie's ankle.
Afterwards, there was nothing she could do besides sit at the edge of the tunnel, one hand trailing in the stream and the other around Seeker's shoulders, watching the lightning flicker beneath the black clouds. A massive wolf stood on the edge of the forest, his eyes gleaming yellow in the deep twilight. As she watched, he lifted his muzzle to the sky and let out a low, mournful howl. Seeker whined, sniffing the air, her eyes not keen enough to see that far.
“Shhh,” Lila whispered, laying her head against that of her friend. “It's gonna be okay.” She wasn't sure who she was talking to―Seeker or herself. As she watched, the wolf seemed to stare straight at her, before turning to vanish into the trees.
Lila leaned back against the wall, laying her head on the cool concrete. Seeker curled up by her side. Lila alternated between watching Katie's uneasy sleep by the fire, and the lightning that lit up the sky outside. She was sure that she would never be able to sleep, and that dawn would come bringing with it the haze of exhaustion. The concrete was rough and hard, and the thick night air was cool without her blanket. She lay down on the floor, back against the wall. The first drops of rain struck the back of her neck, and she could smell the scent of wet concrete. She couldn't bear to move
Lila looked back at Katie's prone form near the fire. Did Katie have weeks, days, hours to live? It would take her days to make the trip. She might not even make it back before Katie succumbed to the fever that burned in her body. But she had nothing here, and if she stayed, there was nothing she could do.
It's my only chance, Lila thought as she paced across the mouth of the tunnel. Katie's only chance. The fever burns hot and swift―she won't survive without the medicine. But what if Katie died while she was gone, and the baby with the mother? She had promised to save the baby by any means possible, as horrible a promise as that was.
The more Lila thought, the more she knew that it was the only way. Katie moaned and writhed on the floor, crying out in pain. Whether asleep or unconscious, she no longer answered Lila's questions or touch. The fever burned so hot that Lila could feel it even through the fabric of Katie's clothing. The baby was still within the young woman's belly, barely stirring when Lila touched the purple fabric of Katie's shirt.
It was this weakening of the babe that sharpened Lila's mind into a crystal clear decision. For her to find the mansion, and the medicine, was the only chance for either one. As soon as the thought entered her head she launched herself to her feet, grabbing the backpack and stuffing the apples and tubers into it. She pulled out enough meat for half a week, cooking it as quickly as she could. She ate the deer stew when it was done, then started another pot cooking. On the chance that Katie woke up enough to eat, at least there would be a little food.
It wasn't until the meat was cooked and laid in the backpack along with the other food that Lila looked outside. Her heart sank when she realized that the sun was halfway between zenith and the horizon. It was midafternoon and would soon be night.
Reluctantly, chafing at every moment she was forced to delay, Lila steeled herself to spend another night in the tunnel. There was no point in starting now. The air held the heavy scent of rain to come, and the storm clouds that sped from the west to meet the sun would bring the dark―and the wolves―even earlier than normal.
As the sun descended behind the clouds, Lila checked on Katie, feeling more helpless than ever before. She placed a cloth soaked in cool water on Katie's forehead, and cleaned the wound as best she could, shuddering at the sight of the wound, with the purple lines of blood poisoning beginning to mar the skin on Katie's ankle.
Afterwards, there was nothing she could do besides sit at the edge of the tunnel, one hand trailing in the stream and the other around Seeker's shoulders, watching the lightning flicker beneath the black clouds. A massive wolf stood on the edge of the forest, his eyes gleaming yellow in the deep twilight. As she watched, he lifted his muzzle to the sky and let out a low, mournful howl. Seeker whined, sniffing the air, her eyes not keen enough to see that far.
“Shhh,” Lila whispered, laying her head against that of her friend. “It's gonna be okay.” She wasn't sure who she was talking to―Seeker or herself. As she watched, the wolf seemed to stare straight at her, before turning to vanish into the trees.
Lila leaned back against the wall, laying her head on the cool concrete. Seeker curled up by her side. Lila alternated between watching Katie's uneasy sleep by the fire, and the lightning that lit up the sky outside. She was sure that she would never be able to sleep, and that dawn would come bringing with it the haze of exhaustion. The concrete was rough and hard, and the thick night air was cool without her blanket. She lay down on the floor, back against the wall. The first drops of rain struck the back of her neck, and she could smell the scent of wet concrete. She couldn't bear to move
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