>>6318162“Your shoulder—I saw Fra’ Catena split you open! Are you—”
“Alive,” he pants. His hand reaches to cup her cheek. “No thanks to him. He’s been walking back and forth and praying and whatever. They are trying to kill the Sister. They always—”
“—knew,” Bragia sobs. “I—I know. I saw Merope. I think she is… oh, Helias. Never mind that. Tell me you are alright.”
“I am a whole piece, at least. Esta patched me up.”
“E-Esta?”
The surprise in her voice twangs.
“She remembered she has a good head on her shoulders, besides wanting to slide her hands into your knickers,” he chuckles, then coughs. “She still had a few hallowed bandages. As soon as I could walk I threw myself after you.”She squeezes him, then something comes to her mind.
“Wait. You said the bandages…” she runs her hand over them, coarse under her fingers, slick with his blood. With Ansàrra’s golden ichor.
It does nothing to her.
“T-They are working? They work on you!” She grabs his shoulder, amazed, relief clear through her voice. She splays her hand against his chest. “Oh, then this means…”
“Whatever it means, we are together, Runt. That is what… hey, I know you are happy to see me but aren't you grasping a little… too… ooof.”
She grabs the bandages and rips them off.
Bragia’s mouth opens in a mute scream as her own hand pushes him against the rock and then pushes, pushes, pierces, runs through, cracking flesh and bone like tissue, until her wet fingers are out again, steaming with Helias’ blood.
“Li—tha—la,” he croaks.
“O<span class="mu-s">o</span>o<span class="mu-s">o</span>o<span class="mu-s">o</span><span class="mu-s">p</span>p<span class="mu-s">s</span>s. D<span class="mu-s">D</span>i<span class="mu-s">i</span>d<span class="mu-s">d</span>n<span class="mu-s">n</span>’<span class="mu-s">’</span>t<span class="mu-s">t</span> I<span class="mu-s">I</span> t<span class="mu-s">t</span>e<span class="mu-s">e</span>l<span class="mu-s">l</span>l<span class="mu-s">l</span> y<span class="mu-s">y</span>o<span class="mu-s">o</span>u<span class="mu-s">u</span>?<span class="mu-s">?</span>” Merope’s voice echoes between Helias’ choking breath and her panicked gasps of air, playing on her lips as they move on their own. “H<span class="mu-s">H</span>o<span class="mu-s">o</span>w<span class="mu-s">w</span> w<span class="mu-s">w</span>e<span class="mu-s">e</span> w<span class="mu-s">w</span>o<span class="mu-s">o</span>u<span class="mu-s">u</span>l<span class="mu-s">l</span>d<span class="mu-s">d</span> b<span class="mu-s">b</span>e<span class="mu-s">e</span>c<span class="mu-s">c</span>o<span class="mu-s">o</span>m<span class="mu-s">m</span>e<span class="mu-s">e</span> t<span class="mu-s">t</span>h<span class="mu-s">h</span>e<span class="mu-s">e</span> b<span class="mu-s">b</span>e<span class="mu-s">e</span>s<span class="mu-s">s</span>t<span class="mu-s">t</span> o<span class="mu-s">o</span>f<span class="mu-s">f</span> f<span class="mu-s">f</span>r<span class="mu-s">r</span>i<span class="mu-s">i</span>e<span class="mu-s">e</span>n<span class="mu-s">n</span>d<span class="mu-s">d</span>s<span class="mu-s">s</span>.”
[cont.]
